# Exclusion Diet



## Alfie (Sep 4, 2010)

My Doctor tells me I have IBS and I've tried some peppermint capsules and Mebeverine with no positive results.Decided to take my own action to eliminate possible causes of my problem in the form of an elimination diet.My plan is to eat just chicken and water to see if my stomach starts leaving me alone.How long do I have to do this to be sure?I currently take an over the counter one-a-day multi-vitamin/mineral pill which 100%s most RDAs, can I continue to take these or could they contain something which triggers symptoms?Should I expect any other results from such a dramatic diet shift? If so can I do anything to minimise this?Any general tips which could be of use to me?Apologies for the briefness of my post, I wanted to get everything down as quickly and clearly as I could, I will greatly appreciate any help as I'm a little nervous about this but I have to do something I will not just live with this. It's forced my life to go on hold for too long.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

If you are allergic to a food an elimination diet should cause reduced symptoms in a week or two. Multivitamin/mineral supplements have both thins that can constipate or cause diarrhea.Usually an elimination diet for allergies is one meat, one starch, one veggie and one fruit. Not just a single food and nothing else.So chicken and rice with cooked green beans and I'd do a cooked pear might be better.However most people with IBS don't have food allergies and can get away with a less extreme version.You could do a low starch diet with no dairy and nothing fried or greasy (so lean chicken fish and turkey) and I would cook all the veggies and probably not do fruit at first and see how that goes.Often with IBS the problem is how your gut over-responds to the normal signals the GI tract gives when you eat a meal (that every human has every meal of their life) and eating smaller meals (300 calories or so) 4-6 times a day is more important than which foods they eat. For IBS-D types a low carb diet may help (mainly low in starch, but usually is also low in fruit and lactose containing dairy so aged cheese OK, milk is not) and that isn't as restrictive.Some people need to play with the level of fiber they need to keep things going and all meat all the time and nothing else has no fiber.If you do the eat 1-4 things the getting back to a full diet is the longest way to a normal diet. You must add back one food at a time for 3-4 days and then if it is OK then and only then do you add back the next food.


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## arrabella1 (Sep 5, 2010)

Alfie, have you been tested for celiac disease? If you are sensitive to wheat, a celiac test will show it or rule it out. Your doctor can run the test and see. I was tested, but I can handle wheat. I find that plain noodles (no yolks for those people who cant handle them in their noodles)cooked in water or broth help add some easy fiber without a lot of cramps. You could also try some cooked rice noodles (easy soluble fiber that breaks down quickly). I love chicken myself, but sometimes too much protein makes my insides work too hard to break it down and move it through. I also find that hot mint tea works better than any capsules, and helps relax the muscles. Stay away from caffinated beverages, they really get the insides overworked. I find I have to really check precooked chicken (like rotisserie, which I absolutely love) for any ingredients I cant handle, like lots of spices or preservatives. Good luck, I hope you feel better soon.


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