The 5 most common IBS mistakes I see in the clinic that, when addressed, often make a huge impact on symptoms without having to implement dietary restrictions.
Not eating enough or regularly enough:
Often with IBS we try and avoid symptoms so we avoid eating all together and/or IBS can lead to poor body image (cue 24/7 bloating) and therefore a poor relationship with food and subsequent reduced intake. Not getting enough food and not getting enough regularly, will stop our gut from functioning as it should.
Not drinking enough fluid
Staying hydrated is important if you have diarrhoea, constipation and just for general healthy functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. You should sip on water throughout the day and aim for roughly 35ml/kg of body weight.
Chugging water at the end of the day to make up for the water you didn’t drink throughout the day can increase air going into your gut and exacerbate symptoms.
Inappropriate supplementation
Over supplementation is common in those with IBS and other chronic health concerns - unfortunately supplements can be a big culprit for gastrointestinal upset.
Iron and Magnesium are common culprits - iron causing constipation and magnesium causing diarrhoea. While other supplements and things such as protein powders often contain FODMAPs.
Not addressing stress
Chronic stress is linked to increased pain signalling in the brain and we also know it is linked to worsening of all IBS symptoms. Stress often gets overlooked because A) we don’t realise how much stress we are under and B) it isn’t a food focussed intervention BUT I would argue it is more important than food focused interventions.
Not addressing sleep
Both quality and quantity of sleep can impact how our gut functions. When we get poor sleep we generally make unfavourable food choices and experience increased stress. Again this is overlooked as it is hard to see the link between sleep and symptoms, but it is there.
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