fiber rich diet for bowel retraining

FODMAP Diet Helps Fecal Incontinence

Two-thirds of patients with fecal incontinence associated with loose stool experienced an improvement in symptoms when following a low FODMAP diet, a researcher reported here. “Fecal incontinence is an underappreciated complaint, and patients often suffer in silence,” said Stacy Menees, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in a presidential plenary session at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).  In an earlier, large population-based study of more than 71,000 people, one in seven reported having had fecal incontinence at some point in their lives. Of these, one-third reported fecal incontinence in the last 7 days, which is often associated with diarrhea and loose stool. People with diarrhea have a 5.6-fold higher risk of fecal incontinence, and people with urgency have a more than 8-fold risk of diarrhea. “So if we are going to help people with fecal incontinence, the key is to concentrate on their stool consistency,” Menees said. Read more.

Source: MedPage Today, October 8, 2018

Fiber Therapy for Bowel Incontinence

granola fiber therapy

Fiber therapy includes adding whole grains and fresh fruits to your diet.

Fiber absorbs liquids in the digestive system, thereby bulking up fecal matter. It is recommended that women under 50 consume 25 grams of fiber per day. A woman over 50 years of age should consume 21 grams per day. Men younger under 50 are recommended to get 38 grams per day. Men over 50 should get 30 grams per day in his diet. The average American, however, only has about 15 grams of fiber per day in his or her diet. And what is fiber therapy?  Fiber therapy is simply increasing your fiber intake gradually until you reach the recommended daily intake for your age.

Continue reading

Dietary Changes for Managing Bowel Incontinence

eliminating alcohol as part of dietary changes

Alcohol may be part of some dietary changes needed to manage bowel incontinence symptoms.

Foods that commonly contribute to diarrhea and bowel incontinence are chocolate, dairy products, alcohol, and caffeine. Try eating less of these foods to see if it improves the consistency of your bowel movements. In addition to adding  fiber to your diet, other dietary changes may include undergoing an elimination diet to see if certain foods trigger incontinence of stool.Continue reading