Heather, hope it's okay that I cut and paste it in here. I think it's such a GREAT article I want EVERYONE to see it!
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A Diet for IBS and GERD?
"I have acid reflux and IBS as well. Can I follow the IBS diet or will this make my heartburn worse?"
People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome are statistically more likely to have upper GI problems (like GERD or reflux) as well. The good news is that the vast majority of dietary changes that help IBS will also help prevent or minimize heartburn - there are just a few special considerations you'll need to take.
The general IBS diet guidelines of low fat, high soluble fiber, and the careful addition of insoluble fiber, are well-suited to reflux as well. In particular, going low fat will be very beneficial for IBS and reflux both, so make sure you're avoiding the high fat trigger foods. While acidic foods can sometimes (but not always) bother IBS, they are very hard on reflux, so be careful with citrus, vinegars, and cooked tomatoes.
Coffee is an acidic food that is also a powerful GI tract irritant and it will wreak havoc on both your lower and upper digestive tract - please avoid it completely (even decaf!) Tea is not a safe replacement beverage, however; both black and green teas contain caffeine (problematic for IBS) and tannins (not good for reflux). Carbonated drinks and chewing gum increase the amount of swallowed air in your GI tract, and are also bad news for reflux and IBS both.
Herbal teas are an excellent option instead, with one big exception: peppermint, which is one of the single best herbs for IBS (particularly pain and cramping), is such a powerful smooth muscle relaxant (which is why it helps IBS) that it can seriously exacerbate heartburn. Choose fennel, chamomile, or anise teas instead. You may also be able to use peppermint in the form of enteric coated peppermint oil capsules, which do not dissolve in the stomach. Instead, they pass through the digestive tract intact until they reach the intestines, so they are often very helpful for people with both reflux and IBS who cannot tolerate peppermint in other forms (such as teas or candies). If you do have reflux and want to try peppermint oil capsules, it's usually best to take each capsule on an empty stomach, about one hour before a meal. The "no alcohol, no tobacco" rule for IBS also applies to reflux, so if you have both digestive problems it's time to change any hard-partying ways (sorry).
Sulfur-containing vegetables (garlic, onions, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts), can produce significant gas in the GI tract and this can trigger IBS attacks, and the sulfur can also exacerbate reflux. As with all other fruits and veggies, however, these are extremely nutritious foods with significant health benefits, so they need to be treated with caution but, if at all possible, not simply eliminated from your diet.
Chocolate, in the form of unsweetened cocoa powder used for baking, is usually very tolerable for IBS (both the fat and caffeine have been removed). Unfortunately, chocolate in any form can worsen reflux, so you may well have to forego this particular treat altogether. Why the discrepancy? Chocolate contains theobromine (a compound that's also found in tea and coffee), which relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle (just like peppermint), and triggers reflux. So chocolate, like peppermint, is one of the few foods that can be perfectly safe for lower, but not upper, GI problems. Other foods in this category are hot peppers, which contain capsicain. While they can be tolerated, especially in smaller amounts, by some folks with IBS, the capsicain can dramatically trigger reflux and you'll probably want to avoid hot peppers (such as jalapenos, habaneros, cayenne, etc.) altogether. This does NOT mean you have to avoid all herbs and spices - to the contrary, most are actually digestive aids, and it's only the capsicain family you need to avoid. There's no need to stick to bland foods unless you actually want to!
Some other general guidelines that are helpful for IBS are equally beneficial for reflux, particularly eating small meals frequently and taking soluble fiber supplements. Keeping your GI tract filled with soluble fiber throughout the day will make a world of difference in helping your digestion (both upper and lower) stay stable. When it comes to your soluble fiber supplement, be extra careful to avoid citric acid, which makes many "orange" flavored supplements taste, well, orange. Citric acid is, rather obviously, acidic, and this can make a soluble fiber supplement highly problematic instead of helpful for your digestion. Choose a plain, unflavored soluble fiber supplement like Tummy Fiber Acacia instead of a citric acid variety, and you'll get all the benefits without any risk.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Did everybody see Heather's article about IBS and GERD in the most recent newsletter?
