IBS: Dietary Tips And Foods To Avoid
You don't like IBS, men. No one does. It's not a nice thing, and it's actually quite uncomfortable. This is why so, so many want IBS support! It means over-the-counter medicine for IBS. Just about every man with IBS looks for an IBS constipation cure. Every man out there with this condition, including you, wants to find IBS relief. When it comes to natural cures for IBS? Look at diet!
Cook All Veggies
You need veggies in a diet for IBS. Well, everyone needs veggies to stay healthy! But guess what? Raw veggies can irritate IBS symptoms. So men, eating raw veggies means more abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and constipation. It's because raw veggies are so much, so much harder to digest! Men, you'll also eat more of them when they're raw. Make sure you keep your digestion easy by cooking all veggies when you've got IBS. Men, this means no salads. Win! Cooking veggies makes them easier to digest. There's not as much fiber in cooked veggies. Your body doesn't have to work as hard!
Eat Fruit Without The Skins
Men, you have to know fiber isn't your friend if you've got IBS. You've noticed this by now! So when you're eating fruit, take the skins off! Peel your apples! The skin of fruits is where most of the fiber is. So what? Your body has to work harder to digest fiber. Insoluble fiber lets your poop go through your body so, so fast. This means diarrhea! Not pleasant, right? Obviously! No one likes to have diarrhea, and no one wants to be around someone with it! So remember, men, IBS means getting the skins off all your fruits. All of them!
Avoid Spicy Food
Guess what? Spicy food burns your stomach lining, men! It'll mean more and more irritation on top of what you're already dealing with because of IBS. Capsaicin in spicy food is a huge, huge reason for this. Keep a close eye on what spices are in your foods, men. Ask for ingredient lists when you're out at restaurants to be safe. Dial the spice back if you don't want to stop eating spicy food altogether! Look for other spices where possible too. Many, many men with IBS say they can eat food with a bit of ginger, cumin, and turmeric without irritation. This is good!
Increase Fiber Slowly
Men, you all know it. All of you do! High-fiber foods aren't great for you if you've got IBS. Of course, you still need to have fiber in your diet. So what can you do if you have IBS? Increase how much fiber you eat slowly, men! Do it slowly! You need to focus on soluble fiber. Men, find this in beans, prunes, oatmeal, and carrots. Bran has this fiber too, but it increases bloating. What does this mean? Men with IBS, you have to stay away from it! Men, increase how much fiber you eat by only 2 or 3 grams a day. This reduces how much bloating and gas you might see because of IBS. Drink more water as you do this for even better results.
Eat Chicken And Fish
Men, your body loves protein. It loves it even more when you've got IBS. Even more! Why is this? Protein is so, so easy for the body to digest. It won't cause you to have lots of gas, men! It won't! Of course, you can't eat lots of fat if you've got IBS. So this leaves chicken and fish are your sources of protein. These meats don't have the fats that cause inflammation. This is great! But what's more, men, fish also have omega-3s, which reduces IBS inflammation too! Reach for wild-caught fish. Good choices are salmon, herring, and mackerel for omega-3s.
Avoid Gluten
IBS and gluten intolerance are very, very closely linked. So many, so many men with IBS also can't process gluten. The reaction with gluten is very similar to the symptoms of IBS! Diarrhea usually takes the lead on these symptoms. So what to do? Any man, any man at all, should stop eating gluten for a few weeks. Men, this'll let you see if any of your symptoms improve. If they do, it's worth avoiding gluten for an extended period. Doctors and dietitians can help you, men, design a good meal plan moving forward. They'll know exactly how to get gluten out of your diet and offer suitable alternatives. Win!
Stop Eating Processed Food
Processed foods taste good. Everyone knows that! But men, if you've got IBS, they'll do more harm than good. Many, many of these foods have chemical preservatives and imbalanced nutrients. They'll also have lots of added salt and sugar! So what is the effect here, men? These foods will irritate your intestines. This irritation? It means a flareup of IBS! Many of these processed foods, many of them, are also fried or have lots and lots of fat in them. These parts can irritate the intestines too! So, men, try not to eat many processed foods. Cook fresh as much as possible! This reduces the chances of an IBS flare. It's all good for you, me! All good.
Drink Lots Of Water
Anyone can become dehydrated in the blink of an eye. Anyone can! They don't even need to have IBS. But men, if you've got IBS, you need more water than others. Sip water while you're eating, men. This is going to help you a lot. Yes, a lot! Water keeps your digestive system moving. So what? Men, this means if you've got IBS, water will help lessen your symptoms. It'll make constipation far, far worse than it needs to be! Water also helps with recovery, especially after an IBS flare involving diarrhea. Men, try drinking at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day. Pair a glass with every meal, and keep a water bottle around for snacks.
Reduce Use Of Oil
Oil, oil, oil. It will trigger a flare of IBS symptoms! Everyone is talking about it. The good news, men, is this is very, very fixable. Just don't use as much oil in your cooking! This means eating less fried food. But guess what? Many pans don't need nearly as much oil as you think they do, especially when cooking at a low heat. Get a nonstick pan and the oil you need to cook? Well, you'll need much, much less. Using small amounts of water or broth will still let you fry or saute foods too. No oil needed! Many, many baking recipes can use applesauce or other substitutes for oil (and butter). Get going and experiment! You'll find what works for you and be happier than ever before.
Try A Low FODMAP Diet
There's a diet out there for men with IBS: the low FODMAP diet. This takes away foods with certain fermentable carbs. It's found in rye, onions, yogurt, milk, mangoes, honey, and many, many more foods. These carbs can cause serious, serious flares of IBS. Men, you can't escape it! This is why you need to talk to a doctor or dietitian. They'll direct you to the best, the very best low FODMAP foods. Diets such as the FODMAP one need to be well-researched for each man who plans to follow them. What works for one may not be right for another. That much is clear! But what's also clear? Paying attention to the fermentable carbs is a very, very huge part of managing a condition like IBS.