By: Raymond Payne Elizabeth Bentz Holly Sebring & Megan Schweller

From the American College of Gastroenterology, IBS is defined as, “abdominal pain or discomfort that occurs in association with altered bowel habits over a period of at least three months.”

IBS-C: Constipation predominant IBS-D: Diarrhea predominant IBS-M: Mixed IBS-U: Unspecified

Constipation Diarrhea Lower abdominal pain Bloating Mucus in stools Excessive gas Fatigue Headaches Incontinence Chest discomfort Symptoms of IBS may include the following:

Altered sensation of the gastrointestinal tract Altered motility of the gastrointestinal tract Post infectious gastroenteritis with an abnormal inflammatory response Genetic predisposition Dietary intolerance

TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS cont.  Because it is not clear as to what causes IBS, treatment focuses on relief of IBS symptoms  Goal is to live as normally as possible  Easy to control mild signs and symptoms  Managing stress and refining diet  Very individualized

TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS cont.  Foods to avoid:  - High-gas foods  -Gluten  -Alcohol/ caffeine  -Fried/fatty foods  -Dairy products  -FODMAPs

TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS cont.  Prevention tips:  -Stay hydrated  -Eat smaller portions  -Avoid drastic temperature foods  -Increase fiber consumption  -Anti-diarrheal medications  -Exercise  -Quitting smoking

TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS cont.  Because IBS is an extremely individualized issue, it is important to “trial and error” a multitude of foods to be able to tailor your diet accordingly  Keep a food diary  One of the most credible nutrition interventions is the FODMAPs diet

FODMAP

What is the FODMAP diet?  Elimination diet  Avoid foods high in FODMAPS for 6-8 weeks  Slowly reintroduce the foods  Determine which ones are causing the problem

FODMAP diet

High FODMAP foods

Take away messages  There is no one specific reason for IBS  traditional treatments have limited success

Take away messages  Foods that are FODMAP foods cause:  Bloating  Diarrhea  Altered motility

FODMAP DIETS ARE THE KEY  Elimination diet is being used successfully to treat and manage symptoms of IBS

Take away messages  FODMAP diet is not as trendy as Gluten free  FODMAP diet is more complicated than Gluten free  RD’s need to be informed & advocate

QUESTIONS?