FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long must I follow this advice for?
Follow all the dietary and lifestyle advice as laid out in this course for 3-4 weeks. Stay in tune with your symptoms and note any changes as you go.(you can use the trigger tracker on your account page)
When you feel you are doing the best you can but are still experiencing some symptoms please complete your EatFit Food diary (in your download folder) or use the EatFit Trigger Tracker(on your account page) and submit to EatFit Dietitians for analysis , feedback and next suggested steps.
You can speed this up by purchasing a 30minute Dietitian feedback consultation from the EatFit Online shop.
Should I avoid any foods , perhaps the ones that I know are a trigger?
At this point we need to consider your dietary history in terms of your food tolerance. If there are foods that you prefer not to eat for fear that they may trigger a symptom, please avoid them for the first few weeks , wait until your gut has settled on the First Line Dietary and Lifestyle changes you will make. If you are feeling better and confident in your eating and symptoms it is a good idea to test these foods , start with a small amount of one food , increase slowly over the next 3 days and keep careful records of how you have tolerated this new addition. Stop this one and after a few days rest add a different one . You may find that these are no longer foods that affect you.
If this process makes you nervous and you would like to chat to a dietitian , please send us a WhatsApp or book an EatFit 30 minute Dietitain Consultation from our Shop.
How many calories shall I eat?
We do not recommend you count calories. Please rather concentrate on your pattern of eating and the types of food you are choosing. Aim to repeat the healthy plate 3 times a day in the recommended proportions between the food groups. Use our menus (on your subtype dietsheet) to guide you. Eat to satiety, listen to your body, eat slowly and chew well. Allow 10 or 20 minutes to pass after a meal before considering a second portion.
Can I eat wheat?
At this stage in your dietary management we need to consider your history with wheat and wheat based products as well as the impact it may have had on your brain -gut link.
Therefore, if you feel comfortable eating wheat based foods please continue using wheat products in your varied diet.
If you are worried that wheat may be a trigger, then find suitable alternative grains such as brown rice, quinoa, corn, millet, buckwheat etc. Once you get into the rhythm of eating better, you may feel brave enough to try some wheat again, add it slowly to gauge your tolerance . This test would be helpful for your future dietary journey.
Will I gain weight on this diet?
Weight gain is unlikely as this way of eating is healthy and balanced , as long as you eat to satiety and listen to your hunger signals.
The diet is bulky with fibre rich foods and may seem like a bigger volume that you are used to. Calorie wise you may well be eating less as the fibre will keep your blood sugar well controlled and you will feel fuller for longer.
What do you think of intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a tool that may work for some people to help control their intake for weight loss reasons.
The IBS patient with uncomfortable gut symptoms is better off eating small , evenly sized and evenly spaced meals. Consuming your meals in a limited time period may hinder your symptom resolution as you will be likely be eating bigger volumes and higher intakes of fibre in a sitting which may irritate your gut further.
How much caffeine can I have?
The IBS First Line Advice Guidelines are recommending a maximum of 2-3 cups of caffeinated fluids per day. Theses should be spread out rather than consumed in quick succession.
Caffeinated fluids are tea, coffee, hot cholcolate, cola and other carbonated drinks, energy drinks and some sports drinks.
Should I take a probiotic?
A regular probiotic is not recommended in any of the current international guidelines for IBS patients. The clinical research is growing but the quality of the research is not yet good enough to allow us to recommend its use in IBS.
In special circumstances (perhaps you have been on antibiotics, or have contracted a gastrointestinal infection) your Doctor or Dietitian may recommend a course of one or more specific microorganisms for a specific time period. Please discuss this with our team if you would like to try a course of probiotics. You can use the WhatsApp button.
Remember that by eating a normal amount of fermented foods in your diet in the form of yoghurt, cheeses, sauerkraut , kefir, kombucha etc you can support the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
Are there any supplements that will help?
Sadly there is very little robust clinical research for most of the IBS supplements on the market.
There is a some research for peppermint oil for abdominal pain reduction. This needs to be taken in a enteric-coated format so that it does not get absorbed or worsen the symptoms higher up in the gut and in fact reaches the colon intact where it can have a relaxing effect on the irritated gut wall.
We would generally recommend that you reduce or stop the supplements you take but if you feel strongly that you need to continue with them please chat it through with your doctor or a Dietitian.
You can book a 30 minute consultation with an EatFit Dietitian to go through your supplements and ask your questions.