My dh has IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and I say that Atkins or Paleo are the best possible things he can do to keep from getting attacks.

Does anyone have info or have experience I can pass on to him?

I have seen every possible diet promoted for ibs. It is very individual--and I think that a lot of people are misdiagnosed as having ibs when they actually have lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance. If he is gluten intolerant then this way of eating would be good for him. Some people with ibs are very fat sensitive, though, so it might be good for him to make changes slowly. Good luck!

I have IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease...Crohn's), which is pretty close as far as symptoms are concerned, and I can tell you that I have been very successful in keeping my symptoms in check thru lo-carbing. I just have to be careful to not eat the raw veggies because they give me trouble. But I eat loads of nice, squishy soft veggies and meats and (some) cheeses, and I feel much better eating that way. Sugar and refined carbs will put me in a flare. Hope that helps!

I have heard the same type of things, I would recommend reading up on it though...that is what they usually suggest.

I have IBS, and as long as I stick to the plan I don't experience any flare-ups. But if I step off the plan, watch out!!

I used to have really bad IBS, my doctor dished out various medications and advise to no avail. I stumbled on Atkins for weightloss and within days the IBS just went and I've not had it back since! I also used to get eczema and aching joints, they went too! that was 3 years ago

Jo

Boy, a lot of you folks sound like classic cases of celiac or gluten intolerance. The IBS, joint pain, ezcema... very indicative of food intolerance.

I have suffered from severe IBS for many years - however, now that I am lowcarbing, my symptoms are GONE...literally, like night and day!!!

Interestingly, my mother was found to have coeliacs disease after years of tummy trouble, although I've never been tested. I guess wheat/gluten could well be my problem (is it hereditary?). What is crazy/worrying is that none of the health professionals who looked into my IBS ever picked up on that??! They would just bang on about too much dairy, stress.... blah, blah

Yes, very much so.




Very sad, but not unusual. I am reading a book about celiac disease and the doctor wrote that it takes, on average, 8 years for the average celiac to be diagnosed (in the US, usually a little less in Europe). Many doctors still believe it's a wasting disease that strikes the young and that you can grow out it.

I could also mention that there aren't any drugs to prescribe for it, but that would be cynical of me.

Yes, it is genetic. I've got 2 genes for it. Although lots of folks never get the classic celiac symptoms that doctors are trained to look for, they'll still have the tummy/intestinal problems and later in life, possible cancer issues and autoimmune diseases.

The medical community isn't looking for gluten sensitivity, they're looking for full blown celiac disease which is when it is so severe you have damage to the intestines.

Check out enterolab.com. Really good articles on there about it, and they do testing for gluten sensitivity and a few other sensitivities as well.

Hi guys,
OJOJ- I too have IBS and I stumbled on lo-carb for weight loss and to my delight my IBS symptoms didappeared as well. However I have had this book in my Library for a while which I opted to ignore because at the time the diet seemed 'too hard' to stick to.(how wrong was I)
The book is called "The IBS low-starch Diet" by Carol Sinclair and in it she explains that in fact a lot of other symptoms like back ache, eye pain, joint pain, neck pain and arthtitis (ankolysing spondylitis) are all infact in the same category as IBS.
Of course most carbohydrates are in fact starch so it is not surprising that your other symptoms have subsided as well.
I also have been diagnosed with arthritis in the spine and neck and am about to have an xray done on my hips to see if I have it in them aswell. I haven't been on this diet for very long so I am hoping all my other aches and pains disappear as well soon.
Stick with it and we will feel like teenagers again.
Love Jen

Interesting. well I definately feel years younger since low carbing. I just wish I done it years ago.

I wish I had done it years ago too. I didn't realise it would be as easy as it is to stick too as I loved my bread and potatoes. But now I think I would prefer to be pain free it is so much more comfortable.
love Jen

So many people say that when I talk about Atkins/low carb, "oh I couldnt do without my bread and potatoes" I used to be the same. Its almost like those things are the drugs we crave and cant do without " oh I couldnt do without my heroin" - says the drug addict. But once you break the cycle and become "clean".......

These days I couldnt give a t*ss about bread or potatoes

Jo