A diet for irritable bowel can help you get rid of the unsettling, irritating and often painful symptoms you may be experiencing. Check it out!
There are some foods that, due to their composition, seem to have positive effects against the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. What are the options? In this space we detail them.
The consumption of some foods can be positive for patients with irritable colon. Irritable bowel syndrome is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause various problems for those who suffer from it.
Specifically, it presents with a symptomatology based on abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. In addition, it can condition intolerance to certain foods.
However, it is a pathology in which food has a great influence. Thus, through diet we can significantly alleviate its symptoms and improve its development.
For this reason, we are going to present a series of foods whose consumption can serve as an adjunct in the treatment of this disease. However, you should not forget to follow the instructions of your doctor and the pertinent pharmacological treatment.
Diet for irritable bowel: what are the options?
As an article published in Gastroenterology & Hepatology exposes, food can exacerbate or improve symptoms of irritable colon. For this reason, dietary interventions are considered an important part of the treatment against this disease. What are the recommended foods?
Probiotics to improve irritable colon
The scientific literature evidences the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of this syndrome. They are, as you may already know, bacteria that colonize the intestinal tract causing a series of health benefits.
Every day more applications of these microorganisms in the treatment and prevention of diseases are known. They are traditionally used to improve the symptoms of diarrhea associated with antibiotics.
However, they have recently been found to help markedly reduce the pain and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. We can find probiotics in fermented milk, yogurt and kefir. However, one of the main characteristics of this disease is the need to individualize.
Thus, among patients, we can find a number of individuals who reject the consumption of dairy products and foods with lactose. In this type of situation, doctors recommend supplementation.
Read more: Food and Intestinal Microbiota – How Does Our Diet Influence the Composition of Microorganisms?
Fiber can improve symptoms
Dietary fiber intake is associated with selective growth of bacterial microflora. An article published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics suggests that the intake of this substance reduces the problems of this disease.
For this reason, the recommendations are that you should consume foods rich in pectin such as apple and pear. In addition, the body’s reaction to the inclusion of oats in the diet can be assessed. The intake of beta glucans from this cereal contribute significantly to improving the composition of the microbiota.
The incidence of gluten consumption in this type of syndromes is being studied in parallel, but no evidence has yet been established. However, doctors do not recommend the consumption of whole grains in the first instance so as not to produce imbalances in intestinal transit.
Hydration is essential
It is important that you stay hydrated if you have irritable bowel syndrome. Episodes of diarrhea, frequent in this type of pathology, can produce imbalances in the water balance. Dehydration can be fatal, especially for older people.
For this reason, we advise you to consume at least 2 liters of water a day. It is important to limit the consumption of fructose, whose digestion is heavy and sometimes bothersome. Following this advice, soft drinks should be avoided.
Alcohol is also an element that must disappear from the irritable colon patient’s diet. This substance, apart from being toxic, produces imbalances in the water and electrolyte balance that can compromise the health of the individual. Similarly, doctors do not recommend the consumption of coffee, tea and spicy or irritating foods that hinder digestion.
Remember
Irritable colon syndrome is an inflammatory disease that has a high index of individualization. For this reason, foods that are good for one patient may be bad for another. It is necessary to test the tolerance to the products before including them systematically in the diet.
However, there are some dietary strategies that can significantly improve the symptomatology of the disease. Most of them consist of positively modulating the bacterial growth of the intestine.
By increasing the consumption of fermented dairy and soluble fiber, you can do that. The intake of pectin from apples and pears produces a fermentation at the intestinal level that triggers the selective growth of certain intestinal bacteria.
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