So, you have IBS. What next?
Note: If your IBS is self-diagnosed, it is essential that you eliminate all other possible diseases. You may have a more serious condition – such as a colitis or other diagnosable & treatable disease – that requires, and benefits from, medical treatment. With that in mind, read on.
First, understand that you are not alone. Health problems are the norm – one in every two people has a chronic medical condition, and yet 96% of them are unnoticeable by observers1. Digestive problems are among the most common invisible disabilities – IBS has a worldwide prevalence rate of ~20% (up to ~50% in some countries) and various nutrient malabsorption rates are much higher.
Second, it’s essential to understand what your diagnosis means. IBS is a de facto syndrome; it is a diagnosis by exclusion and it is not a disease. If you have been diagnosed with IBS, this simply means that you experience intestinal distress but cannot be diagnosed with a recognized or easily treatable disease, and therefore are left to be lumped into a generalized group defined only by symptoms.
Because IBS is not a single disease, it is unrealistic to expect that there will ever be a single cure or treatment.
Third, and lastly, understand that you can, with reasonable effort, determine the underlying causes of your symptoms and work to eliminate them through (presumably lifelong) adherence to a specialized diet.
IBSdietplan.org does not preach dietary elitism – we simply emphasize results. Accordingly, this website does not promote fad diets, but rather believes that treating IBS effectively with diet requires a highly personalized approach, initially founded upon scientific principles (primarily the FODMAP concept) and eventually verified by trial and error.
Remember:
- It is okay.
- You are normal.
- You don’t need to buy anything special.
- Continue your research using IBSdietplan.org and begin a strict FODMAP elimination diet, gradually reintroducing foods as per guidelines, to determine what your causal factors are. You can be cured.
