# questions



## m_m_forth (Oct 21, 2003)

I am confused about identifying my trigger foods. What meal do I look to for a trigger? the one I just ate before an attack, the one before, or one from the day before? I know for my gas problems I have always looked to the day before, but now that I get diarhhea (about once/week or so), I don't know where to look for the culprit. Could it be that there is none, that it's just the act of eating itself? I haven't found any connections to certain foods yet. I am thinking that I may be IBS-A, and when I get backed up, I get diarhhea because my body overreacts to that condition (that's usually when it happens). Is there such thing as constipation-induced diarhhea? I am so confused. I take metamucil once/day, but I still probably only get about 10-15 grams of fiber/day. Should I take more for this? I just have not been eating much because I'm afraid to eat now. Arg. Sorry for all the questions, but I need help. Thanks for any info you can provide.


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## Heather Van Vorous (Oct 2, 2001)

Hi - The act of eating in and of itself can trigger problems, and if you're eating foods that can overstimulate or irritate the gut (fats, coffee, alcohol, insoluble fibers) this is much more likely to happen. When food enters your stomach it triggers the gastrocolic reflex, which makes your colon contract to move food along and produce a bowel movement. People with IBS tend to have this reflex malfunction, and it can often over-react to an almost violent degree. This will produce abdominal spasms or cramps, diarrhea, and/or constipation if the colon muscles "seize up" and motility just halts altogether.If you're regularly eating foods that bother you, it can be hard to pinpoint if you're having an immediate reaction to something or not feeling the effects until the next day. The best bet is to get your diet (every snack, every meal) on a low fat, high soluble fiber, careful with insoluble fiber, and no trigger food foundation. This should help tremendously to stabilize your gut, and once you're there you'll be able to easily identify triggers if you try to add them back into your diet.For a list of common IBS trigger foods, check here Trigger Foods For the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber, and how you can use this to stabilize your gut motility, check here Fiber You should work your way up to 12-15 grams a day of a soluble fiber supplement, on top of the fiber (both soluble and insoluble) you'll get from foods. You really need a good 35 grams of fiber a day as a goal. It's best to divide your dose of the supplement into 2-3 times per day, as the goal is to keep your gut constantly filled with soluble fiber. This will help keep your peristaltic action stable (which will prevent cramps, diarrhea, and constipation). Also, watch out for Metamucil, which has psyllium (and also citric acid, artificial colors/flavors, and often artificial sweeteners) all of which can cause IBS problems. If you tolerate it, that's great, but if you're having bloating/gas try a different supplement. Check here for soluble supplement info Soluble Fiber Supplements Best,Heather


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