Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) discomforts and frustrates around a third of us, and is one of the most common digestive disorder seen by doctors in the West. There are a wide range of symptoms associated with IBS including, from top to bottom, belching, heartburn, nausea, abdominal cramping, irregular bowel movements, constipation and flatulence (wind). We all experience these symptoms from time to time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have IBS. However, if you do experience any of these symptoms regularly it’s best to see your doctor who will want to rule out anything more serious before diagnosing IBS.
If your doctor says you are suffering from IBS, there’s no need to be overly concerned as it isn’t a life-threatening condition. So, what can you do to alleviate it? Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do – for starters avoid stress and get more exercise, but also make the following simple changes in diet:
- Drink plenty of water (around 2 litres or 6 to 8 glasses a day)
- Avoid sugary food – considered the No. 1 culprit in IBS
- Avoid fatty, fried and processed foods
- Increase your intake of fibre-rich fruit and veg (but avoid ones which are known to cause wind – like sprouts)
A tasty salad that suits many of the IBS sufferers I meet is Persian Rice Salad, which you can make as follows:
2 cups chilled cooked brown rice
Tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Half teaspoon of fresh dill
3 spring onions
50g cashew nuts
4 fresh chopped dates
1 bunch watercress
Combine olive oil, lemon and dill. Then combine with other ingredients. Serve on a bed of watercress.
