Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: About to Give up on Acacia Tummy Fiber

Hi there,

Once you really start to understand what causes the IBS it will make a lot more sense. The 2 key strategies we recommend to get the constipation or diarrhea to stabilize involve dietary changes to address the triggers that are affecting the dysregulation of the nervous system in the gut that controls the motility (frequency � too slow or too fast) and soluble fiber (acacia is the most tolerable for IBS) to help address the consistency of the bowel movements. The dietary triggers are the same for both diarrhea and constipation IBS, the individual just responds differently by either slowing down or speeding up the motility. Removing the dietary triggers for a while will allow the gut nervous system to calm down and ease the dysregulation that affects the motility. Once it is calmed down, the frequency will begin to normalize and you can then carefully start bringing things back into the diet following all of the tips Heather talks about in her books to prevent IBS from getting irritated again. To get the best results you should tackle IBS with both approaches��diet for normal motility/frequency and acacia for normal consistency. The fennel (for gas/bloating) and the peppermint caps and teas (for pain associated with cramping and spasming) are to help you manage the associated symptoms that often come along with IBS. The peppermint is soothing and calming to the dysregulated and hypersensitive nervous system in the colon. They are designed to calm things down before the food gets there to prevent any trigger foods in the meal from causing a flare up of the IBS nervous system dysregulation. Soluble fiber also works like a cushion between your colon and these trigger foods to help minimize the effect and in turn minimize the chances of aggravating IBS.

Taking too much acacia too fast can cause increased gas and bloating. Acacia is one of the lowest gas-forming fibers out there and going slow makes the gas issue totally avoidable. Please be patient because this really does work.

We recommend starting with � teaspoon twice a day (daily dose of 1 teaspoon). You can split the daily dose up as many time as you like throughout the day, just divide it by 2 or 3 depending on the frequency you prefer. Try to increase the dose every 4th day or so by a teaspoon (add this to the daily dose). If you get increased gas and bloating by jumping the dose up by a teaspoon, try cutting this in half. Some people with IBS are so sensitive they have to go up at � teaspoons every 4th day. Keep stepping up the dose every 4th day or so until you find a dose that resolves your constipation and/or diarrhea. Constipation is usually resolved with a daily dose of 4-5 tablespoons/day and diarrhea/loose stools usually resolves at a lower dose of 1-3 tablespoons/day. You shouldn't take more than 5 tbsp/day. The maintenance dose is different for each person depending on their specific symptoms. Dietary changes are often necessary to make lasting changes. In the beginning until you stabilize, it works best to take the acacia before each meal to minimize the effect of trigger foods in the meal and to calm the intestines before the food arrives.

Regarding GERD: It's important to take the peppermint capsules an hour before you eat on an empty stomach. You want to make sure that you take the peppermint capsules at least 1.5 hours away from your GERD medication. The medication lowers your stomach acid levels which increase the risk of the peppermint capsules dissolving in the stomach rather than the intestines.

I hope this helps!
Erin

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Erin Dudley, MS, CN
Certified Nutritionist
Heather's Tummy Care / Heather & Company for IBS, LLC
IBS Education, Support, & Products
Toll Free: 866 640 4942 Direct: 206 264 8069 Fx: 206 264 8072
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER - This email is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Any application of the recommendations in this email is at the reader's discretion. Heather Van Vorous and Heather & Company for IBS, LLC are not liable for any direct or indirect claim, loss or damage resulting from use of this email and/or any web site(s) linked to/from it. Readers should consult their own physicians concerning the recommendations in this email

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