Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: IBS-C folks, I am confused and in need of advice please

Sorry about the lingo, this board uses some abbreviations and they are all in a sticky post on the first page of the board. Here's the link http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=diet&Number=105441&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

The idea behind the diet for C is that you need IF to make you have a Bowel Movement (BM). However, IF causes pain, thus you need SF to buffer it. For example, if you only eat SF, you will most probably be slightly less C than without SF. If you eat SF and IF though, up to a certain amount of IF, you will be able to go and you will not be in pain. If you increase the IF beyond what the SF buffers, you will be able to go, but you will be in pain.

So what's the quantity of IF that a given quantity of SF will allow your body to process without pain? Unfortunately that's a personal thing. You find out what that quantity is by trial and error.

For example, I can eat as much IF as SF (by weight, as much grams IF as SF). Thus, I try to eat as much IF as SF and I am pain free and C-free. D-ers are so sensitive to IF that they can hardly eat any IF without lots of lots of SF. For them the ratio would look different than for C-ers.

I have a Math degree so I might not be explaining very well that whole ratio thing. Please let me know if I'm unclear.

Here's some advice about IF sources.
1)What to avoid:
- wheat bran. A lot of people complain it's harsher than other kinds of bran. Avoid it at first. It also causes a lot of gas even for not-gassy people such as myself (I hardly ever have gas, thank God, but when I eat whole wheat, I am another person)
- salads made with raw veggies of all kinds, so no lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc, when they're raw. They are truly pure IF.

2) Good sources of IF:
- oatmeal is a good source of IF, because the SF:IF is in a 1:1 ratio.
- oat bran (in moderation) is one of the gentlest kinds of bran
- rice bran (in moderation) is another gentle kind of bran. What I did is instead of eating white rice, I ate brown rice all the time. I had no problem. I soaked it in cold water for 30 minute before cooking and it was great!
- apples with peel (granny smith/tart apples/ might constipate you... my mother's friend told me that, I haven't confirmed it, though, no time)
- baby food - look for the prunes kind, it's great for C
- cooked veggies (for example in stir "fry"s with rice), such as peas, corn, onions, carrots, mushrooms (OK, it's not a veggie), celery, etc.

You will need to do some trial and error to see what bothers you more and what less. For example, I can't tollerate corn bran. I don't know why. I seem to be an exception, though.

As I said, cut back on that SFS. And add the IF slowly, because your body needs to adjust to the new diet. Initially they might cause gas, but your body will adjust and that will go away, don't worry.

Yes, I'd think you need to reread the book. I think it's great! Btw, you'll find that SFS does not actually carry any calories,but they have to list it as a caloric food, because of some FDA problem. Something else is probably making you gain weight.

IBS also calls for considerably reducing your portion sizes. You need to eat small amounts often. I do 5 1/2 meals a day, so 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and a dinner... and then I wake up at night and have a 6th meal, LOL. I don't eat more than two cups of food at one sitting because it bothers me. That limit is personal too, but when you start the diet, you start conservative, you assume everything bothers you and elliminate things one by one when you become stable.

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