Fact Versus Fiction: Diet Doesn't Matter

Consistency of the stool and how quickly it passes through the digestive system is often determined by the food we eat. Avoiding foods that contribute to the problem of diarrhea, for instance, will help in the management of bowel incontinence and with the use of the ProCon2.

Foods that should be avoided or limited include:

-Caffeine -Cured or smoked meat like sausage, ham, or turkey -Spicy foods -Alcohol -Diary products like milk, cheese and ice cream -Fruits like apples, peaches or pears -Fatty and greasy foods -Sweeteners like sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and fructose, which are found in diet drinks, sugarless gum and candy, chocolate and fruit juices.

Other remedies for diarrhea:

-Large meals cause bowel contractions that lead to diarrhea. Eat the same amount of food each day but eat smaller meals more frequently. -Liquid helps move food through the digestive system. So if you want to slow things down, drink something half an hour before or after meals, but not with meals. -Eat more fiber. Fiber makes the stool soft, formed and easier to control. Fiber is found in fruit, vegetables and grains. Also, too much insoluble fiber can contribute to diarrhea. If you find that eating more fiber makes your diarrhea worse, try cutting back to two servings each of fruits and vegetables and removing skins and seeds from your food.

Eat foods that make the stool bulkier. Foods that contain soluble or digestible fiber slow the emptying of the bowels.

Examples are bananas, rice, tapioca, bread, potatoes, applesauce, cheese, smooth peanut butter, yogurt, pasta and oatmeal.

Remember to drink plenty of liquid. You need to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of liquid a day to help prevent dehydration and to keep the stool soft and formed. Water is the best choice but avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol, milk or carbonation for they may trigger diarrhea.

Controlling Gas

Everybody produces gas and everybody needs to pass gas. The amount depends on the individual and there is a wide range of “normal.” Passing gas is normal; nevertheless, it can be embarrassing or cause discomfort.

Here are a few ways to help limit gas:

-Most foods that contain carbohydrates can cause gas. By contrast, fats and proteins cause little gas (although certain proteins may intensify the odor of gas). -Most starches, including potatoes, corn, noodles and wheat, produce gas as they are broken down in the large intestine. Rice is the only starch that does not cause gas. -Many foods contain soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water and takes on a soft, gel-like texture in the intestines. Found in oat bran, beans, barley, nuts, seeds, lentils, peas and most fruits, soluble fiber is not broken down until it reaches the large intestine where digestion causes gas. Insoluble fiber, or the other hand, passes essentially unchanged through the intestines and produces little gas. Wheat bran, whole grains and some vegetables contain this kind of fiber.

Foods That May Contain Gas:

-Beans – Presoaking reduces the gas-producing potential of beans if you discard the soaking water and cook using fresh water. -Vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, green peppers, onions and radishes. -Fruits such as apples, peaches and pears.Whole grains and bran (Adding them slowly to your diet can help reduce gas forming potential.) -Carbonated drinks (Allowing carbonated drinks, which contain a great deal of gas, to stand open for several hours allows the carbonation/gas to escape.) -Milk and milk products, such as cheese and ice cream. -Packaged foods prepared with lactose, such as bread, cereal and salad dressing. -Foods containing sorbitol, such as dietetic foods and sugar free candies and gum.