Eating a large meal, or even a meal with average portions, may aggravate the gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. Eating several small meals throughout the day may prevent the nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea that can occur when your digestive system tries to process large quantities of food. To get the most nutritional value from reduced portions, plan your meals around minimally processed foods that are high in nutrients and low in fat and refined sugar and flour.
Digestive Symptoms
IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder that doesn't cause permanent damage to your intestinal tract. However, the symptoms of IBS may cause pain, alterations in your bowel patterns, changes in social routines and anxiety. According to the Merck Manual, the discomfort you experience after a meal may come from increased bowel sensitivity or from an exaggerated gastro-colonic reflex, a series of involuntary muscle contractions that occur in your colon after eating.
Reducing Portions
Eating four to five small meals each day instead of the more traditional three heavy meals may help you avoid discomfort after you eat, according to WomensHealth.gov. Because responses to food may vary from one person to another, finding portion sizes that you can digest comfortably may require some experimentation. If you're cutting back on the size of your meals, make your calories count by emphasizing nutrient-rich foods, such as vegetables and fruits, whole-grain products and dairy or soy products. If wheat, fruit, high-fiber foods, dairy products or soy aggravate your IBS symptoms, consult your health-care provider about finding healthy dietary replacements or taking digestive enzymes or probiotic supplements to help with digestion and prevent diarrhea.
Meal Planning
If you have an intolerance to certain foods along with difficulty eating average-size meals, eating a well-balanced, nutritionally complete diet may be a challenge with IBS. To avoid feeling overly full, limit gas-producing foods, such as broccoli, cauliflower, beans and onions. Avoiding carbonated beverages may also help you prevent bloating and discomfort. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NDDIC, recommends that you eat meals that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits breads, cereals, rice and pasta. The NDDIC suggests that you keep a journal to note the foods that worsen cramping, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, so that you can limit or omit these foods and find nutritious substitutes.
Eating Tips
Rushing through your meals may make digestion more difficult. To ease IBS symptoms, eat slowly and try to make your meals as relaxing as possible. Anxiety may aggravate IBS by increasing muscle contractions in your colon, the NDDIC notes. Chewing and swallowing your food too quickly may make you swallow air, which contributes to gas. Although you may need to limit fluids with meals to avoid feeling uncomfortably full, you should aim to drink six to eight glasses of water and other non-caffeinated beverages daily to stay hydrated, especially if you have diarrhea.
If reducing portion sizes, modifying your diet and changing your eating routines doesn't relieve your discomfort after meals, your health-care provider may recommend antispasmodic or antidiarrheal medications to slow activity in your colon. Probiotic supplements and certain alternative therapies, such as peppermint oil, may also help reduce diarrhea, gas or bloating after meals, the Merck Manual notes. Consult your health-care provider about dietary modifications and drug therapy to relieve your IBS symptoms.
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