Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

Well ,general IBS rules for me demand
-no alcohol/caffeine
-fat content of meals restricted to around 20-25 per cent of calories per meal
-IF (insoluble fibre) limited, no whole grains except for oats and quinoa and IF content of foods balanced out with SF (soluble fibre) (http://huhs.harvard.edu/assets/File/OurServices/Service_Nutrition_Fiber.pdf is v helpful)

plus we have
-the FODMAP approach simultaneously
but if you look at the FODMAP chart there are separate columns (see Syl's signature for that chart), you may be fine with some columns. No lactose or fructose for me, fructans are v restricted cos I get too much bloating from them, polyols and galactans are OK for me. (for galactans you can also try Beano which helps with the bloating). So this is me, you may be different, you will have to experiment.

I eat a really really wide variety of foods and I eat extremely healthily, secret is in their favourable combination!

carbs:
non-wheat: white rice, puffed white rice cakes, potatoes, pearl barley, oatmeal, dried cereal: rice krispies (no whole grains in there!), quinoa (careful, has more IF than SF), maple syrup

wheat-based: this cereal sometimes: http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/asda-compare-prices/Breakfast_Cereals/Doves_Farm_Organic_Gluten_Free_Cornflakes_375g.html

couscous, pasta, white bread, tortillas (you may not have to restrict these , I do, too much bloating)

fruits/ juices:
-orange juice (no pulp)
-pomegranate juice - I live in the UK: http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Longlife_Fruit_Juice/Pomegreat_Pomegranate_And_Blueberry_Juice_Drink_1L.html (no pulp and no apple juice in there, thank heavens)
-semi-ripe bananas
-cherries, (dried) apricots, peaches, plums (these fall under polyols, so try them to see if you have trouble. I don't, used to think otherwise, so you too may be pleasantly surprised!)
-red fruits, berries (they are high in IF, I always eat them with a soluble fibre supplement (SFS))
(all these fruits make a wonderful addition to oatmeal which is v plain and tasteless for me otherwise)

veggies:
-cooked carrots, tomato puree/tomato paste
-black beans (careful - galactans)
-spinach, kale or other leafy greens (with enough SFS!)
-broccoli (I have no trouble as long as it's really well-cooked, and I never eat the stalk, merely the florets)
-peeled roasted peppers
these veggies are the absolutely most healthy ones available (due to high anti-oxidant content on top of them being veggies so naturally full of vitamins and minerals), other veggies which I eat are also healthy even if not as much:
-parsnips, swedes, pumpkins, sweet potato, zucchini (ie courgettes), cucumbers (on their own)
-mushrooms, cauliflower (with SFS)

(also chickpeas probably are in the first group, not had the chance to experiment with them yet but they are v good for you)
there's other beans/lentils that you could try but they contain overall more IF than SF ie probably should eat them with SFS (whereas black beans are not only great cos they have the most antioxidants, but they are also fine for me on their own with additional SFS)

milk substitutes:
-rice milk, soy milk, oatmilk

protein:
-fish, chicken breast, shrimps (and of course, the protein from soy milk)

fat:
-oils
-ground nuts (v healthy!) (but high in fat and have to be balanced out with SFS due to high If content)
-peanut butter (not a nut, but a legume, SF=IF)
-cocoa powder (antioxidants!)

thought you may want to know that vitamin-wise I am taking
-a vitamin B complex supplement - without food
-flaxseed oil tablets which has vitamin E in it - with food
-omega3 fish oil tablet- with food
-zinc every other day -with food
-iron - with orange juice (so it's better absorbed)
-calcium and vitamin D- with evening meal (may faciliate sleep)
(I take these at separate times during the day, usually with at least 2 hours between them)

for me SFS is Benefiber in the UK. no inulin or anything added.

that's it really, so fruits and veggies are of course extremely healthy, but we need grains/carbs too, and you especially if you are trying to eat more! btw my brother's required grain-carb intake consists of bread 80% and he's v fit/healthy.
if you have a sweet tooth I suggest you try those fruits, nice calorie boost!

Best of luck, hope this helps!

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now: stable through EFI+FODMAP dieting (no lactose/no fructose/some fructans and some polyols)

before: IBS-D(pseudo-diarrhoea), bloating, often unbearable pain esp from too much fat: Apr 2007- Dec 2010

FODMAPs: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/072710p30.shtml

[I've tried VSL#3 -> I could tolerate v good amounts of IF (even with less SF), it worked great (but overall I find it too expensive)]

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