Vegetarian&vegan

[Mikeila]

Hi guys..I would like to try a vegan or vegetarian diet but I' m not sure coz of my IBS problem.I can't eat raw veg, so I don't now what to do. I've been gf for 11 years and I hoped that my IBS will heal but it the some no matter what I did.Can you give me any sugestion?Thanks.I heard about a medicine called Iberogast, did anyone heard something?

[Mikeila]

Can someone tell me what do you eat when you have IBS?

[Penel]

It might be difficult to go vegetarian if you have IBS, as you may have to restrict your vegetable and fibre intake to cope with your IBS. Have you had any advice from your GP on coping with IBS?

[Mikeila]

Thanks.. Yes she have me a print it leaflets to read..but how about this, if I steam all veg?

[coeliacvegan]

I've been vegan (no animal products) for over 20 years, but have only been gluten-free since October. With the exception of beans, dried fruit, and some brassicas (such as cabbage and sprouts), a vegan diet shouldn't aggravate IBS. And even with these, cooking methods can make a huge difference (just soaking and rinsing beans makes them less 'gassy', for example).

You are correct to think that raw vegetables can be harder on the digestive system, but just lightly cooking them will overcome the problem. Even salads can be warmed through to make them easier to digest.

Some people also advocate food combining, which can be helpful if your digestion is weak or overly sensitive. The theory is that different categories of food (carbohydrates, proteins and fruits) require different digestive conditions and should therefore be eaten separately - although vegetables are viewed as neutral and can can be eaten with either protein or carbohydrates. One suggestion which I have personally found useful is to eat fruit on its own and on an empty stomach, as it apparently passes through the system more quickly than any other food group, and can ferment, if eaten with or immediately after other foods.

While I am vegan for ethical reasons, many people believe eating dairy free can be beneficial for people with IBS or other digestive problems, as it is common for adults to lack the enzyme needed to properly digest milk and its related products, making dairy the most common food sensitivity after gluten.

Although some may say that you can't get enough protein on a vegan diet, vegetable protein, such as that found in nuts, seeds, pulses, beans, non-gluten grains such as quinoa, and soya products, is actually more easily assimilated by the body than that found in dairy. After all, our stone age forebears, with whom we share our modern day genes, did not eat dairy products or grains.

In my opinion, you may well find your IBS systems improve on a vegan (or even a vegetarian) diet. I would just favour cooked food over raw until your system gets stronger, and perhaps think about food combining to give things a further boost. Of course, that is just my opinion, though, so do investigate things for yourself and do what feels best for you. You can always change your mind if you need to!

[poing]

Have you looked at the FODMAP diet? I forget exactly what the acronym means, but the basic idea is that to eliminate certain types of fermentable carbohydrates from your diet. It's a new approach that they've just started using on the NHS, and it may even be possible to get a referral to a dietician trained in this approach.

todaysdietitian.com/newarch...

Although I understand while people go vegetarian for ethical reasons, I think that meat and fish are such nutrient-rich foods that it might not always be the best option to eliminate them.

[HazelG in reply to poing]

FODMAP = Fermentably Oligosaccharides Disaccarides Monosaccharides and Polyols basically these are a group of sugars which if not absorbed before food reaches the colon causes the IBS symptoms. by discovering which FODMAP triggers this reaction in indiviudals and then avoiding just those (usually two or three of the five) the symptoms disappear. The sugars are Fructose (mainly high in fruit) Fructans e.g. onion wheat Lactose in dairy GOS in pulses and polyols mainly stoned fruit. You go on an elimination diet for up to eight weeks and then reintroduce each group one at a time to find the culprits. There are several hospitals who have been trained by Kings/Guys' and Thomas' who can lead you through the process and give lists of foods safe or otherwise. I found it very useful and would certainly endorse poing's suggestion of asking your GP to refer you to a FODMAP trained dietician. Hope the symptoms clear

[Mango1]

Well, I have diverticular disease which has similar symptons I am told to IBS and if i ate some of the vegetables suggested I would end up in hospital with serious diarrhoe. I follow the Fodmap diet which has been prescribed to me by my NHS dietician and still have a few blips as we are not all the same.

Poing - Fodmap stands for fermentable oligo saccharides di saccharides mono-saccharides and polyols.