Most often, healthy, balanced, and lifestyle changes fail to have an impact on symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Only certain specific dietary changes can help. What you eat affects your symptoms. Hence, making changes to your diet will help you manage your symptoms. One can make changes to their diet by modifying the intake of the below-mentioned foods.

• Caffeine: Caffeine in your diet should be reduced, as it stimulates activity in the colon. This worsens symptoms of pain and diarrhea. Do not have more than three cups of coffee or tea a day. If you consume freshly brewed coffee, limit it to two cups a day. Filter coffee or freshly brewed coffee contains more amounts of caffeine (140 mg) compared to instant coffee (100 mg) and tea (75 mg).
• Alcohol and fizzy drinks: Alcohol and fizzy, carbonated drinks should be limited in your diet as they worsen symptoms of diarrhea caused by IBS. Symptoms will improve when the intake is limited. Try to aim at having at least two alcohol-free days per week and on the other days limit your intake to not more than two units per day. A measuring unit of alcohol is one 25 ml shot of spirits. Half a pint of standard strength lager beer (volume-wise 3-4%). One small 125 ml glass of wine (volume-wise 11% alcohol).
• Resistant starches: Reduce the intake of resistant starches – they are resistant to digestion in the small intestine. The resistant starch then reaches the colon intact without being fermented by the germs in our gut. This causes gases and waste products that lead to the frequent passing of wind, bloating, and diarrhea. Even a small amount of resistant starches causes a reaction in people who have IBS. Therefore, reducing the consumption of resistant starches would greatly improve the symptoms of diarrhea.Foods that contain resistant starch are pizza, biscuits and cakes, breakfast cereal, and processed foods like crisps and oven chips. Cold potato or pasta salad that has been left out to cool also have resistant starch. Other foods that contain resistant starch are: Ready to use meals, foods that contain bran, like whole grain, pulses, green banana, muesli. Replace the intake of resistant starch with fresh, cooked food.
• Fiber: The fiber intake depends on the overall health of the individual suffering from IBS. For some, reducing high fiber foods help to improve symptoms. In others, increasing fiber can help improve symptoms. Adjust the intake of fiber according to individual needs. Reducing insoluble fiber helps to reduce symptoms but if there is a need to increase fiber, use soluble fiber.
• Insoluble and soluble fiber: Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and does not break down readily. It passes through the digestive system intact and absorbs water, adding bulk to stools and allows the waste to pass through quickly. By reducing this type of fiber, diarrhea can be controlled. Foods that contain insoluble fiber are corn, nuts, and whole grains, wheat and bran, and pips of fruits and vegetables. The soluble fiber dissolves in water and is easily broken down by the natural bacteria in the gut. This softens stools and helps improve symptoms of constipation. Examples of soluble fiber are barley, oats, fruits and vegetables, beans and pulses, and nuts and seeds.