Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Hi Corinne, and hugs to you.

So sorry you're not feeling well lately.

I'm not familiar with Jordan Rubin's book - is it specifically for IBS? There is very, very limited research on diet and IBS - virtually every study that I've ever seen is posted here on the boards in the research library, under diet.

The recommendation to avoid fruits and fruit juices has some sound reasoning, as fruit sugar (fructose) is a known IBS trigger. It can cause cramps, gas, and diarrhea in people who don't even have IBS. I would personally temper this suggestion as fresh fruits are essential for good health, so eating small quantities of them, especially cooked into something like fruits breads, or a bowl of rice cereal, is better than none at all.

Sugar (as in refined sugar) is sucrose, not fructose, and is not a GI stimulant or irritant. It's certainly not a health food, and you can completely eliminate it from your diet without any negative consequences to your IBS or otherwise. I'm not sure that you'd actually see an improvement in your IBS if you eliminate sucrose - there isn't any reason I've come across why you would - but there's no harm in trying.

I wouldn't agree that proteins are easier to digest than starches. They're not, especially things like animal proteins. There's a reason people start feeding infants their first solid foods with things like white rice, mashed bananas, or oatmeal instead of cheeseburgers. Starchy foods, in addition to typically having soluble fiber (which will normalize bowel function - that's a biological fact, not my opinion) are usually the very easiest to digest.

Ironically, processed foods (which would be white breads and pasta, as they're made from processed wheat - the process is that the wheat is ground and the bran, which has the insoluble fiber, is removed) are usually easier to digest for people with IBS. The insoluble fiber is a GI tract stimulant (again, this is simple biology - not my opinion) so if you have a bowel dysfunction that makes your colon susceptible to irregular muscle contractions, insoluble fiber can cause problems. Thus whole grains can be more difficult, not easier, for IBS. They are more nutritious, however, which is why I'm always urging people to incorporate as many insoluble fiber foods as they can, but as carefully as possible.

You need digestive enzymes for carbs, proteins, and fats. In fact, different enzymes are required for each of these types of foods. Interestingly, the more you eat of one type of food the more of those enzymes you'll produce. But you'll always have the enzymes required for all of these foods, unless you have a physical problem producing them, which would be something other than IBS altogether.

I would suggest that you follow whatever you feel will help you the most. That is what truly matters. If something works for you, and makes you feel better, then it is right. What's right for you is really all that matters.

I hadn't actually realized that you have been struggling like this for several months. I'd really urge you to post any questions you have, or give us as much information as possible about what you're eating, how your stress levels are, and anything else you can think of that could be affecting you. A lot of times people think they're doing everything they should be, but there's actually something going on that is sabotaging their efforts with their realizing it. I'd like to hope that's what's going on here, and that we're able to figure out what the problem is and help you solve it.

xxoo,
Heather

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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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