How many people are affected by IBS?
Around a third of people in the UK suffer some of the symptoms associated with IBS and for 1 in 10 people the symptoms are so bad they go to see a doctor.
How do I find out if I have IBS?
Once your doctor has ruled out any serious medical condition he may send you to a registered dietitian for help in sorting out what you should or should not eat.
Keeping a food and symptom diary, which lists what you eat, drink and any symptoms can be used to pin point any foods that could be causing you a problem.
What are the symptoms?
What are the most common causes of bloating?
Many people believe that bloating is caused by irritable bowel syndrome or as a result of suffering from wheat intolerance.
However the main causes of bloating were linked to hormone fluctuations (32%), over-eating/ irregular meal patterns (28%) and stress related indigestion (27%).
Many people feel bloated at lunch or in the evening, especially after a heavy meal.
Recent weight gain also adds to discomfort after eating. Irregular meals, skipping meals and drinking a lot (especially fizzy drinks) at meal times can really aggravate that bloated feeling.
The answer is to try and spread your food and drinks more evenly over the day.
Source: IBS and bloating
Leave a Reply