Turmeric might be counterproductive as regards IBS

[overcomer42]

If you have IBS my advise is to reduce or eliminate Turmeric. It acts like a blood thinner too and might make gut healing longer, though it will reduce inflammation, you’ll still be having frequent stooling. My advise is to reduce it as much as possible, use it only when you’ve been constipated the whole day or two rather than just one try. If you can cope with fruits then try bananas and apples too, maybe every other day.

[Luisa22]

It might be different for everyone who takes it, but I have heard Turmeric can cause constipation!

Once, I considered taking it for that very reason, because of having IBS D (mainly)

But my "gut feeling " (pun intended) told me not to bother. So I haven't taken it.

I found out my IBS is a kind of "IBS mixed" so I have to be careful as I don't particularly like getting constipated either. I aim for a happy medium.

I know a lady who doesn't have IBS, and she started taking it because of it being a health thing. The next thing I knew, she was suffering from bad constipation. I'm not sure if she linked that with the turmeric though. Or even if it HAS that effect on everyone.

My basic management strategy (now) for my IBS is to find a balance using foods and listening to my body. If I feel I haven't "been" as well I I should each morning for a few days, I eat carrots or beetroot, and those set me to rights the very next day. If I get TOO loose, I eat boiled eggs, or plain cooked proteins and rice with just a small portion of vegetables steamed, and that steadies that out mostly. (everyone's foods will be different of course.)

[overcomer42 in reply to Luisa22]

Wow, that's an interesting one. It might be true because constipation is somehow = more urge to use the loo. I used peppermint oil to bring the IBS to a halt, later stopped Tumeric and was fine. Though some foods and maybe over-eating may make you visit the toilet more, but fruits work for me. Cabbage might make you a bit more constipated, I would rather advise Coleslaw like the M&S one. But the biggest part/factor to healing is state of mind.

[Luisa22 in reply to overcomer42]

It goes to show how different everyone is with IBS, with foods. I have been sensitive to cabbage for more than 4 years since my IBS started. Rather than making me constipated, t makes me "go" a bit too much. But I am fine with kale, and spinach! I've no idea why cabbage does that and the other greens don't. Carrots make my gut a bit frisky too, which is great if ever I need a gentle solution to slight constipation, but I daren't eat them too frequently.

[Harold2 in reply to Luisa22]

My trigger is chocolate makes me so loose so have stopped it and so much better mind you i could eat a big bar in one go miss it but not the dreaded runs.🙄

[Luisa22 in reply to Harold2]

Aha! By trial and error I have discovered that for me at least, I can happily eat chocolate WITHOUT the additive "polyglycerol polyricinoleate".

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyg...

If I eat chocolate which contains that (Cadbury's does, and a few other types including Thorntons), I will get an upset gut the next day without fail.

So I always get brands that don't contain it and I can eat chocolate as a result! Even milk chocolate.

Galaxy bars don't contain it. Yet Galaxy Ripple does!

You could try maybe experimenting with chocolates that don't contain it?

I have heard of someone else (on this forum) who also reacts badly to that additive.

[Harold2 in reply to Luisa22]

I always eat Cadburys chocolate didn’t know there was an additive like that in it no wonder i reacted to it thanks for the info.

[Luisa22 in reply to Harold2]

Yes, I react to Cadbury's chocolate now too. I didn't used to. It seems that additive is being used by many chocolate manufacturers in place of the (more expensive) Cocoa butter!. It's not a dangerous ingredient or harmful as such, I think it's just that it doesn't suit some tummies! Galaxy doesn't contain it and I find I can eat that happily!

It's interesting because a friend gave me some Thorntons chocolates at Christmas, and I decided NOT to see what ingredients they had, and just enjoy them. I ate only two the first evening and the next day had a "mini-flare up" of the D. Nothing horrid or worrying but just a tummy that wasn't too happy. I waited a few days, then tried again -same result. Then I read the ingredients and I now have to accept that particular ingredient doesn't suit me.

I also find Lindt dark chocolate to be quite gut friendly, as well as Galaxy milk. (for me anyway.)