IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME- GENERAL INFORMATION

You have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and you are probably wondering whether food plays a role. 

The answer is yes and no!

For some people, a change in the food they eat may help their IBS, whilst for others it will make no difference.  The key things to keep in mind are:

  • With any change in your eating, you need to make sure that you have a balanced diet, and
  • If the change in eating makes no change to the IBS, add those foods back into your diet.  There is no point avoiding foods unnecessarily.

I have trialled eliminating some foods from my diet, what do I do now?

  • If you have tried the food changes and pin-pointed the problem foods, you are now ready to add the other foods back into the diet. There is no point avoiding foods unnecessarily.
  • If you have tried the changes and know that there is some improvement but you find it difficult to follow or are unsure which foods cut out really made the difference, then a dietitian may be able to help. 
  • If these changes made no difference at all, then you can confidently reintroduce foods, and start to look at other things that may be upsetting your bowel eg stress, work, and family.  Your doctor will be able to point you in the right direction for help.

Which foods may cause symptoms in IBS?

FODMAPS™ are often dietary causes for symptoms of IBS.

FODMAP™ is an acronym refering to:

Fermentable
Oligosaccharides
Disaccharides
Monosaccharides
and
Polyols

Fructose, Lactose, Fructans, Sorbitol and Raffinose are all examples of FODMAPs™.

There can also be other dietary triggers for symptoms of IBS. Therefore, it is recommended you consult with a dietitian with experience in gastrointestinal nutrition. An Accredited Practising Dietitian can assess your diet and your symptoms and advise you about a dietary therapy that may assist your symptoms of IBS.

For more information about an appointment with a dietitian, click here

For more information about an hydrogen breath testing (for fructose, lactose, glucose and lactulose), click here

How to find a Dietitian?

  • Through the Dietitians Association of Australia, tel 1800 812 942 or www.daa.asn.au
  • Yellow pages under “dietitians” (these are private practice dietitians)
  • Your local community health centre