How to: Improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Affecting an estimated 1 in 5 people - including myself - irritable bowel syndrome is a common condition characterised by lower abdominal pain, bloating, wind - flatulence and burping - diarrhoea and/or constipation, a feeling of urgency to open the bowels - even after going to the toilet - and, occasionally, passing mucus via the stools.

Although there isn't a specific diet that's guaranteed to suit all - each individual's symptoms, food triggers and symptom severity will vary - there are a multitude of precautionary methods that can be taken in order to improve, control and ease IBS symptoms. These include:
• Avoid skipping meals, eating late at night and leaving long gaps between snacks and meals - consuming smaller sized portions little, often and at regular intervals will prove to be particularly beneficial.
• Limit your caffeine intake i.e. tea, coffee and fizzy drinks to three drinks a day and ensure that you maintain an adequate fluid intake by drinking at least 2 litres of non-caffeinated drinks such as filtered water and herbal tea - this is particularly important if you suffer from diarrhoea and/or constipation.
• If you suffer from diarrhoea, consider reducing the insoluble fibre (fibre the body cannot digest) found in sources such as wholegrain bread, bran, nuts, cereals and seeds - with the exception of linseeds - and avoid the skin, pith and pips of fruits and vegetables.
• If you suffer from constipation, gradually increase - a sudden increase may force symptoms to deteriorate - the amount of soluble fibre (fibre the body can digest) found in sources such as oats, golden linseeds, barley, fruit, rye and root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes - particularly oats and linseeds which will make stools easier to pass.
• Avoid eating food too quickly by ensuring that you take time to chew snacks and meals slowly and thoroughly.
• Try to participate in regular physical activity - at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as cycling - each week and keep stress levels to a minimum in order to reduce the frequency and severity of your IBS.
• If you suffer from wind, bloating and diarrhoea, consider incorporating lactose free milk and dairy products such as cows milk, cream, cheese and yogurt into your diet for 2-4 weeks - lactose has a tendency to cause IBS-type symptoms. If your condition fails to improve, continue to consume lactose based products as normal.
• Reduce your dietary intake of rich, fatty and processed foods and avoid sugar-free sweets, mints and chewing gum containing sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol - the latter is particularly important if you're prone to diarrhoea.

Like all diet and lifestyle changes, it is important to allow your gut time to adjust to any adaptations that have been made. If you fail to see an improvement in your symptoms after 4 weeks, don't be afraid to discuss your condition with your GP who will be in the position to refer you to a professional dietician - a dietician may recommend a low FODMAP diet which is based on the restriction of high FODMAP foods such as certain fruits and vegetables, wheat products, animal milk and beans if you suffer from persistent and frequent bloating.