A Gluten Free Diet for IBS: The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, are none too comfortable to live with. When you have been diagnosed with the disease, you can suffer from such problems as bloating, severe gas pain, constipation, cramping, and diarrhea. While you can’t expect a miracle cure of your condition, you can make changes to ease the symptoms and live a more comfortable life. Choosing a gluten free diet can ensure that you do not deal with the painful symptoms of IBS anymore. However, if you are new to a diet without gluten, you may not know where to start.
Eating at Restaurants
It can be especially hard to maintain a gluten free diet if you are eating out at a restaurant. Obviously, most dining establishments do not list which of their meals contain gluten and which do not. To make things easier, you can learn more about what foods you need to avoid and then read the menu carefully before deciding on a meal. There are more and more restaurants that are also offering gluten free menus specifically. If you need to be absolutely sure that you are avoiding the wrong foods, do your research and choose from restaurants that will offer these specialty menus.
Be Careful of Grains
The number one issue with gluten is found in any grain that contains wheat. You must choose foods that contain grains very carefully. You may not even realize what foods have grain in them. Some of the foods you need to analyze before consuming include:
- Breads
- Pastas
- Cereals
- Meals (like flour, cornmeal, etc.)
- Pre-Packaged Foods
- Pizza
- Cake
- Cookies
- Candy
Some grains, like quinoa and oats, are safe to include in your diet. However, wheat and wheat flour do contain high amounts of gluten and must be avoided.
Take Your Vitamins
When you suffer from IBS, you will not be getting the vitamins and minerals you need. Because the digestive system reacts so violently to foods, they do not give the vitamins in those foods time to be absorbed. The result can be a vitamin deficiency. Over time, not getting the vitamins you need can result in organ damage or overall poor health. Talk to your doctor about the vitamins and supplements you may need to add to your daily routine.
Additionally, you need to consider eating more fish. Fish is extremely healthy and full of omega-3 fatty acids. If you simply can’t tolerate the taste of fish, then consider taking a fish oil supplement.
Other Foods to Avoid
A gluten free diet will help relieve the symptoms of your irritable bowel syndrome quite a bit, but there are other foods you need to avoid as well. These foods do not contain gluten, but they are known to cause serious stomach upset. They include:
- Fried foods of any type
- Milk and other dairy products
- Coffee, tea, and caffeinated soda
- Beans
A big part of ensuring that you do not continue to have problems with irritable bowel syndrome will be choosing the right foods to eat. The above foods are natural irritants, such as caffeine, which will cause worsening diarrhea. Opt instead for decaffeinated beverages. In addition, avoid dairy and choose milk that is made from soy. Beans can get caught up in the digestive tract and lead to severe gas pain and bloating.
While you can’t cure irritable bowel syndrome, you can make changes to your diet and ensure you do not have to continually deal with symptoms. A great place to start is a gluten free diet. This type of diet, which is used by those will celiac disease, will ease the digestive upset in your stomach.
Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news. Hope you love reading “Gluten Free Diet For IBS”. Share your view in the comment section below.
