Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet

Are These Foods Making You Sick?

An important factor in gaining control over irritable bowel syndrome is to realize that everything you place in your mouth is going to affect the way you feel. Simply put, the food you eat and beverages you drink will either make your irritable bowel symptoms better or worse. In order to better understand how foods are connected to irritable bowel syndrome, let's first take a look at the digestive process.

Normally, when food enters the stomach a series of physiological reflexes are set in motion. The act of chewing ignites production of saliva. Saliva contains enzymes which soften food into a bolus (semi-solid lump) that can be swallowed. Swallowing food triggers the gastrocolic reflex, which instructs the colon to start contracting. These contractions send signals to the esophagus, instructing it to propel food through the digestive tract, where it will eventually be expelled through the colon. It's quite an intricate system, wouldn't you agree?

Research has shown that people with irritable bowel syndrome do not have a normal gastrocolic reflex response. It's similar to plumbing in your home -- when the system is faulty, things can get ugly. Just as there are certain things you wouldn't flush down your toilet or pour down your sink; there are certain foods that can wreak havoc on your personal plumbing.

Gastrointestinal stimulants and gastrointestinal irritants can wreak havoc on the personal plumbing of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. Stimulants include caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Irritants include foods that are high in fat, eggs, dairy products, spicy foods, insoluble fiber, artificial sweeteners, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

These foods are known to place an additional strain on the digestive system of individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. They are also known to be powerful irritable bowel syndrome triggers. Therefore, you will want to strictly limit or eliminate these foods from your diet.