IBS flare ups and meals - Any advice?

tenilleless

I have IBS. I find mine is closely linked to my stress levels and its to the point where I get sick whenever I have a big test coming up or whenever my anxiety levels get too high. Its really embarrassing and very disruptive. Right now I've been having a terrible week stress-wise and my guts are telling me how much they hate it.

Does anyone else have these problems and know of any good meals or foods to stick to? I stick to the basic ones (high fibre fruit and veggies, no caffeine, no fizzy drinks, no alcohol, flaxseed) but I'm finding it hard to meet my calorie goals when I'm having a bad day/week. I don't wanna skip meals since I find it makes me even sicker in the long run. Today I had to force myself to eat as much as I did and I barely hit 1200 calories (Usually I eat 1600+ depending on daily exercise- I'm not the type to miss a meal) and since I am trying to do a group challenge and trying to stay healthy, its really bugging me that its so low. Yesterday I didn't do much better and I know I'm gonna burn out at this rate and end up either collapsing or eating "Comfort food". My biggest triggers are coffee and grease and I've never had trouble with dairy, but I try not to push my luck too badly. I don't have much meat in the house right now just because its expensive and I find I don't eat enough of it to justify buying much, but I don't mind buying it for a certain meal. I love cooking.

My diary is public if anyone wants to look and I'm being strict about recording EVERYTHING.

TLDR (Too Long Didn't Read): I have IBS. I need meal ideas for healthy foods that can wrack up calories without extending my time in the bathroom when times are rough.

PowerRanga

Hey, I just stubbled across this while I was doing some of my own reading and thought that I might give you an answer :P.

I have IBS-C. My symptoms are more food (and some stress) than stress related but I can suggest a few things that have worked for me

My doctor put me on a fibre supplement (Benefibre) and told me to eat a "Minimal human interaction diet", which basically meant minimal or no breads and pastas and processed foods. That worked awesomely for two weeks and then I got lazy.
But if you can do it, get into your lean meats and fruits and vegies, nuts and goodness and you should be able to reach your calories easy.

I stumbled across Iberogast oneday and tried it out. It treats the symptoms before they occur and you drink it like a tea (Sorta). - This is really good when you are on the road and don't have access to healthy food or a fridge.

When I bought the Iberogast, the pharmacist suggested Biohawk Digest Easy (very ginger) which breaks down a protein that a lot of people have issues with. So it's kinda stopping the problem before it occurs? - This is absolutely amazing but requires refrigeration.

Then there's the usual pre and pro-biotics which I've used on and off and they work a bit.

If you need instant relief you can try De-Gas or similar which just eases stomach issues relating to excessive gas. *Sorry

Stress-wise - Try a herbal oral spray or tablet. I've tried a few different types and personally prefer oral sprays. They can help calm you down in a moment of anxiety or stress).

Sorry for all of the supplements and stuff, I'm still trying to work out the food stuff myself and find that these products just help me cope in the interim. Nothing is better than a good balanced diet to maintain your health but sometimes things happen.

I really recommend you talk to your doctor though. They can send you to a professional who can help or give you some tips.