Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: LOL Are You Serious? Heather question of "IF"

It might be helpful to review what Heather says on the IF page and the FAQ page

"insoluble fiber is in bran, whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables (note the exceptions under Soluble Fiber), greens, sprouts, legumes, seeds, and nuts"

"Insoluble fiber, like fat, is a very powerful GI tract stimulant, and for those of us with Irritable Bowel Syndrome this can spell big trouble."

"In general, if a plant food (no animal products contain fiber) seems rough, stringy, has a tough skin, hull, peel, pod, or seeds, be careful, as it's likely very high in insoluble fiber."

"Oatmeal, brown rice, and corn meal (polenta) tend to be the best-tolerated whole grains for IBS." Note the these are best-tolerated but not by everyone. It is something you have to figure out for yourself perhaps when you are stable.

"The number one rule here is: Never eat insoluble fiber alone or on an empty stomach. Always eat it with a larger quantity of soluble fiber, and you will help keep your IBS stable."

"The second rule to remember here is that while you should be having lots of fresh fruits and veggies every day, make sure you cook, peel, chop, seed, dice, and/or puree most or even all of them. Peeling and seeding fruits and veggies will remove the toughest insoluble fiber altogether. Chopping, cooking, and pureeing will mechanically break down the insoluble fiber in fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts before you eat it, making it much less likely to provoke problems."

"If you have IBS, however, then by definition you do NOT have a normal gut, and insoluble fiber can trigger symptoms and actually exacerbate constipation. No matter what your specific IBS symptoms, you need insoluble fiber for healthy bowel function, so once again, the key here is not to avoid insoluble fiber foods altogether, but to carefully eat as much of them as possible."

If you review the foods you listed you will see that generally speaking they have more IF than SF and they should be treated with caution or eaten with enough SF to offset the IF they contain. For example, if you want to take brown rice powder for extra protein after you are stable then assume it contains 1 gram of IF and take 1 gram of an SF supplement with it.

You have been posting to this board for years. Many time complaining how the EFI diet does not work for you. Presumably you are still unstable. Perhaps you have not paid enough attention to the IF in your food. It might be worth while dramatically decreasing your consumption of IF until you are stable and then slowly start adding it back in later.

Good luck

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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS

The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS

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