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| IBS can be painful, especially over Christmas |
IRRITABLE Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be embarrassing and painful, especially at a time when all the food is rich and drink is flowing like the River Thames.
It's time to eat, drink and be merry but what happens if your tummy isn't enjoying the festive season as much as you are?
With one in five Britons likely to suffer with IBS, Christmas is the worst time of year for a flare up as triggers such as sugar rich foods, wheat and stress of course, are hard to avoid.
To avoid an IBS flare-up, you needn't starve yourself. Top nutritionist Helen Bond has given us five top tips to follow for a healthy gut.
Symptoms of IBS include bloating, wind, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal cramps which can be painful and embarrassing.
Consultant Dietician Helen Bond spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk. She said: "The more that you eat over Christmas and especially on Christmas Day, the harder your digestive system has to work to process all of that food and drink.
"The solution is to eat smaller meals regularly but that is difficult over Christmas. However, by following some key tips and advice that I share with my IBS patients, you can avoid a nasty flare-up."
*Read Helen's top tips below*
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| Go easy on the buffet and snacks |
Top 5 tips to avoid IBS over Christmas
1. Go easy on the buffet and snacks
Yes, as inviting as it may look, be mindful of the festive buffet – rich and fatty party food can play havoc with your IBS, especially if you suffer from diarrhoea. Steer clear of pastry (quiche, vol-au-vents, sausage rolls and pork pies, for example), fried foods (crispy wontons, spring rolls and samosas) and chocolates and mince pies. All-round healthier buffet choices include fresh prawns, salmon and lean meat, chicken satay sticks, egg sandwiches.
2. Fizz is not your friend – don’t bust your booze intake
Being merry is a major part of Christmas and everyone deserves a little glass of cheer but you if you are prone to IBS gas problems, keep fizzy alcoholic drinks to a minimum - the bubbles in champagne, Prosecco, beer and cola, for example, just end up in your stomach, leaving you gassy, dehydrated and not very popular! Also, avoid rich cocktails and stick with simple options. One good glass of white wine that you can savor will be less heavy on your tummy. Why not alternate your alcoholic drinks with non- alcoholic ones, water down wine with soda water or even better, offer to drive and stick to non-alcoholic options all night.
3. Give your gut a holiday
Try to start you day with a daily probiotic drink or yogurt to boost your gut’s good bacteria. These can help keep your digestive system healthy, which in turn could help ease any digestive discomfort. Drink plenty of water or sip peppermint tea to ease wind – it will also help with constipation. Sometimes even no matter how careful you are, you may still experience a flare up. It’s always a good idea to keep a specialist IBS treatment, like Buscopan, handy just in case.
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| Watch your stress levels over Christmas |
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| Do try to keep up your exercise routine |
4. Get off that couch
As tempting as it is to hibernate in front of the great Christmas telly there is on offer over the next two weeks, do try to keep up your exercise routine. Your digestive system is so much more efficient if you are active – plus you will be burning some of those Christmas calories. Take a gentle after dinner walk with the family or even play with the kids on the Wii.
It can all help speed up a sluggish digestion, relieve stress and help ease IBS symptoms.
5. Watch your stress levels
Yes, this is essential. Stress, anxiety and even the excitement of Christmas can play havoc on your IBS. In fact, Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year – the expense of gifts and food, the pressure of shopping and the expectations of the season, so where possible try to plan ahead to minimise your stress levels and take time to relax – relaxation tapes, yoga, aromatherapy or massage may help.
Remember, IBS can be managed and many sufferers experience a turning point once they learn how to best to manage their individual symptoms, add Helen.
Nurse and mum-of-two Carine Roberts from Tunbridge Wells, 39, has suffered with IBS for nearly 20 years. She says: “Christmas can be so difficult but I’ve learned to watch my triggers – especially cheese and just be open with friends and family should I be offered anything I know will cause a flare.
"When I met my husband-to-be I was really paranoid about my IBS flaring up during our first Christmas but he asked me to be upfront and tell him my symptoms and it made a massive difference in feel so anxious.”
Carine’s IBS story was recently illustrated by top artist Kate Chesterton as part of an “Art of IBS” exhibition commissioned by Buscopan to dispel the taboo surrounding IBS.
For more information and tips for managing IBS, visit ibs-relief.co.uk
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