Although the foods you eat don't cause irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, limiting certain foods in your diet may help you manage symptoms if you have this chronic, functional gastrointestinal condition. High-fat foods can trigger abdominal cramps, diarrhea, gas and bloating in people who have IBS. To reduce the amount of fat in your diet, replace solid, saturated fats with plant oils and other unsaturated fats that won't raise your cholesterol levels.
Symptoms
In normal digestion, the muscles in the colon, or large intestine, contract to draw fluid from digestive wastes before eliminating them from the body. With IBS, your colon muscles contract too forcefully or too sluggishly, resulting in abdominal cramps, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or gas, says American Family Physician. You may feel that you need to empty your bowels even though you've just had a bowel movement. In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, IBS may cause headaches, fatigue, depression and anxiety, the Merck Manuals says. Certain foods and beverages may worsen cramps, gas and diarrhea. Others may help stabilize your symptoms.
Fat as a Trigger
In an article in the Aug. 26, 2005 issue of "Medscape General Medicine," Dr. Laura Noddin of the Dartmouth Medical School Department of Medicine reported that dietary fats may alter the rate of stomach emptying. If your stomach empties too slowly or too quickly after a meal, eating high-fat foods may intensify the muscle spasms in your colon, the Merck Manuals says. Limiting dietary fats may reduce the abdominal pain, bloating and altered bowel patterns associated with IBS and other functional gastrointestinal disorders that have no obvious cause. Large, heavy, fatty meals may cause fatigue and promote obesity as well as increasing bowel activity.
Quality of Fats
To promote cardiovascular health as you're managing IBS symptoms, substitute heart-healthy fats for saturated fats and trans fats. According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent heart attacks. Foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include olive oil and other non-hydrogenated plant oils, nuts, sunflower seeds, avocados and olives. The AHA recommends that you get no more than 25 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories from fats. No more than 7 percent of your daily calories should come from the saturated fats in meat, eggs or dairy products, and no more than 1 percent should come from the trans fats in hydrogenated vegetable oil, margarine, or commercially manufactured snacks, the AHA says.
Managing Symptoms
Eating smaller quantities of low-fat foods may prevent bowel spasms, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP. The AAFP recommends that you eat six small, balanced meals each day containing a variety of nutritious, low-fat foods. If your symptoms include fatigue and depression, limiting fats and eating small, frequent meals may also help sustain your energy and boost your mood. The AAFP suggests that in addition to avoiding high-fat foods, you eliminate or limit your consumption of caffeinated foods and beverages. Fatty foods and caffeine may increase muscle movement in your colon, the AAFP notes.
References
- "American Family Physician"; Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Information from your Family Doctor; American Academy of Family Physicians; Feb. 1, 2005
- Merck Manual Home Edition: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Digestive Disorders
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- "Medscape General Medicine": Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Functional Dyspepsia: Different Diseases or a Single Disorder with Different Manifestations?; Laura Noddin, M.D., et al.; Aug. 26, 2005
