Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Drinking lots of water and increasing your fiber intake may help, especially if constipation is a problem. Fiber is found in bran, bread, cereal, beans, fruits, and vegetables. It's a good idea to increase the fiber in your diet gradually to avoid causing gas and pain. Many people with IBS also use a fiber supplement to add soluble fiber, often from psyllium seeds, to the diet.

Regular exercise can help with constipation and improve your health in other ways. Look into support groups, stress reduction methods or counseling if you think they might be helpful. Be careful about using laxatives, anti-diarrhea or other over-the-counter medicines to treat yourself. They can cause problems if misused. Other kinds of medicines sometimes make IBS symptoms worse, too.