Episode 9: Are You Getting Enough Fiber to Heal Your IBS?

If you suffer from IBS, the topic of fiber has most likely been swirling around your world for some time now.
If you have been wanting to heal your IBS and exploring different ways to do so, getting prebiotics through fiber is an important first step that’s often overlooked. When I first started trying to heal my gut issues, I rolled my eyes at the concept of eating more fiber and how it could help me. I honestly thought it was too basic a strategy and I thought I already ate well enough. I thought I was already getting enough fiber because I had a healthy diet. But you must hold on to your preconceptions and be open to the obvious things and the less obvious things. Today’s episode will look at the role dietary fiber can play in recovery and help you figure out if you are getting enough to heal.
Find the full transcript for this episode and other resources at HealingHerIBS.com/9. 

Erin Maillo helps women with IBS who are sick of being sick reduce triggers, zap flareups, find peace and get their lives back.

For VIP one on one support, apply for Erin's Healing Her IBS Program here: https://healingheribs.com/work-with-erin/

Transcript

Episode 9-Can Getting More Fiber Help Heal Your IBS? 

If you suffer from IBS, the topic of fiber has surely been swirling around your world for some time. If you have been wanting to heal your IBS and exploring different ways to do so, getting prebiotics through fiber is an important consideration. When I first started trying to heal my gut issues, I must admit I rolled my eyes at the concept of eating more fiber and how it could help me. I honestly thought it was too basic a strategy and I thought I already ate well enough. I thought I was already getting enough fiber. But you must hold on to your preconceptions and be open to the obvious things and the less obvious things. When you are struggling and confused, I learned it’s so much better to be open minded and curious instead of assuming you know it all—as I had been. Today’s episode will look at the role dietary fiber can play in recovery.
Find the full transcript for this episode and other resources at HealingHerIBS.com/9.
Skepticism Around How to Heal IBS
Being regular is a huge concern and consideration for women who suffer from constipation and other digestive issues. When I went to the doctor for my IBS, they did ask me if I was getting enough fiber and if I was drinking enough water. I have to admit that this question slightly annoyed me because my diet had not changed very much in many years. I didn’t see what fiber had to do with my suffering. In fact, I remember going home to my husband and actively complaining about this fiber question and how overly simplistic it was. I was highly skeptical at this suggestion of adding more fiber to my diet and how it would help my IBS. I was also highly emotional and looking to fix my problems quickly. Research supports the addition of more fiber to the diet, especially for the IBS-C diagnosis. This is why doctors suggest adding more fiber as an initial strategy, because it’s supported in the medical literature. Doctors of course want to be research based and recommend interventions for IBS that are scientifically shown to make a difference for sufferers. If you are constipated and in abdominal pain, tracking your fiber intake and getting between 25-35 grams a day is one of the simplest interventions that so many people ignore. Just because it’s simple and basic, doesn’t mean it’s not highly impactful in the long term.
And of course, adding more fiber consistently will not heal your IBS overnight! 
As I mentioned in Episode 6 of the Healing Her IBS podcast—when we want to heal we need both long term and short term strategies. They are equally important approaches to getting better, yet you often only focus on what can help now.
Breaking Assumptions Around Healing IBS
Eating more fiber seems like a boring and basic thing to do. Nevertheless, from my experience, it’s a lot trickier than it seems. Around 90 percent of Americans are chronically fiber deficient and unless you are tracking your food and aware of the amount of fiber there is in what you eat, you may think you are getting enough when you absolutely are not.
The average American is only getting about 10-15 grams of fiber a day.
If you are making that assumption without knowing for certain, start tracking your fiber intake for a week or two. When I started doing this, I was shocked at how difficult it was to just get the daily recommended amount for women. There are many apps that make food tracking easier. Apps like My Fitness Pal, or Cronometer allow you to input your food and see how much fiber you are truly getting. If you prefer, you can use an old-fashioned pen and notebook to jot down what you are eating and start looking up the grams of fiber per serving in your typical meals or snacks. Once you get a baseline of where you are at with your fiber intake, you can start researching common foods that have a high fiber count and start considering which foods you could increase in your diet or which high fiber foods you think you may tolerate well.
How Fiber Helps Constipation and IBS
Fiber is essential for everyone—especially for those with IBS. In numerous medical studies investigating the role of fiber in managing symptoms and frequency, the evidence suggests fiber plays a role in reduction of symptoms and better healing.
The tricky thing for women with IBS is that fiber is often found in plant rich foods, grains and beans, foods which can be triggers for your IBS symptoms. Many foods that are high FODMAP foods are good sources of fiber. Fiber is an important carb because it can be a prebiotic, which is one way to feed the good bacteria in your gut. Prebiotics are anything that fuels the growth of good bacteria in your gut, which can help fight off bad bacteria —which could be part of the reason you are sick. I dealt with this dilemma while trying to get better. I could barely tolerate eating beans without feeling sick and a lot of vegetables also bloated me or gave me gas. I also had to eventually cut out gluten from my diet which helped my IBS tremendously. I recommend a balanced and highly individualistic approach. In the short term, you must prioritize not eating things that are obviously giving you extreme symptoms. When I work with clients in my Healing Her IBS program, I walk them through a specific protocol for determining food triggers and getting relief from them. For the long term, you should keep in mind that reducing too many prebiotic rich foods from your meal plans can back fire, keeping you in a never ending rut. You cut out fiber rich foods because it gives you bloating or gas, but cutting out those foods could keep you experiencing that gas and bloating if you are feeding your gut properly. Healing your IBS is not an easy road to go down because of these complexities. I recommend slowly your mind down and taking it one step at a time. Tackle the importance of fiber systematically and re- introduce it slowly if you aren’t getting the right amount. 
Thank you for listening today, I hope this episode was helpful for your healing. Next week’s episode will delve into the topic of fibers supplementation and whether or not you should consider taking one.