I’ve been on this diet as a 75-80% of the time affair for over a year. I still have trouble on the days after I stray from it, but if I stick to it most of the time I have no
For me the most important thing is I MUST exercise at least five times a week; it makes a huge difference. Secondly, I have to remember to chew my food twice as long as I used to.

I’ve been lax lately, so now that I’m back on the diet, I’m taking a digestive enzyme supplement and a probiotic with every meal.
I drink at least six glasses of room temperature water (cold and hot are tummy shockers) and three cups of herbal ginger tea or herbal mint tea a day. (Yes, I still miss the real caffeine tea, but I’m nearly cured of coffee craving.)

I recently learned that five medium-small meals and two snacks is the best way for me to go. And remarkably, I can eat less that way without being hungry so I’m gradually losing weight.
It’s really important to me not to have fat within 4-5 hours of bedtime, so fish is reserved for nights I stay up later. I avoid wheat.

Breakfast (alternate days):
1) cup of soy&fruit&protein powder smoothie and slice of brown rice bread, toasted
2) some kind of non-wheat porridge (quinoa, millet, oatmeal, brown rice, red cargo rice, black rice) with rice milk and a bit of maple syrup
Lunch: since I don’t have trouble with beans, as long as they’re super-soft and pureed…
1) low-fat home-made hummus, slice rice toast, a few baby carrots
2) refried beans, brown rice and home-made salsa
3) a sort of bruschetta made with tomato, onion, olive oil, and goat cheese mozarella on rounds of eggplant, zapped in the microwave
4) small portion of leftovers of previous night’s supper

I also often have a baby spinach and cherry tomato salad with them. (I have to avoid lettuce like the plague.)

Suppers:
I rotate the menu through “eggs…vegan…fish…vegan…white chicken meat…vegan” over and over, making sure that on meat/egg/fish nights 50-60% of the meal is vegetable (avoiding the gassy crucifers), 15-20% rice or potato and 15-20% meat/egg/fish.

Addendum to menu plan…
I forgot to mention I also use supplements. Since I don’t eat fish often – only every four to five days – and avoid oil and fried things, I worry about essential fatty acid deficiency so I take a fish oil supplement and multivitamin right after breakfast. (That’s when there’s lots of starch to soak things up and protect my insides a bit.)
I cook the fish/egg/chicken meat in the smallest amounts of olive oil I can get away with. And when I’ve been on the diet for at least a week I allow myself a teaspoon of sunflower- or olive oil-margarine on my toast.

Addendum to menu plan…
I forgot to mention I also use supplements. Since I don’t eat fish often – only every four to five days – and avoid oil and fried things, I worry about essential fatty acid deficiency so I take a fish oil supplement and multivitamin right after breakfast. (That’s when there’s lots of starch to soak things up and protect my insides a bit.)
I cook the fish/egg/chicken meat in the smallest amounts of olive oil I can get away with. And when I’ve been on the diet for at least a week I allow myself a teaspoon of sunflower- or olive oil-margarine on my toast.

Oops. Also forget to say I have my daily 3 fruits with ginger herbal tea as my snacks.

I’ve had IBS for 10 years, and am truly tired of the whole thing! Doctors have prescribed numerous things but nothing has helped. Days consist of up to 10 bathroom trips, and anything (except liquid) that I eat is an instant trip to the bathroom. There is absolutely nothing solid that does not trigger an attack. This can be breads, salad, soup, cereal, ice cream, fruit, fish, fowl or beef. Veggies, pasta and potatoes (white or sweet) create cramps and uncontrollable diarrhea.

My life revolves around knowing where the nearest bathroom is located – and 20 feet can be too far away! Traveling is worrisome, eating out is a thing of the past, and leisurely walks can turn into a nightmare.

As I’ve said, doctors have prescribed numerous medications, including barbiturates. But, nothing seems to help. I take probiotics, fiber, most currently the barbiturates.
I’ve heard that essential oils can help many things, and have begun to apply peppermint, anise, chamomile, and cinnamon oils around the navel area, rubbing gently clockwise. The first day has produced a day without running to the bathroom and no cramps.

Don’t know how often the oils should be applied, but will go with two times a day for now. Anyone have any experience or info with essential oils and IBS?