A New IBS Solution: Bacteria-The Missing Link in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Mark Pimentel M.D

Author:Mark Pimentel M.D. [Pimentel M.D., Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Health Point Press
Published: 2007-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Limit or eliminate the following “high-residue” foods. These foods are difficult to digest and leave residue in the small intestine:

• Beans (kidney beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, etc.)

• Lentils

• Peas (including split-pea soup)

• Soy products (tofu, soymilk)

• Yogurt, milk, and cheese (100-percent Lactaid milk is acceptable as a milk substitute.)

Drink eight cups of water a day. A good guideline is to drink two cups of water with each of your three meals, then one cup between breakfast and lunch, and one cup between lunch and dinner.

Beef, fish, poultry, and eggs are acceptable foods, and are also good sources of protein. You do not need to limit these foods throughout the day. However, be sure to only eat portions that are appropriate for your body size. Most people require only about 4–8 ounces of meat products per day.

Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, and cereals are also acceptable. It’s all right to include some of these foods at each meal. They contain carbohydrates that are well absorbed high up in the small intestine, serving as fuel for your body, not for the bacteria. A good rule of thumb is to eat no more than a half cup to one cup of these carbohydrate foods at each meal. Believe it or not, white bread is best in this circumstance. Try to keep multigrain breads to a minimum. If whole-grain breads are desired, oat and wheat fibers are better choices. Also avoid wild rice.

Fruits should be eaten in moderation—two servings per day. Fruits contain fructose, which again is difficult to digest. Choose fresh, not dried fruit. Dried fruits concentrate the fructose into a smaller package and it allows for more fructose ingestion because more is eaten.

Fresh, nonstarchy vegetables should also be part of your daily food intake. Cooked or lightly steamed vegetables are preferable to raw vegetables, because they are easier to digest and absorb. Avoid large salads full of raw vegetables, as this can lead to too much residue. You can incorporate small amounts of salad, but do not eat raw vegetables exclusively as they are hard to digest. A good rule of thumb is to have three to five cups of cooked vegetables per day.

Dairy products are best avoided because of the lactose they contain. In addition, do not substitute with soymilk, as soy products contain nonabsorbable oligosaccharides, a class of carbohydrate that can contribute to bloating. Try almond or rice milk instead. Another great alternative is Lactaid milk, because all of the lactose is predigested.

Coffee, tea, and soda should be consumed only in moderate amounts. Out of these three types of beverages, tea is probably the most healthful choice. Coffee is also acceptable as long as you limit your intake to one or two cups per day. Sodas, on the other hand, are not a healthy choice. Non-diet sodas may contain corn syrup and other types of sugar. Diet sodas are now starting to contain sucralose (Splenda), another fuel source for bacteria. These types of soda should be avoided altogether. Diet sodas containing Nutrasweet may be consumed in moderation.

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