Kristen Stavridis (Nutritionist BSc Hons) shares what you should be picking up in your weekly shop if you have IBS:
“Every person is different and some people may be more sensitive to certain foods than others when dealing with IBS, but generally I would recommend foods like quinoa, brown rice, berries, nuts and seeds (especially linseeds), citrus fruits, mixed salad leaves, oats, sweet potato and Biotiful Kefir to support gut microbiome diversity.”
Here are some practical strategies to help you manage your IBS by improving your Gut Health. By focusing on these dietary and lifestyle adjustments, you can take meaningful steps toward reducing IBS symptoms and supporting long-term Gut Health.
Studies have shown that fermented milk products can be beneficial in improving symptoms of IBS, as the live cultures help increase the diversity of your gut microbiome and in turn, help support a healthier digestion. Alongside Biotiful Kefir yogurts, eating other fermented foods including sourdough, sauerkraut, oats and kombucha may be beneficial.
Research shows that a low-FODMAP diet (involving avoiding foods that can’t be easily digested by the gut) remains a core intervention in improving IBS symptoms.
On this diet, the body produces less gas, which is one of the leading causes of common symptoms such as gut bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Reducing wheat, certain fruits (e.g. apples, mangos, watermelon) and vegetables (e.g. garlic, leeks, cauliflower), and some dairy products are part of the low-FODMAP diet.
In addition, due to the fermentation process of the milk when making Kefir, Biotiful Kefir Drinks have approximately half the amount of lactose than regular milk, making it suitable as part of a low-FODMAP diet. Seek advice from a doctor before consuming Kefir if you’ve been diagnosed with lactose intolerance.
Stress is an important factor in the development of IBS according to research, as the stress can aggravate symptoms. It also works the other way, with IBS symptoms also impacting the brain, contributing to anxiety, depression and overall quality of life. So, a key method of reducing IBS symptoms should involve reducing stress.
Research shows that sources of soluble fibre can improve symptoms of IBS, helping to regulate bowel habits. Increasing your intake of soluble fibre including chia seeds, flaxseed, psyllium husk, oats, and some low-FODMAP vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and zucchini can help to manage IBS.
Research into the effects of Kefir on health outcomes found that after Kefir was introduced, results revealed a decrease in gastrointestinal symptoms.
Many people with IBS have an imbalance in the gut microbiome, and studies show that Kefir consumption can help to regulate that imbalance.
Low-grade inflammation and an overactive immune system are often present in IBS, driven by microbial imbalances in the gut. By understanding the vital role Gut Health plays in IBS, you can take steps to restore balance and alleviate symptoms. Incorporating gut-friendly foods, like Biotiful Kefir, into your daily routine is a simple way to increase the diversity of your gut microbiome, which could help manage IBS symptoms and support your digestive health.
A healthy gut thrives on balance, but for many people with IBS, research shows that the gut microbiome is altered. This can lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and a reduction in beneficial ones, disrupting digestion and triggering Gut Health and IBS issues like bloating and irregular bowel movements.
The gut and brain are in constant communication through the gut-brain axis, with research showing that the microbiome has an impact on human wellbeing. In IBS, this connection may be disrupted, leading to heightened gut sensitivity and changes in bowel habits. Stress and anxiety, which directly impact Gut Health, often make IBS symptoms worse.
If you have IBS and the gut microbiome is out of balance, it can lead to excessive fermentation of certain carbohydrates. This over-fermentation produces gas causing people with IBS to experience adverse symptoms compared to people without it, such as bloating and discomfort.
A variety of different live cultures can help to diversify the gut microbiome, and as an imbalance of the gut plays a role in IBS, eating foods containing live cultures can help to support a healthy gut. Biotiful Kefir contains billions of live cultures, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Consume Biotiful Kefir as you would usually have yoghurt, whether it’s in savoury recipes, in a morning granola bowl, an afternoon snack or anything in between.
If you’re experiencing an IBS flare up, focus on foods that are good for your gut and easy to digest, such as lean proteins, oats, brown rice, low FODMAP fruits and vegetables as well as sources of L-Glutamine. You want to soothe the digestive system, whilst also providing nutrients, which is what these foods can help to do during a flareup.
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols, which are types of carbohydrates that the body can struggle to digest in the small intestine, which results in fluid in the small intestine, causing abdominal symptoms. From here, the bacteria in the large intestine ferment the undigested FODMAPs, which produce gas and exacerbate IBS symptoms in your gut, particularly pain, bloating and disrupted bowel habits.
So, when you focus on eating low FODMAP foods, they’re easier for the small intestine to digest, helping you avoid the issues that come later in the digestive journey associated with IBS and your gut.
The best-suited diet to help reduce symptoms of IBS and improve your Gut Health is one that is balanced, particularly focused on the following elements:
