Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

i agree with Hansolo. avoid high fat foods (as you always should). don't eat "fried." (bye bye beloved General Tso's, i miss you!) i don't know how chow mein is prepared, so i'm not sure about its IBS safetyness....

most people have a favorite chinese food place, so you're probably familiar with the menu. do you know if they're helpful and will make special changes for you? for example, MSG can be a trigger for many people (even those without IBS), so ask for no MSG. i always go to the same place and have become friendly with the owner. he'll jump through hoops to make me something i can tolerate. i usually stick to things that are pretty simple, like chicken and broccoli with white rice (not fried).

just be careful. the great thing about Asian foods is that most dishes have rice or noodles (or rice noodles!) as the main part of the dish. rice, noodles (and rice noodles) are soluble fiber, so you have a nice foundation there.

i love getting Chinese with a friend or two. we share dishes and that way i can have my chicken and broccoli or a nice shrimp & rice dinner and be safe yet "steal" a few bites of some old favorites from my friends. a few forkfuls of General Tso's or Orange Chicken won't trigger my IBS, so i can get the taste of those foods without paying for it later!

last tip: Chinese food always comes in huge portions. don't eat it all! remember, big meals can trigger IBS!

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