ibs is, to a large extent, a hyperactive gastrocolic reflex. when you eat, as food enters your stomach it triggers your colon to start moving, to make room for the new food it's detected. some foods trigger this more strongly than others. with ibs, some foods trigger it *too* strongly, sending the intestines into spasms. that's why an attack can come so quickly after eating a sketchy food, without there even being time for it to get through your stomach, let alone to your intenstines.
'safe' foods don't trigger this reflex as strongly, whereas 'trigger' foods make it go crazy - even people without ibs often have to go to the bathroom shortly after drinking coffee, eating red meat, or a fatty meal. as for eating safe foods before less-safe foods, here's the deal: the safe foods get your digestive system working, waking it up, so to speak, but at a safe, calm level. once your digestive system's gotten started, the more dangerous foods are less likely to trigger spasms. on the other hand, dangerous foods on an empty stomach shock the system - like going from 0 to 60 too quickly.
so while the cushion metaphor describes the effects, a more accurate image is that of warming up. getting a cold car engine running before speeding down the highway, warming up your voice before belting a high c. (okay no one can belt a high c, but you get my drift.)
i've sort of taken it as my personal mission to perpetrate the accurate metaphors on this. 
let me know if any of that wasn't clear.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Re: "cushioning" - here's the deal
