This week (16 to 22 September) is Love Your Gut Week which highlights the importance of good gut health and encourages people to talk about their own gut health.

If you have IBS here are some top tips to help maintain good gut health and manage your condition.

  • Try to eat three regular meals a day.
  • Try not to skip any meals or eat late at night (smaller meal sizes may ease symptoms).
  • Limit alcohol intake to no more than two units per day and have at least two alcohol free days a week.
  • Reduce your intake of caffeinated drinks. Try to have no more than two or three cups a day.
  • Reduce your intake of fizzy drinks.
  • Drink at least eight cups of fluid per day, especially water or other non-caffeinated drinks.
  • Try to cut down on rich or fatty foods including fast food, crisps, chocolates, cakes and fatty meats.
  • Reduce your intake of processed foods and cook with fresh ingredients where possible.
  • Limit your fresh fruit portions to three per day.

Remember that any exclusion diets should only be attempted under the supervision of a registered dietitian.

Find out more about diet and IBS.