Healthy Eating for Ibs - Softcover

Braimbridge, Sophie; Jankovich, Erica

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10 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1856265676 ISBN 13: 9781856265676

Publisher: Gardners Books, 2005

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A book of recipes devised by a leading chef and based on nutritional advice - this is a much-needed cookbook for people with IBS. Containing over 100 recipes that have been created to tempt your tastebuds while managing the symptoms of IBS, together with helpful advice and practical information, Healthy Eating for IBS will help you understand IBS and limit its impact. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a chronic and very common condition affecting the large bowel. The exact cause of IBS is not known but it causes a variety of unpleasant symptoms which can range from mildly annoying to completely disruptive. Symptoms and triggers can also vary from week to week and between patients. The first part of the book looks at the prevalence of IBS and the effect it can have on work and social life. It then discusses the causes and the symptoms, which can include abdominal pain, bloating, tiredness, backache and headaches as well as diarrhoea and/or constipation. Treatments looked at include medication and lifestyle, plus an in-depth analysis of how diet (eating patterns, meal timing, food volume, choice of food etc.) affects IBS. Fibre intake is key and menu planners for low, medium and high levels of fibre are given so you can plan your meals according to your fibre requirements. Recent research into the disease is considered, plus the benefits of complementary treatments such as probiotics, prebiotics and aloe vera. Dietitian Erica Jankovich also gives advice on eating out plus shopping and cooking tips. The second part of the book provides over 100 recipes, created by Sophie Braimbridge in consultation with Erica. Recipes are divided into meal types - breakfasts and breads, soups and salads, starters and snacks, main courses and puddings - and will help you to find a diet that soothes your system without offending your appetite. All recipes include a nutritional analysis of fat, saturated fat, calories, fibre and salt.

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About the Author:

Sophie Braimbridge is a chef and writer, and runs her own cooking school called 'Sophie's Cookery Cube' in the UK. She contributes to various magazines including Food and Travel and Food and Wine.

Erica Jankovich, RD is a registered dietician with six years of clinical experience. She also works as an industry consultant and is an experienced teacher and lecturer.

Introduction

If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), you will be pleased to know that you are not alone. Although it is difficult to talk about, if you did broach the subject with your family, friends, and colleagues, you would discover that IBS affects us all at some stage in our life to a lesser or greater degree.

We are not machines; no one's bowels are always regular as clockwork. We all have experienced excessive wind, bloating, abdominal pain, urgency, constipation, and diarrhea at some stage in the past year.

Statistics vary from source to source, but it does seem clear that IBS is more prevalent in the modern world than in developing countries. At any one time IBS has been said to affect up to 25 percent of people living in the West. We know that of diagnosed sufferers 60-65 percent are female and 35-40 percent are male. It is also more prevalent in young adults and most commonly associated with life-changing, stressful events.

To a large extent IBS is a hidden disease, classified in the medical world as a functional gastrointestinal disorder, meaning that it is not caused by a specific organic disease but rather by a combination of certain symptoms. Many sufferers tend to go undiagnosed for a long time before they take themselves off to a doctor. When they do reach the doctor, it is still difficult for the average general practitioner to put the puzzle together. Some patients have reported that it has taken three visits to different practitioners before the diagnosis was made. There are reports of people who have suffered for five to ten years before seeking help.

The impact of IBS can vary from person to person and from day to day and month to month. Symptoms can range from mildly inconvenient to severely debilitating. IBS can frustrate your emotional, social, and professional life. It may result in absences from work and social functions and can also limit your ability to take part in sport and leisure activities.

The good news is that help is available. Although IBS is a recognized and complex condition, we know that it is treatable. Because of this complexity, it is important not to self-diagnose, and although you may think many of your symptoms march those you read about in this and indeed other books, it is important that you visit a properly qualified and experienced doctor.

Your first port of call is your local doctor, who may refer you to a gastrointestinal specialist. You will receive a full medical run-down, resulting in a clear individual diagnosis. The specialist will then begin treatment, which could involve medication and referral to a specialist dietitian and/or psychologist. Because of its nature and complexity, treatments for IBS can be rather varied. One American survey conducted by the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders published in 2004 cited the use of 281 different treatments, including drugs, over-the-counter medications, and herbal and dietary supplements. Not nearly as extreme, this section of this book will examine:

The disease, including symptoms and a susceptibility test for you to complete.
The respective treatments and a holistic approach to treating IBS.
General dietary principles and the application of diet to managing and controlling IBS.
The alternative approaches to treating IBS.

Essentially, this book acts as both a dietary manual and cookbook, guiding you through the different stages of the dietary treatment for your particular type of IBS. Each of the recipes has been specifically developed and scientifically analyzed to enable you to build them into your specific IBS diet. However, as explained later on, managing and controlling IBS should be holistic, drawing on a combination of professional medical guidance, lifestyle improvement, and specific dietary management.

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