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Dietary Specials - Gluten Free - it's my choice

how to manage IBS?

Diet and lifestyle factors may trigger or worsen the symptoms of IBS. As a result these need to be considered at initial and later stages of treatment. Some aspects of the Balance of Good Health, used to promote a healthy, well-balanced diet, are appropriate for people with IBS, for example;
  • regular meals
  • drinking plenty of fluid (e.g. 8 cups of non-caffeine based fluid a day)
  • encouraging a wide variety of foods.
However, people with IBS may find that following some aspects of advice on healthy eating can make symptoms worse, for example dietary fibre and lactose (milk sugar in milk and dairy products) have been reported to affect sufferers of IBS. Wheat, resistant starch, caffeine, fructose (fruit sugar), sorbitol, alcohol and fizzy drinks have also been said to affect symptoms.

Diet is key to the management of IBS to help achieve symptom control and reduce the risk of nutritional inadequacy. However, whilst symptoms may worsen from diet, clinicians do not consider it to be a cause of IBS. Dietary advice should be sought from a state-registered dietitian and advice will vary depending on symptoms.
What is IBS? IBS is a common functional disorder of the gut (i.e. there is a problem with the function of the gut but the structure is normal).

What are the symptoms of IBS? There a variety of symptons associated with IBS. The following should be accompanied by at least two of the following symptons.

How does IBS differ from coeliac disease? IBS is a chronic, relapsing and often lifelong functional gut disorder.

Gluten and IBS There is some research that shows certain individuals with IBS may experience relief from their symptons following a gluten free diet.

Wheat and IBS In IBS, the consumption of wheat can be associated with an increase in symptoms.