IBS Symptoms in Females and What To Do About It

IBS Symptoms in Females and What To Do About It

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It can come on so suddenly, completely without warning.

You start the day feeling fine and then – BAM! Suddenly you’re experiencing serious abdominal pains and cramping, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation (sometimes both!).

Was it something I ate? you might wonder as you rush to the restroom. 

The truth is, just about anything can cause these kinds of digestive upsets, but they’re also common symptoms of IBS. If you’re experiencing them regularly, you could be one of the 10–15 percent of the adult population in the U.S. that suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In fact, IBS is one of the most common conditions diagnosed by gastroenterologists and primary care physicians, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. 

But how can you tell if your upset stomach is really something more serious? 

Common IBS Symptoms in Females

Interestingly, IBS is diagnosed more often in women than men in the US — at almost twice the rate.

Doctors aren’t exactly sure why, but some research suggests a connection between the hormones estrogen and progesterone and IBS symptoms in females. In fact, some women report increased IBS symptoms like back pain during their menstrual cycles. 

In general, IBS involves abdominal pain and changes in stools. Although anyone can experience pain or bloating from gas after a particular meal, and our stools are constantly changing based on what we eat, IBS symptoms tend to be persistent and frequent. 

Overall, Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms can include:

• Abdominal pain

• Cramping

• Bloating

• Excessive gas

• Diarrhea

• Constipation

• Indigestion

• Back pain

• Loss of appetite

• Anxiety and depression

In fact, the four types of IBS are defined by their symptoms:

• IBS-C - predominant constipation

• IBS-D - predominant diarrhea

• IBS-M - mixed (you suffer both diarrhea and constipation)

• IBS-U - undefined

Women who suffer from IBS often find they have certain triggers that bring on an episode, though these can vary from person to person.

Some of the most common triggers include foods high in certain carbohydrates called “FODMAPs” (like onions, garlic, milk, wheat bread, pasta, and apples to name just a few), artificial sweeteners, smoking, carbonated drinks, and alcohol.  Women also report more episodes during their menstrual cycles. 

Additionally, social and emotional factors like stress and anxiety can be triggers too. And when you’re suffering from uncomfortable digestive symptoms and worried about finding a bathroom, it can create a vicious, stressful cycle. 

Are IBS Symptoms Different in Males?

If you’re a man who suspects you have IBS, the list of common symptoms above also applies to you. However, the added complication of the female menstrual cycle isn’t a factor (lucky for you, guys!).

According to the International Foundation of Gastrointestinal Disorders, IBS is underreported in men, so there isn’t as much information about gender differences available. However, if you’re a guy reading this, the following info about the treatment and diagnosis of IBS applies as well!

Other Conditions That Can Be Confused with IBS Symptoms

It’s important to note that IBS is not the same as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).  IBD can manifest as either Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis, but the common factor is an inflammatory response and actual inflammation in the intestines. 

IBD can also cause changes in the bowel tissues and raise your risk for colorectal cancer. But usually, in addition to IBS symptoms, people with IBD will experience symptoms like fever, bleeding, weight loss, joint pain, and eye problems.

IBS doesn’t have an inflammatory response associated with it, and in fact, when doctors look at the GI tract of IBS sufferers, it appears normal. 

How IBS is Diagnosed

Unfortunately, there’s no quick and easy test to find out if you have IBS. The diagnosis is based entirely on your symptoms, and doctors call it a diagnosis of exclusion — meaning they have to rule out other conditions, like thyroid disorder or IBD, in order to make a diagnosis. 

Doctors look to a set of guidelines called the Rome IV criteria (developed over the last 15 years by experts meeting in — you guessed it — Rome!) to help diagnose IBS and other functional GI disorders. The criteria are a way to systematically eliminate other conditions based on your specific symptoms. 

IBS is medically defined as recurring abdominal pain linked with changes in bowel movement frequency and form, at least once a week for at least three months.

If You Suspect Your Symptoms Are IBS

The first and most important thing to do if you suspect you may have symptoms of IBS is to get a diagnosis.  

Try keeping a record of your symptoms that you can take to your doctor to help her understand what’s going on and make a faster, more accurate diagnosis for you. Your doctor will probably want to take a detailed medical history; this may be important, as there does seem to be some genetic component to IBS, and you’re more likely to have it if a parent does as well. Your doctor may also want to run specific tests to rule out other problems before diagnosing you with IBS. 

Once you have a diagnosis, treatment is all about managing your symptoms.

Diet Is Everything For Managing IBS Symptoms

When it comes to IBS, food is medicine. Many IBS episodes are linked to particular food triggers.

Foods that might trigger your symptoms include:

• Carbs made with wheat flour, like bread and pasta

• Lots of carbonated drinks (the bubbles can cause excess gas)

• Artificial sweeteners, especially sorbitol and mannitol

• Greasy or very fatty foods

• Certain carbohydrates collectively referred to as FODMAPs that include fructose (a type of fruit sugar), lactose (milk sugar), beans, onions, broccoli, cabbage and many more

Click to read this article and learn more about the FODMAP Diet, a.k.a. the best diet for IBS!

FODMAPs are foods we eat every day--including some very healthy choices like beans and produce--but people with IBS don’t digest them well. This means that these foods pass into our colon where our gut bacteria starts to ferment them and produce gas. People with IBS experience hypersensitivity in the gut, and any kind of gas production can become uncomfortable and trigger diarrhea or constipation.

For managing many IBS symptoms, females will particularly benefit from trying a low-FODMAP diet. By reducing the intake of these specific foods, research shows that up to 86% of people with IBS experience a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of their symptoms.

Want to know what foods are high or low in FODMAPs? Grab our free cheat sheets!

I always recommend starting a FODMAP elimination diet when you’re ready and then following a protocol to slowly reintroduce foods which allows you to identify your particular triggers--most people can eat some high-FODMAP foods WITHOUT experiencing symptoms.

Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can drastically reduce future bouts of IBS. 

In the short term, your doctor may suggest over-the-counter medicines like laxatives and anti-gas pills to help with the symptoms, but these are only treating the result, not the cause of the problem. Doing a temporary FODMAPs elimination diet is a way of discovering the root causes of your discomfort and avoiding them in the future. 

In addition, many doctors now recognize a psychological component to IBS and may suggest therapy or counseling to combat stress and anxiety that may make your symptoms worse. There is some indication that antidepressants can help modulate nerve activity in your gut, but these drugs come with their own side-effects, so many doctors are hesitant to prescribe them for IBS. 

Conclusion

IBS is chronic, and there is currently no cure. But with the right tools and mindset, you can identify and eliminate your specific triggers to live a much more comfortable life.

7 Truths About the FODMAP Diet Plan (I Wish I'd Known 4 Years Ago!)

Like many of you, when I first heard about the FODMAP diet plan as a way to change my own IBS symptoms, I was overwhelmed. Not just with all the information out there, although that definitely was the case. Sometimes, it was overwhelming how much I didn’t know.

Four years ago, there was very little information to go on, no explanation of the nuances. Suddenly having to change my diet overnight felt very difficult and complex, with no guidance on how to make it work in a practical sense.

There's more info out there now, but I think people can still relate to what I experienced. Also, a lot of the current information is still conflicting or out-dated.

I had to forge my own path. And a huge part of why I do what I do is that I believe that you shouldn’t have to do that to change your life for the better! 

(Which is why I started Calm Belly Kitchen!) 

Looking back on it, there’s so much I wish I’d known before I started. So many tips and tricks and even affirmations that would’ve made this whole thing a lot smoother—and a lot less emotional. 

I've also asked members of the community what they wish someone had told them when they first started out with the FODMAP diet plan. Many of the answers lined up with my experience!

So today, I'm going to share the things that I wish I knew when I first started. Hopefully, you’ll find this useful, no matter where you are in your journey.

#1 Onion and garlic are not absolutely essential for flavor

It seems like such a minor thing now, but this was definitely my number one source of anxiety and fear and stress when I started to grasp what the FODMAP diet really entailed. All those recipes I relied on would have to be modified or thrown out—and at first, I had no idea how to even begin. 

(This is also one of the biggest struggles that I hear from folks who send me emails, easily in the top three questions that I receive!) 

For years, I made my living as a recipe developer. I love food, and own an embarrassing amount of cookbooks! And I can tell you that giving up onion and garlic is not the end of the world.

Sure, it’s an adjustment, but it’s not impossible. While I, personally, can tolerate a bit of onion, I don’t do great with garlic, and I don’t really keep either of them in the house. It’s worth it, to me, to see the success of following the FODMAP diet plan in my own symptoms. 

In a way, whether it’s onion, garlic, or any other food, it really won’t be as bad as you think, giving it up temporarily or even for longer periods of time. I promise. 

You can check out this ultimate guide for other ways to flavor food that won’t trigger your IBS!

#2 A major diet change is hard, and it will take you time to get in your groove

Okay, I know I just said that giving up some foods isn’t the end of the world. And it’s not! But any major lifestyle change means changing all of your patterns—even ones you might not be aware you have. It will take time. It doesn’t happen overnight. 

Doctors love to give you a little two- or three-page handout that makes it seem super easy to just completely overhaul your diet overnight, but the truth is, not many people can just turn completely change the way that they cook, shop, and eat in one day. 

You have to be patient with yourself. You have to give yourself time (and grace!) as you begin the process. 

Even though I had cooking skills and already was a healthy eater, I couldn't turn it around overnight. I needed time to get comfortable with the changes in my eating habits.

Whatever you do, don't let beginner overwhelm hold you back from starting.

Just know that it's going to take time to get comfortable, and it's okay to be to be stressed about it when you start. If you mess up, that's okay! Don't beat yourself up—keep going.

#3 Eating in a social setting is less of a big deal than you might think

A lot of people ask me this one, especially as they start to really think about how often we all eat in social settings—restaurants, work lunches, family meals.

When you can control the food, things tend to work fine. But when other people are cooking? That can be a little stressful. 

I get it. 

If you’re worried about how the changes in your diet will affect eating out at restaurants—whether it’s asking for order changes or worrying about being judged for what you put in your face—that’s normal. 

No matter how much we worry that other people are judging us, people are always more concerned about what they are doing, than what other people are thinking. It’s just our nature! We’re all a little self-centered like that. 

And if someone does give you grief or side-eye for swapping your asparagus for a side salad? Then they really need to find a hobby. 

What you eat isn’t a judgement, or critique, of anyone else’s eating. Refusing a food, making healthier choices, these are all worth it, to make your body feel better. 

Prefer to watch? Check out the video below...

#4 You really do need to listen to your body

If you’ve spent any time on this site, then I know you’ve heard this one before. But it’s absolutely true. Listen to what your body is saying—not just with the food, but with all of it. 

The great thing about making this kind of diet change is that you have this really excellent opportunity to learn about all the other factors that affect your digestion, besides just the FODMAPs. When you take those away, you start to listen to the other little messages your body is sending. 

For example, stress is a big deal for me. It messes with my stomach. Now I can hear that message more clearly, and adjust my lifestyle accordingly. 

Another thing I learned was that adjusting the overall volume of food I was eating helped with my symptoms. I was just giving it too much to do! Eating smaller meals, letting them digest well, allowed my body to tell me, hey, you’ll feel less bloated and heavy and gross. 

For many of my clients, I often hear that their period sends them a huge message, thanks to fluctuating hormones! As you can see, all of these non-food factors can affect your gut.

Listen to them. 

Every body is different. What’s yours telling you? 

#5 Sourdough bread is your best friend

For those of you who love bread, this one is really exciting. 

(What? Bread is exciting! Especially bread that’s safe and delicious!)

This wasn’t even established when I was first beginning my FODMAP diet journey, but within the last two years, Monash has tested sourdough bread and found that, because of the slow fermentation process, sourdough bread has an extremely low FODMAP content. 

The only catch is that it MUST be made using a traditional slow rise process.

Luckily, it’s easy to tell if sourdough is indeed slow rise: Check the ingredients. If the sourdough bread contains yeast or enzymes, then it was not made with the slow rise method.

Traditional slow-rise sourdough requires just three main ingredients: flour, water, and salt. Instead of yeast, a “starter” causes the bread to rise. This happens when natural bacteria occurring in the air slowly ferments by consuming the FODMAPs and other carbohydrates in the flour. This produces gas, which creates the rise in the bread. 

Great news if you’ve been missing bread!

#6 You really do need to reintroduce FODMAPs by category

Like most of us, I spent a long time on the elimination phase of the FODMAP diet. Because I was feeling better, and seeing a reduction in my own symptoms, it felt really comfortable just to stay in that highly restricted zone. 

And yet it’s really important to test foods and reintroduce them—not just because it’s healthier to have more variety in your diet, but also because that’s the only way you’re going to know your personal FODMAP tolerance levels.

One thing I learned when I did finally reintroduce FODMAPs is that I have a pretty high tolerance for wheat. I can still eat my homemade pizza and croissants, and for me, that’s amazing. 

On the other hand, I used to love making sweet potato fries, but now I can only have a few bites. A bigger serving of sweet potato makes my stomach feel heavy and creates unpleasant symptoms the next day. And there’s no way I would’ve known that without reintroducing FODMAP categories one by one. 

You might be taking a risk with a certain food during this phase, but the knowledge you will gain will be priceless. 

#7 You won’t always feel deprived!

When we talk about diet changes, there is always this lingering worry, this fear of deprivation. 

And it makes sense: We’re taking away a lot of common foods that are in favorite dishes, at home and out in the world. It’s a huge adjustment, looking at food in this new way. 

Yes, it will absolutely feel like an adjustment. You’re definitely going to hate taking away some foods—but eventually, the feelings of being so healthy and feeling so much better and feeling empowered will begin to outweigh the difficulties. 

You may still experience IBS symptoms. That’s totally normal. But overall, you will feel so much better, because you’ll finally have control over how your body feels. 

And those are my top seven items I wish I’d known before starting the FODMAP diet!

They’re definitely truths for me, and ones I hear from my clients as well. I hope that they can empower you to begin your FODMAP journey.

Are Gluten & Bread Allowed on the FODMAP Diet?

Are Gluten & Bread Allowed on the FODMAP Diet?

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Today I’m going to explain how gluten fits into the FODMAP Diet. Ever wonder if you have to eliminate gluten on FODMAP? Or maybe you’ve heard that bread might be okay? 

I’ll address these questions, AND I’m going to explain why you CAN eat regular bread, even if you're in the elimination phase!

This blog post comes from a live video I did on Facebook, so you can either keep reading or scroll down to watch the video!

Is Gluten Allowed on the FODMAP Diet?

This is one of the most common questions I get asked, so I’ll cut right to the chase: No, you don’t need to avoid gluten.

Gluten is a protein, while FODMAPs are carbohydrates. FODMAP's stand for fermentable oligosaccharides, monosaccharide, disaccharides, and polyols--all types of carbs. 

It gets confusing because the main sources of gluten in your diet are wheat, rye, and barley. Those all contain gluten, but they also all contain FODMAPs. Since you must avoid those grains on the FODMAP Diet, you also end up dramatically reducing your intake of gluten.

Additionally, many gluten-free products are recommended for FODMAPers. Not because you can’t eat gluten, but because those products are free of wheat, rye, and barley.  

What If I’m Gluten Intolerant?

It’s possible to have a gluten sensitivity AND a FODMAP sensitivity at the same time. Keep in mind that a sensitivity doesn’t mean you can’t eat ANY gluten at all. People who have celiac disease need to avoid it ALL THE TIME. However if you're sensitive, and there's just a little bit of gluten in your food, it's not likely to cause major issues. 

If you suspect gluten sensitivity, I recommend focusing on FODMAPs first and then gluten, or vise versa. It's hard to test too many different things at the same time. And if you’re sticking to the FODMAP Diet, your intake of gluten will be negligible anyway.

Is Bread Allowed on the FODMAP Diet?

You CAN eat bread on the FODMAP Diet! There are two scenarios where it’s okay, and I’ll explain both:

Scenario #1: You can eat small servings of bread made with regular wheat flour.      

Researchers at Monash University created the FODMAP Diet, and have the done the vast majority of food testing. According to their app, a one-ounce serving of white bread is low-FODMAP. If you buy a typical loaf at a supermarket, one slice is usually about one ounce, or 28 grams. 

If you don’t own the Monash FODMAP app, I highly recommend it--it’s the absolute best tool to understand the importance of portion sizes so can eat a wider variety of foods!

If you eat a one-ounce serving in a sitting, you're still in the low FODMAP zone. So, if you just love to have your regular piece of toast in the morning, you should be able to do that. One ounce is also the equivalent of half an english muffin. 
    
If you're in a situation where you don't have a lot of low-FODMAP food options, it's nice to know that eating one piece of white bread likely doesn’t contain enough FODMAPs to cause symptoms. There’s more flexibility in the FODMAP Diet than you might think!

Let's follow this logic a little further. 

If it's okay to have a slice of bread, then it's okay to have a few crackers, or a cookie that contains regular wheat flour. That's not going to ruin your diet in the elimination phase, or trigger symptoms for most people.

The goal is to reduce your FODMAP intake, not completely eliminate all FODMAPs (yes the terminology is confusing, unfortunately). Truly eliminating FODMAPs would be nearly impossible, since many foods allowed in the elimination phase do contain some amount of FODMAPs.

If you remember one thing, make it this: 

All the food serving sizes are guidelines--they’re your starting point. If that one-ounce slice of bread is too much for YOUR body, then that’s okay. Pay attention to how different foods makes you feel, learn from that, and adjust. 

Scenario #2: Slow-rise sourdough bread is low-FODMAP

The second way to get your bread fix is with sourdough. This type of bread is made using a “starter” and a slow-rise process, while regular bread rises with the help of yeast. 

During the slow rise, the bacteria in the starter consumes the sugars in the bread--many of these sugars are FODMAPs. Those FODMAPs ferment which produces gas, or bubbles, that makes the bread rise. Enough of those FODMAPs are getting consumed to make sourdough bread low-FODMAP!

To be clear, you do not have to find gluten-free sourdough bread. Just the regular stuff made with regular flour is okay. However, do make sure your sourdough bread does not contain yeast, or enzymes. If it does, then these ingredients were added to shortcut the slow-rise process and the bread will not be as low in FODMAPs.

This post covered a ton of information, so let’s recap:

• You can eat gluten on the FODMAP diet

• Gluten is a protein, while FODMAPs are carbohydrates

• You can eat foods make with wheat flour (also known as all-purpose, or “white flour”) in small servings

• Refer to the Monash App for serving size information, and use those amounts as your starting point

• Traditionally made sourdough bread (no yeast or enzymes added) is low-FODMAP

There really are a lot of "subtleties" when it comes to the FODMAP diet, but don't let it drive you crazy. The reality is that it's a lot more flexible and manageable than it first appears!

Want to simplify your life with low-FODMAP recipes created specifically for the low-FODMAP Diet? Check out the Calm Belly Kitchen Digital Cookbook!

Top 5 Tips for FODMAP Reintroduction

Top 5 Tips for FODMAP Reintroduction

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It’s frustrating when you work really hard only to realize later that you were operating WITHOUT all the necessary information, isn’t it?

Unfortunately, I see this all too often when it comes to the FODMAP Diet.

When I ask people in the CBK community what their biggest challenges are, I hear things like:

When I finally realized X…
OR
When I started doing Y…

Psst! If you’re ready to get started, click here to receive my complete FODMAP reintroduction plan, checklist and food tracker.

While I believe it's important to cover what not to do, it's even more important to know what you SHOULD be doing to make the process as smooth as possible. That's why the goal for this post is to give you my top tips that'll make your life easier AND prevent you from falling victim to the most common reintroduction pitfalls.

Study these tips, especially if you’re just getting ready to start FODMAP reintroduction.

And if you'd rather watch, I talked through these tips on a recent edition of Calm Belly TV. (Click here to subscribe to CBK on YouTube and watch past videos!)

If you follow them from the very beginning, you won’t look back later and think, “If only I’d known…”

Top 5 Tips for FODMAP Reintroduction

#1 Choose test foods that contain only one type of FODMAP.

• You do NOT need to test every high-FODMAP food under the sun--Instead, you’ll choose one test food from each FODMAP category. Your response to these test foods will be an indicator of your general tolerance for that category. Cool, right?

• For example, honey is a good test food because it only contains fructose. Apples are not because they contain both fructose and polyols.

• Use the Monash app to determine your test foods. Whenever possible, choose a test food you enjoy and want to add back to your diet!

Need a list of high-FODMAP foods organized by category? Just click here and we’ll send it directly to your inbox free!

#2 Continue to eat a low-FODMAP diet throughout the reintroduction process.

• This ensures that you’re collecting the most accurate data about your FODMAP tolerance levels as possible.

• Wait until you’re done testing all the FODMAP categories to permanently bring back the high-FODMAP foods you DO tolerate.

Not sure if you’re ready to reintroduce FODMAPs? Read this post that covers 3 simple ways you know it’s time.

#3 Track your data.

• It’s helpful (but not required) to track all your food because it keeps you focused on maintaining a low-FODMAP Diet.

• If you’d rather not track everything, you must track your test foods/amounts and any symptoms. You’ll use all this data as your guide when you start bringing other high-FODMAP foods back into your diet.

• Choose whatever tracking method you’ll use consistently. A spreadsheet, notebook, Word doc, the MySymptoms app, or the My Fitness Pal app are all great options.

#4 Wait 24 to 48 hours before increasing the serving amount of your test food OR testing a new FODMAP category.

• Symptoms can happen as late as 48 hours after eating a high-FODMAP food, so this ensures no lingering symptoms interfere with your next test.

• As you get comfortable with the testing process, you’ll learn when symptoms typically show up, if you get any symptoms at all. Remember, you might discover one or more FODMAP groups that you tolerate really well!

#5 Make the testing process flexible.

• If you have an event where you're unable to avoid high-FODMAP foods, take a break from testing and continue as soon as any symptoms resolve.

• Pause your testing for vacations or holidays.

• Plan it to fit around a busy work week or other commitments.

If you’re ready to get started, click below to get my complete reintroduction checklist. It’s what I use to make sure my clients are successful from day one. You’ll also get my reintroduction planner and tracker to help you get AND stay organized.

Click to get the FREE Reintroduction Checklist and Tracker!

Why Less FODMAPs = Less IBS Symptoms Is Wrong (Also, pizza!)

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During a group coaching session recently, one of my awesome clients asked if I had a great low-FODMAP pizza recipe that wouldn't trigger her IBS symptoms. I said no because I only use ONE recipe: my favorite classic, chewy-crispy, stone-fired pizza dough.

“So what gluten-free flour do you use?” Another client asked.

When I clarified that I use regular all-purpose wheat flour for my pizza, minds were blown.

In that moment a light-bulb went on in my head: No one talks about life AFTER the FODMAP Diet. 

You might not know you can bring certain high-FODMAP foods back into your life because nobody bothered to explain it.

You might know about avoiding high-FODMAP food and testing FODMAPs (i.e. the Reintroduction Phase), but what about the end goal of this process?

To put it plainly, less FODMAPs = less IBS symptoms isn’t the full story. The end goal is to eat some pizza, or crisp apples, or ice cream - or whatever food you’ve loved and lost!

The end goal isn’t to restrict all high-FODMAP foods forever. The goal is learning your unique triggers for your IBS symptoms.

When you know your personal triggers and tolerance levels, you can... 

• Bring back high-FODMAP foods that don’t cause your stomach issues

• Know what portions of high-FODMAP foods trigger your symptoms, and eat smaller amounts of those

• Stop avoiding “natural flavors” in foods that might have a tiny amount of onion or garlic

• Go to restaurants and not shy away from every bit of wheat and lactose on the menu

• Choose what you’ll eat based on solid knowledge of how food affects your body, instead of guessing and fearing the consequences

For me, this means my favorite pizza is back in my life - I learned wheat doesn’t trigger my IBS symptoms. Here’s what it means for some of my clients…

Testing FODMAPs and learning their personal triggers is how these ladies went from anxiety and restriction to having fun eating again.

And it doesn’t take tons of time or willpower to test FODMAPs. The key is to create your testing plan, set a date, and track your results.

In case you missed it, I designed a tool to make this quick and simple. Click here to get the FREE Reintro Checklist and Tracker for the FODMAP Challenge Phase!

Avoiding every high-FODMAP food 24/7 is good when you use it for a purpose: Learning about your body and giving it a clean slate. Kind of like hitting the reset button.

But if you’re doing it with no purpose or end goal, you’re depriving yourself of a huge variety of food when it’s not necessary.

Going through the process and testing the different FODMAP categories is worth it because of what you get in the end: You know what triggers your IBS and what doesn’t so you’re free to eat without fear.

It can feel like discovering the FODMAP diet is what changes your life, but it’s not. 

Knowing your triggers is what changes your life - It breaks you out of food jail and leads you to freedom. And if freedom looks like pizza to you, you owe it to yourself to find out.

Leave a comment and tell me what you want your life to look like after FODMAP! Is the thought of eating high-FODMAP foods again blowing your mind? (and if you just want my pizza recipe, don’t hesitate to ask!)

3 Ways To Deal with IBS Constipation (and 1 thing not to do)

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When it comes to managing IBS symptoms, smart eating is your first line of defense. Doing the low-FODMAP Diet is an amazing way to learn what foods trigger your symptoms AND what portion sizes keep your belly calm.

But sometimes supporting strategies are needed, which is why I'm doing a 3-part series on Calm Belly TV to help you deal with the 3 major symptoms of IBS: 

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Bloating

Fun topics, right!? Okay, they may not be fun, but there's a lot you can do to deal with these symptoms besides just watching your intake of high-FODMAP foods. That's what I'll be covering in the series. 

[Want to learn more about the FODMAP Diet and why it's so effective for IBS? Check out this blog post!]

Check out the rest of this series:

• Part 2: How To Deal with IBS-D (Try these 4 strategies in this order!)

• Part 3: 10 Ways to Beat Bloat

Now onto Part 1 of the series:

3 Ways to Deal with IBS Constipation (and 1 thing not to do)

Watch the video to go deep on this topic, or keep reading to get the main points.

Just the key points:

First thing's first: Calm Belly Kitchen is an educational resource and doesn't replace personalized medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting any new dietary treatment or supplement.

Let's recap: A low-FODMAP diet can help decrease constipation a lot, but additional treatments and strategies are often needed.

Why? FODMAPs are one of the major causes of IBS symptoms, but many other factors play a role in your digestion:

- The food you eat (fiber, fat, etc)
- Your hormones
- Bowel motility (how fast food goes through your system)
- Life stress 

In my experience and in my work with clients, I've seen that learning your personal trigger foods makes a huge difference. Still most people need supporting strategies to deal with constipation.

3 Strategies to Manage IBS Constipation with Diet

1) The food you DO eat is important, so include a variety of fiber: 

• Insoluble fiber: Adds bulk, pushes stool through the bowels; found in fruit and vegetable skins and whole grains

• Soluble fiber: Softens stool; found in fruit, veg, legumes, nuts and seeds (flax and chia are especially good for constipation)

• Resistant starch: Feeds the good bacteria in your gut with prebiotic fiber; found in under-ripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, and legumes (canned, rinsed lentils and chickpeas are great low-FODMAP options)

>>> Water: Acts as a stool softener; important if you're taking soluble fiber products such as Metamucil

2) Fiber supplements

• Metamucil and similar products contain soluble and insoluble fiber

• Ground psyllium contains soluble and insoluble fiber

• Heather's Acacia Fiber contains only soluble fiber, which is thought to promote optimal bowel motility >>> works for both constipation AND diarrhea

3) Magnesium Citrate

• Helps relax bowel spasms so it does not cause a sense of urgency unless you take a very large does

• Has a gentle osmotic effect...so it pulls water into the bowel, softening stool so it's easier to pass

• Recommended not to exceed 900 mg/day

• Experiment to find a dosage that works for you

• Non-addictive

Solaray tablets and Natural Calm drink mix are two good options.

One Thing NOT To Do To Manage Constipation

Stimulant Laxatives (such as ExLax)

• Only use for a limited time and exactly as directed

• Stimulant laxatives are addictive because they reduce your natural bowel contractions and train your body to be dependent on their irritant effect

• Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration