By Lucy Jones, Lutrition
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive condition affecting 10-20% of the UK population. Yet, look around and you’re unlikely to be able to tell who these people are.
Toilet talk is still a taboo even in 2024, and as a result many people with IBS are left feeling isolated and unable to seek proper support for their symptoms.
What is IBS?
IBS is a functional gut condition in which sufferers experience a collection of different digestive symptoms. Symptoms can include bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, urgency, stomach pain, gassiness and incontinence, to name a few.
It’s typically a diagnosis based on excluding the presence of other health conditions, such as bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.
The cause behind IBS is unclear and there is no known cure for IBS. However, symptoms can be managed through both medical and lifestyle changes. In fact, dietary and lifestyle advice can often be effective in allowing those with IBS to settle symptoms and be able to live normal day-to-day lives.
What dietary and lifestyle changes can I make to help manage IBS?
Changing fibre intake
Most adults in the UK are only eating 18g of the recommended 30g of fibre each day. Fibre plays an important role in preventing constipation, but also in feeding important friendly gut bacteria. Looking after friendly gut bacteria is essential to good gut health (but more on this another time). So it could be assumed that the advice would be to increase fibre intake, in order to keep IBS symptoms at bay. However, this isn’t always the case.
Whilst some IBS sufferers may need to increase their fibre intake, others may need to look to decrease it. Typically, the only way to tell which direction you need to take your fibre intake in is through testing it out. But be mindful that if you’re increasing your fibre intake, aim to focus on including more sources of soluble fibre, such as oats, beans or seeds. Increase your intake slowly, to avoid further symptoms such as bloating or gassiness.
Speak with a Registered Nutritionist or Dietitian for advice on how to change your fibre intake safely.
Try yoga
Chronic stress can contribute towards flare ups of IBS symptoms. This is because the gut and brain are connected through a two-way path called the gut brain axis. This means that emotions such as stress and anxiety can impact digestion, usually in a negative manner. This can lead to bloating, constipation or diarrhoea in some individuals with IBS.
Yoga is a form of gentle movement that stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps with relaxation, and is a common stress management technique recommended to those with IBS.
Keep hydrated
Hydration is often only thought about in relation to the bladder, but it can also impact the bowels too.
For some individuals with IBS, dehydration can promote constipation. This is because stools (i.e. poo) become hard, dry and lumpy making them more difficult to move along the gut.
For individuals with diarrhoea predominant IBS, regular bouts of diarrhoea may cause high levels of water loss, and therefore it’s important these fluids are replaced.
Standard advice is to drink at least 8 cups of fluid each day. This includes water, herbal teas and other non-caffeinated drinks.
Seek expert advice
The above IBS tools may not be effective or appropriate for everyone. Before trying out any lifestyle changes, speak with your healthcare professional who will be able to give recommendations, or refer you to a Registered Nutritionist or Dietitian for guidance.
