People with IBS symptoms can benefit from getting more fiber.
Dietary fiber may lessen IBS symptoms, particularly constipation, because fiber makes stool soft, bulky and easier to pass.
As you work with your doctor, you may want to develop a fiber regimen to see how it helps with your IBS symptoms.
Fiber is a natural regulator
Fiber, which is not digested in the body, can absorb up to 30 times its own weight in water, so material in the digestive tract takes on bulk and a soft texture as it passes through the body.
Fiber helps to prevent stools from becoming excessively loose, or dry and hard.
If you suffer from diarrhea, the bulk that fiber creates may lead to larger stools and help "slow you down."
Bulkier stools are eliminated more easily than hard, pellet-like stools.
And if you suffer from constipation, fiber may help "speed you up."
Fiber regulates -- naturally.
Get enough fiber every day
The American Dietetic Association recommends 21–38 grams of fiber each day, depending on your age and gender.
Of that total, 5–10 should be soluble fiber.
However, the average American currently eats 12–17 grams of fiber a day -- about 3–4 grams of which are soluble fiber.
If you have difficulty getting enough fiber from foods, your doctor may recommend adding fiber products or fiber therapies.
Add a daily fiber product
Your doctor may recommend Citrucel with SmartFiber, which has proven to help restore and maintain regularity and it's the only fiber that won't ferment to cause excess gas*.
Bulking agents such as Citrucel that accelerate intestinal transit may be beneficial for people who have IBS symptoms.
The important thing to remember with using fiber as part of your IBS symptom management treatment program is that it's not a short-term fix, but rather a long-term commitment.
It's not something you take once and your symptoms go away. It's more like a new lifelong routine. Just like brushing your teeth or taking a vitamin, it's something you do every day to help manage your IBS symptoms.
*Based on Laboratory testing. Individual results may vary.
|