Aloe Vera and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

I found this and thought to pass it on.
It is from:http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/food-nutrition/healing-foods/foods-digestive/irritable-bowel-syndrome-foods?msc=A62598.
It has nothing to do with Aloe Vera....but Aloe vera is very good for people with IBS

Although irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause a great deal of anxiety and misery, most people can control their symptoms with diet, prescribed medications, and stress management.

Different people can have different triggers for their IBS symptoms. Things that may make the symptoms of IBS worse include:

Alcoholic beverages
Chocolate
Dairy products
Drinks with caffeine such as coffee, teas, or soda
Sweets
Fatty foods
Fructose syrup-containing foods and drinks
Sorbitol (sweetener usually found in gum)
Certain medicines
Emotional events and stress
Smoking

What foods should I eat if I have IBS?
Even though there is no cure for IBS, the symptoms can be reduced with the proper diet. Recording your current diet in a journal can help you find foods that trigger your IBS symptoms. Be sure to discuss the results of your journal with your doctor. He or she may recommend a dietitian who can help make changes to your diet.

The best way to battle IBS is to change your diet. Avoid foods that seem to make you feel worse and find ways to deal with your stress. Fiber can be helpful because it improves the way the intestines work.

Fiber may also decrease bloating, pain, and other symptoms of IBS. It does this by making the stools softer so that they can pass out of your body more easily. Soluble fiber found in foods such as dried beans and other legumes, oats, barley, and berries may help diarrhea by slowing down the passage of food from the stomach to the intestines and by giving stool form. Foods such as dairy products, carbonated beverages, raw fruits, and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts may trigger bloating and gas. Try a lactose-free diet to see if bloating and gas decrease. Eating a low-fat diet will also help with the symptoms of IBS.

What foods are high in fiber?
Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, and whole grain cereals. Eating foods from any of these groups will help add fiber to your diet. It is important to add fiber in your diet slowly to minimize bloating and gas that can be brought on by a sudden increase in fiber. These symptoms usually improve as your system gets used to the new amounts of fiber you are eating.

The following foods are examples of those that are excellent sources of fiber:

Barley
Black beans
Bran cereal
Brown rice
Dry fruits
Flaxseed meal
Fresh fruit with skins (may be better tolerated cooked or canned)
Fresh vegetables (may be better tolerated cooked)
Garbanzo beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Navy beans
Nuts
Oats
Raisins
Soybeans
Split peas
Whole grains, including breads and cereals
Yams

What are some other sources of fiber?
Besides eating fiber-rich food, to increase fiber intake you can also take bulk-forming supplements such as:

Methylcellulose (Citrucel)
Polycarbophil (Equalactin, FiberCon, Mitrolan)
Psyllium (Fiberall, Konsyl-D, Metamucil)

As you increase fiber in your diet, it is also important to drink more liquids (water and decaffeinated beverages). Aim for 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Probiotics, like the healthy bacteria found in yogurt or in probiotic supplements, may help decrease symptoms of IBS. Exercising can also help relieve the symptoms associated with IBS.