Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that affects many people around the world. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can make everyday activities very difficult. Some people believe that there is no cure for IBS and I believe different, there are methods and practices that can heal your body. One such treatment is intermittent fasting.
In this article, we will discuss how intermittent fasting can help heal IBS, as well as the benefits and side effects of intermittent fasting for IBS sufferers. We will also explore the combination of intermittent fasting with an IBS diet, and how this approach can help you heal your IBS symptoms.
WARNING!
Firstly we need to state that if you have any history of eating disorders then this eating plan or schedule is certainly not for you and is more suited to someone who has been diagnosed with IBS and is comfortable modifying their eating habits to affect how their bodies kick into automatic healing mode. If you are of a healthy weight and if you have IBS and already have a diagnosis for IBS from a doctor then read on and learn a great way to boost your immune system, reduce inflammation and enhance your body's natural tissue healing abilities which can if done right start to heal IBS!
What is intermediate fasting or intermittent fasting?
An Intermittent fasting plan is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. There are several different time-restricted eating schedules that you can follow and these can be tailored to your lifestyle based on your preference and resilience.
There is a huge importance placed on eating a balanced diet whilst you're following a plan like this and because this involves eating modification it's important to try this for yourself and see how it affects your body and symptoms.
Note however that the first few days may not feel great for you and to persevere for at least a week to start to feel the real benefits.
How do I intermittent fast for IBS
The most common intermittent fasting plans is 16:08, meaning that you fast for 16 hours and eat during an eight-hour period. This may be the easiest place to start when you begin intermittent fasting as it's probably close to your normal eating routine, where you don't eat whilst you're asleep!
Other time-restricted eating window includes 18:06 and 20:04 (fast for 20 hours, eat for four) and you can start by using the 16:08 method if that suits your lifestyle.
A super-easy way to start this schedule is to have your last meal at the end of the 16/18/20 hour then try to stop eating breakfast which will easily tip you into the eight-hour fasting period.
Once you have experienced the effects for a week or so you may want to play with prolonged periods and see how this affects your body composition and IBS symptoms. As your body continues to remain on this diet plan you can attempt longer periods.
Alternate day fasting for IBS
Another option is to use alternate day fasting or cease eating for alternate days then typically eat the same amount as you normally would the next day. Using time-restricted feeding in this manner it's ideal to have 2 fasted days of the week, this will have the same effect as intermittent fasting.
Many people have had huge success with intermittent fasting where they can heal chronic diseases only by reducing their three meals a day down to two meals a day or not eating for two days a week or alternate-day fasting where the fasting days mean eating nothing for a 24 hour period.
Although this style of fasting will only suit some people and their lifestyles. It is important to note here that non-fasting days are days when you eat in a balanced way where food is healthy and not eat junk food which will create more problems than your attempting to solve! Also on fasting days make sure that your food is balanced between carbs, protein, and fat with enough fiber
How intermittent fasting can help heal IBS?
Food deprivation or time-restricted eating schedules has health benefits over normal eating by moving your body into healing mode. It's like an automatic switch that happens in your body when you start lengthening your natural fasting window, this can even happen when you lengthen your fasting window by a few hours!
There are a few ways in which intermittent fasting can help heal IBS. First, intermittent fasting can help reduce inflammation in the gut. This is important because inflammation is a major contributor to IBS symptoms. This is because when you fast, your body produces less of the inflammatory cytokines that can contribute to IBS symptoms.
Second, intermittent fasting can help improve gut motility. This is important because people with IBS often have issues with constipation or diarrhea, and improving gut motility can help alleviate these symptoms.
Thirdly, intermittent fasting can help increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are important for gut health because they help keep the gut barrier intact and help fight against pathogenic bacteria.
Finally, intermittent fasting can help to boost the immune system's natural response, which can be hugely beneficial for people with IBS.