Tag Archives: IBS

IBS Symptoms: Common & Unusual IBS Symptoms

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

IBS Symptoms: Common & Unusual IBS Symptoms

Plus What Causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Vancouver Dietitian IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition characterized by chronic abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. The exact cause of IBS is not known, but it is believed to be the result of an interaction between various factors. IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, affecting about 20% of the general population.

Common IBS symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea and feeling bloated. There tend to be one or two predominant symptoms or triggers for IBS, which can make it harder to diagnose. However, with the right dietary and lifestyle changes, most people with IBS can manage their symptoms and reduce the frequency of flare-ups.

Confused about how to manage your symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis?

confused dietIf you answered yes to the question above, you are not alone. Some of the most common digestive health disorders that affect people in Vancouver, Canada and all of North America are Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s Disease, and Ulcerative Colitis. Although these conditions have been a problem for many years, we still don’t have a simple answer when it comes to diet. If you ask your doctor, he or she may tell you diet will not help you. If you ask me, a registered dietitian specializing in digestive health, I will tell you there is enough science to show us that nutrition and diet can have a large impact on managing IBS and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) symptoms, as well as improving your overall quality of life.

The Gut-Brain Connection

I see many clients with digestive health disorders. Whether I’m treating someone with IBS,Crohn’s Disease, Ulcertive Colitis, Celiac Disease, GERD, etc… I can always tell at the beginning of a follow-up appointment before my client even says a word if my nutrition plan helped them. If it did, they walk in like a huge weight was just lifted off their shoulders, walk in smiling (or holding back a giant smile!), and generally with a very positive energy. It can change someone’s life completely! I love being able to help make such a change in someone’s life, which is partly why I’m so passionate about helping people with digestive health disorders.

Lactose-free, wheat-free, onion-free, garlic-free… but WHY??

Ashley Charlebois - DietitianSound difficult? It can be! I am currently my own client for a low FODMAP diet. This diet was created by Dr. Sue Sheppard (also an RD with celiac disease) and Dr. Peter Gibson, who developed and implemented the first scientific research studies on eating low FODMAP foods and their effects on gastrointestinal health.

You’re probably wondering what this weird word “FODMAP” means. First, it’s an acronym. It stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. Now you’re probably wondering what all these strange, long, hard-to-pronounce words mean. Simply put, they are all short chain carbohydrates or sugars (what the term ‘saccharide’ means). Why a low FODMAP diet? Because people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and even some with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can hugely benefit.