Whole30 with IBS

[teachtoread]

Hello All,

 

I started reading the Whole30 Book today and was excited to start this Monday.  I was diagnosed with IBS and chronic constipation about a year ago.  Does anyone who suffers from these conditions have any experience with the Whole30?  I read in the book that completing the Whole30 with IBS could be tricky.  Any insight would be much appreciated.  Thanks!

[LucieB]

I have IBS-D and doing a Whole30 was a critical factor in my learning what my triggers were. For me it was mostly FODMAPs, but also stress, eating too fast, and overeating. Once I removed those as best I could my symptoms alleviated. So that's not to say FODMAPs are your trigger, more that doing a systematic and controlled elimination diet and re-introduction like Whole30 could really help you figure yours out too. 

 

The recommendation is to do a regular Whole30 first, then a FODMAP-focused version of a Whole30. 

[praxisproject]

Magnesium and coconut oil can be helpful with constipation. Keep a food log, so you can review your recent past foods if you have any sudden symptoms (or loss of symptoms )

[lehuggin]

I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 16 and tried GAPS last year with a lot of success, although the introduction diet was so hard for me to stick to that I never did it the way it was designed. I'm day 5 into my second go at the Whole30 and I find that starchy vegetables are still a trigger for bloating and constipation for me. When I stick to meals with protein, fat, and larger amounts of greener veggies I don't experience bloating. However I find that my menstrual cycle and stress levels significantly increase my symptoms no matter what I eat, but we'll see!

[violetta]

Try stopping all nuts and nut butters, particularly at night.  I have suffered with IBS for many years and it got worse on Whole 30 because I was eating more nuts.  And pre whole 30, almonds were my snack of choice.  So I stopped altogether and had a little turkey or sweet potato as an "if all else fails" snack at night and now I sleep better and the IBS and indigestion seems to be gone completely. I do have to be careful with cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower rice really got me, but I can eat most of the FODMAP foods without any trouble.  It feels kind of like a miracle, I was always in pain at night but it is just gone.

[SusanB.]

I've had chronic GI issues for years. After all the tests upon tests, my doc told me "we're going to call it IBS, but that's just because we don't know the cause". Anyway, it's IBS with persistent nausea, occasional constipation or diarrhea.

I've done a few 30s now, and I find that the regular 30 plan really helps the nausea abate, as well as making me totally regular- something I am not under any other circumstance.

[mrskateduvall]

I, too was diagnosed with IBS. I have stool incontinence, which can be really lifestyle impacting.  I found that some medications I was on for type 2 diabetes and fast food fatty foods were triggers. I have stopped the meds, and eliminated fast foods and my IBS was mostly under control. i started whole 30 9 days ago, and the constipation has returned. I have had 1 stool accident. I am going to try to increase my good fats, and take magnesium.  The daily email suggested CALM, as a dietary suppliment for magnesium to help with sleeping, which is the second issue I am having. here it is 3 AM, and I am on the computer, couldn't sleep.

 

 

[violetta]

The key word I saw was computer at 3 am.  Whatever else you do, all the research says to turn off all electronics at least an hour before bed.  Do not look at the screen during the night. It is like having a couple hits of expresso.  The light is very bad for you.  Make sure all digital readouts are out of your bedroom or taped over.  Black out your curtains.  If you use a digital clock and check it all night long, stop.  Set an alarm for when you want to get up and then don't look all night.  If you have to get up, do it in low light, get some night lights so you don't have to turn on lights.  All this has made a huge difference in my sleeping and as a consequence of getting enough sleep, the IBS is much better, really almost gone.  NATURAL CALM works great for me.

[ladyshanny]

Any electronics during the night is like telling your body DAYTIME!!!!!!!!  Then you try to go back to sleep.  Nighttime.  But that doesn't work so you pull your phone out.  DAYTIME!!!!!!!!!!!  

 

It's like the daytime/nightime bird in this video first 15 seconds