Is your bowel 'irritated'? Do you suffer from painful gas, bloating, abdominal pain or alternating constipation or diarrhea? Then you may have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). April is IBS awareness month. And we'd like to make you aware of how to keep your bowel calm and happy.

1. Keep a food diary. The best way to tell which foods aggravate your IBS symptoms is to keep a food diary. Some people tolerate milk products with no problems, while others suffer IBS symptoms when milk is consumed.
2. Limit gassy foods. Vegetables from the cabbage family are the worst offenders, but soup beans and lentils can also worsen gassy symptoms. Go easy on broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, onions and spinach.
3. Curb the caffeine. Caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea and dark colas can aggravate IBS because they stimulate bowel function. Try some decaffeinated green tea to calm your bowel instead.
4. Kick the can. Carbonated beverages can increase gas production, which increases abdominal pain. Drink water instead, which aids in elimination and keeps calories in check.
5. Avoid sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol are frequently used in sugar free candies, gums and other products. Since this type of sweetener is not absorbed, it can increase gas production. Overuse also causes diarrhea.
6. Cut the fat. Fatty foods take longer to digest, and may increase abdominal pain after meals. Limit fried foods, full fat dairy products, fast food, fatty cuts of meat and high fat desserts.
7. Fill up on fiber. Although high fiber foods can cause gas, fiber is a vital part of your diet to stay 'regular'. Soluble fiber from oats, barley, and fresh fruit is a little easier on your tummy than wheat bran, beans or vegetables. Limit the skin of fruit (apples, peaches, pears, etc).
8. Add yogurt to your diet. Yogurt contains friendly bacteria (lactobacillus and bifobacteria) that help maintain regularity and good gut health. All yogurts contain active cultures (known as probiotics), which may enhance immunity and regularity. Studies on certain products containing additional cultures and/or natural fiber do not have much evidence to support their higher cost.
9. Enjoy root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips and rutabagas. These contain a lot of cellulose, an insoluble fiber that improves gut transit, without fermentation (meaning gas production).
10. Banish booze. Alcohol is a gastrointestinal irritant from esophagus to anus. If you do drink, do so in moderation (one drink per day for women, two per day for men).

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