Irritable Bowel Syndrome Dietary Therapy
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Constipation Dominant
Constipation occurs when the colon just does not contract well enough or often enough. The stool within it becomes dehydrated and hard. Why does the colon become so lazy and what can be done about it? The diet may be important. Insoluble fibers such as wheat and wheat bran are not fermented by colon bacteria so they do not produce colon gas. At the same time, they retain water and create a large, bulky stool. This, in turn, often stimulates the colon to contract and provide easier evacuation. The first step then is to gradually increase the amount of insoluble fiber up to 10-15 grams a day or even more.Soluble fibers, on the other hand, are trickier since they are used by colon bacteria as a food source and some of these bacteria make colon gas. Still, these fibers, especially the newly discovered prebiotic ones, produce many benefits within the colon. So, the IBS patient should eat enough soluble fiber to create its health benefit but not enough to produce crampy bloating and flatus.
Go to Fiber Content of Foods for the amount of fiber in each food.
