It is believed that around 20% of adults suffer from IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It is a condition that cannot be measured by medical tests, and most people are diagnosed with it when nothing else can be found. In fact, the vast majority of people diagnose themselves. Finding irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes, diets and food list can be very difficult, therefore. However, the condition is extensively researched and some knowledge now exists about it.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Causes, Diets And Food List
Looking at the causes, a number of theories exist. First of all, some people may have a mild intolerance to certain foods, that is not as bad as an allergy. Secondly, some people have an increased sensitivity in their gut, which means that they tend to experience pain in the gut much more often than a regular person. Thirdly, some people's guts work too quickly, leading to diarrhea, or too slowly, leading to constipation. Those are the anatomical causes, and it is also believed that IBS can be caused by stress, which is the psychological cause.
In terms of diets, it is known that IBS affects different people in different ways. As such, there is no one set diet for people who suffer from it. Rather, those who have IBS should keep a food list that demonstrates whether there are any specific foods that trigger their IBS more than others. If there are, they should cut these from their overall diet and see whether that will make a difference.
Because IBS is such a vague condition, creating a food list is virtually impossible. However, there are some common foods that people who have IBS have difficult with, bread being one of those. IBS is not, however, a gluten intolerance. This means that those with IBS should not go gluten free. Rather, they will notice that certain breads and bread products, including pastas, cause them problems, whereas others don't. It is a case of trying out different brands, different flours, and different grains, in other words. Again, this is where the food diary comes in very handy.
It is also known that IBS is significantly affected by stress. There is an old expression that says people feel like "they have a knot in their stomach" when they become nervous or stressed. This expression has existed for hundreds of years, and demonstrates that even the very early physicians had an understanding of how stress affects the gut and the stomach. As such, lowering stress levels, for instance, through meditation and deep breathing, may be beneficial in treating IBS.
There is no clear irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes, diets and food list, unfortunately. The condition usually has to be individually managed, with people finding out what works for them and what does not through the power of deduction. Adding more fiber to a diet, particularly in those who experience constipation as a result of their IBS, may be beneficial. Again, however, this is something that each person will have to try individually.