Low fat red meat
#364512 - 04/28/11 12:21 PM
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Hi everybody! I have a question....
I know we're not supposed to eat red meat because of it's high fat content. But what about very, very low fat red meat, like ham or very lean pork? Is there anything besides the fat that makes red meat a trigger food?
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Sarah, IBS-alternating
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” ~ Philippians 4:13
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it's not just the fat content, it's that it is saturated animal fat, which is hard to digest. The proteins in red meat are also hard to digest.
Best,
H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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It definitely was a trigger for me. I had been off of red meat for almost a year. My son has been concerned about my IBS and began following the Paleo Diet and wanted me to try it. So, I tried it and only bought lean, grass-fed beef. I did this for two weeks and thought someone had punched me so hard in the stomach. The pain was so bad. So, I discontinued using beef altogether and went back to my chicken, turkey and fish and I feel so much better again. The whole food place I go to (Sprouts)had stated the same thing that Heather did - beef is just heavy to digest. I sure found out. It's just not worth it - the pain and all.
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Okay, thank you both! I think I will stay away from red meat...even the low fat types. 
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Sarah, IBS-alternating
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” ~ Philippians 4:13
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Wow, I just came on these boards to research this exact question. Glad I didn't have to look too far!
On Sunday, I had a hamburger for the first time in probably a year. My boyfriend and parents have been after me to "try new things" now that I'm somewhat stabilized because of how careful I am with what I eat. So I tried a burger (low-fat lean meat, just ketchup). I have to note, I was surprised how much I hadn't missed it (I'll stick to my chicken, turkey and fish!) Anyway, my stomach felt "gurgle-y" for the next day and a half, then Tuesday evening, I had an attack. Pain, cramps and diarrhea, for the first time in a very long time. I was wondering if it could've been the hamburger because there was such a long period of time in between eating it, and having the attack (2 full days). This was the only thing out of the ordinary I'd eaten, so I'd love to get some feedback if anyone thinks that's what the problem was, and why it took so long to happen if so. I still don't feel 100% today.
Needless to say, I won't be having hamburgers again. BBQ'ed chicken burgers are just as good. 
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It is quite possible for IBS symptoms to show up from many hours to a day or two later. For normal individuals it can take 12-14 hours for food to reach the colon and another 20-30 hours to pass through the colon. Here is a reference source that you may find useful.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Goat meat is very low in fat and saturated fat, even lower than chicken. I have no idea what may goat meat do to your bowel, though.
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I don't have IBS.
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Quote:
It is quite possible for IBS symptoms to show up from many hours to a day or two later. For normal individuals it can take 12-14 hours for food to reach the colon and another 20-30 hours to pass through the colon.
Wait, but...I thought IBS attacks happen when your colon responds violently to the gastrocolic reflex (which is triggered immediately when you eat)...?
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Sarah, IBS-alternating
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” ~ Philippians 4:13
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Yes for some people simply the act of eating can trigger an IBS attack irrespective of the food eaten.
For others the trigger can occur after eating or it can be delayed for example until indigestible food reaches the colon where it is fermented. The spasms maybe triggered at the beginning or near the end of the colon. In summary colonic spasms can be trigger almost anywhere along the GI track. So symptoms from food trigger can occur anywhere from a few minutes to many hours after ingestion. Furthermore, hormones, illness and variety of other factors can trigger IBS symptoms. It is a very complex syndrome and the time delays make tracking symptoms from foods difficult.
You might find some of interviews IBS experts on International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders web site of interest. In particular, the first one with Dr. Whorwell.
--------------------
STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Not necessarily. When I was having symptoms, they would occur many days after eating. I never knew what caused the C or D. I never had pain, cramps, or any immediate reactions.
What I discovered was that it was not about food for me. After I completed several rounds of the hypnosis cds, my symptoms are gone.
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Yep, same here as Gerikat mentions. At one point, I was down to crackers and water, then in the hospital with nothing but ice chips. Had a barium x-ray and I was out of there in 45 minutes, vs the hours they expected for transit time. I talk to people all the time who say they have eaten something and can see it in their stool quite quickly - after questioning them a bit, they insist that they can see the corn, or whatever, not long after they have eaten it; so I wonder about those transit times. I was going to have the radioactive scrambled eggs transit time test at one point (when I was at Mayo), but after doing the pooping in the top hat test, I passed on that one... (no pun intended)
It got to the point where there was no one food that caused symptoms - one day one food would seem to cause problems, then next time I ate it, no problems, etc. I begged my gastro to put me on a nutritional IV only, as I did not want to eat at all! I spent about 4 hours almost every day in pain, D and agony!!! Only starving myself before needing to go somewhere would help.
Now I can eat beef - steak, hamburger, etc. no problem,(I try to eat lean beef, but sometimes you get a roast with more fat on it and just dont eat that part) past food triggers (or what I thought 'caused' my symptoms), no longer a problem. So after years of following all sorts of elimination and substitution diets, for my particular case, it was not about the food or diet either. Although, I did find, when going through a bad patch, simple bread or crackers was helpful, as well as the peppermint and fennil teas! 
Of course, everyone is different and needs to find their own way and sort out what is best for them.
Overly processed food with artificial ingredients are not meant for the body anyway, so why wouldn't a bunch of chemicals cause problems? Stay away from those - not healthy for anyone anyway!
But for me, the hypnotherapy was my way forward as well after going through many other treatments and diets for almost 20 years! I know what it is to keep trying, after being almost housebound with IBS, I know how frustrating it can be...
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My Journey and Success with the IBS Audio Program Hypnotherapy Program: www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=hypnotherapy&Number=224850
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Quote:
Yes for some people simply the act of eating can trigger an IBS attack irrespective of the food eaten.
For others the trigger can occur after eating or it can be delayed for example until indigestible food reaches the colon where it is fermented. The spasms maybe triggered at the beginning or near the end of the colon. In summary colonic spasms can be trigger almost anywhere along the GI track. So symptoms from food trigger can occur anywhere from a few minutes to many hours after ingestion. Furthermore, hormones, illness and variety of other factors can trigger IBS symptoms. It is a very complex syndrome and the time delays make tracking symptoms from foods difficult.
You might find some of interviews IBS experts on International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders web site of interest. In particular, the first one with Dr. Whorwell.
Okay, thanks Syl! I guess I just got confused because Heather mentions the colonic spasms triggered by the gastrocolic reflex most often.
However, the way you described it makes more sense; I've found Heather's diet to help with both my IBS "attacks" (the ones triggered by the gastrocolic reflex, a minute to an hour after eating a "wrong" food) and my IBS "overall pain" (the pain the is more vague and can't be traced back to any particular trigger). Now I see why! 
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Sarah, IBS-alternating
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” ~ Philippians 4:13
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