Irritable Bowel Syndrome, (IBS) certainly don’t sound sexy, however it really is quite an ugly word for what is a complex version of a sore tummy. The term IBS, similar to any syndrome, is a combination of symptoms that leads to having your insides feel very irritable. When we typically talk about bowels, we might say bowel movements, which is discussing your excrement. The term IBS, is a chronic gastrointestinal condition which is characterized by abdominal pain and disturbance in bowel movements, [1].

What this more commonly means is that when you eat you then have an upset tummy that follows, and perhaps are on the toilet very soon after, or have what would be considered an irregular bowel movement, as opposed to what you would have when your stomach is not so sore and upset.

The inflammation of the bowel isn’t related to a specific food or group of foods for everyone, one person can have symptoms onset from a food another may not. This relates back to how different we all are as individuals and how different our lives are, what we eat, and the stress our body may under. As such there really isn’t one size fits all, which can be a cause of even further stress for those suffering IBS.

There are groups of foods which are typically known to cause more inflammation than others, such as garlic or onions, and as such, you should look to limit consuming these too frequently. Researchers at Monash University created the low FODMAP diet: that is, foods that are low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), in response to treating gastrointestinal conditions such as IBS [2]. RPA Hospital in Sydney has also created the Elimination diet, which is as the name suggests, a diet that eliminates foods and then slowly reintroduces them in order to isolate those foods that are triggering the symptoms for you, [3]. This diet differs to the low FODMAP as it looks to isolate foods based on their chemicals, coming from more of an allergic reaction angle.

So, with all of this known, how can you help to treat IBS, or IBS like symptoms, such as pain and discomfort, through food. As always we recommend seeking assistance from your GP and referral into a dietitian (good news you can ask for a chronic disease plan and claim on Medicare!). In order for the GP or Dietitian to best assist you, take note of what you eat and symptoms afterwards. It may seem arduous, but having this information on hand can greatly assist any practitioner in identifying the foods that are most triggering to you as an individual.

However don’t fret just yet, in order to reduce your symptoms you may not have to eliminate some foods altogether, but simply cook garlic and onion first, instead of fresh, in order to reduce the symptoms, but not reduce your taste or enjoyment of food.

[1] Weaver, K. R., Melkus, G. D., & Henderson, W. A. (2017). Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The American journal of nursing, 117(6), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000520253.57459.01

[2] Bellini, M., Tonarelli, S., Nagy, A. G., Pancetti, A., Costa, F., Ricchiuti, A., de Bortoli, N., Mosca, M., Marchi, S., & Rossi, A. (2020). Low FODMAP Diet: Evidence, Doubts, and Hopes. Nutrients, 12(1), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010148

[3] Swain, A. R., Soutter, V. L., & Loblay, R. H. (2011). RPAH elimination diet handbook: with food & shopping guide. Allergy Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.