HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Changing how and what you eat can help to improve your IBS symptoms. Changing your lifestyle can also help. For example, being more active and learning to manage your stress levels.
Eat at regular mealtimes – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This can help to keep your bowels regular. Do not skip meals, eat late at night or just before lying down.
Sit, preferably at a table and not in front of the TV or computer.
Make sure you chew your food well before swallowing.
Eating large meals may make your symptoms worse, especially if you have diarrhoea, pain or bloating. Have small meals and use your hand to judge portion size.
Every day have food from the four food groups:
In the past, people with IBS were told to eat more fibre. High-fibre foods include vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, wholegrain breads and cereals. Also, legumes (cooked dried beans, peas and lentils). But we now know that although this helps some people, it does not help everyone.
For most people with IBS, eating more fibre can help constipation. But having too much fibre, especially wheat bran, can make bloating, wind, diarrhoea and pain worse.
Drink at least eight cups of fluid a day. Water is best. You might need to drink more during hot weather, after activity or if you are constipated.
It may help to keep a food diary and record whether certain foods and drinks make your symptoms better or worse. You can then avoid those that make them worse.
Common foods and drinks that may make your symptoms worse include:
Being active can help to relieve stress, keep your bowels regular and reduce other IBS symptoms. It can also help you to feel better about yourself.
Do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days. Be active in as many ways as possible. Move more and sit less.
Reducing stress can help many people to ease their IBS symptoms. Getting enough sleep and being active can help to reduce stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, tai chi or muscle relaxation exercises may also help.
If your symptoms do not get better by following the suggestions above, you may have a food intolerance. In this case it may help to try a special diet such as a Low-FODMAP diet to work out what foods you are intolerant to. A dietitian can help you to work out if you have a food intolerance. Ask your doctor or nurse to refer you to a dietitian.
There is strong evidence to suggest that gut-directed hypnotherapy improves symptoms in many people with IBS. There are clinics that offer this in person. There is also the option of buying an app such as Nerva. This is a 6 week programme developed by Monash University.
Talking therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has been found to help many people ease their IBS symptoms.
On the next page: Low-FODMAP diet
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed August 2024.
See also:
Review key: HIIBS-27995