Why It's Not Just About Eliminating Foods: The Truth About IBS and Nutrition

 

If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and your doctor has handed you a list of foods to avoid, you might feel like overhauling your diet is the only step forward. You might blame yourself for not getting it right, despite the ways you are already maintaining a clean diet. 

You might even already be avoiding trigger foods, but wondering why you’re still in pain.

Paper bags with groceries including fruits and vegetables and bread

The truth is, simply cutting out foods won’t magically fix IBS. While certain foods can trigger symptoms, IBS is a complex digestive disorder that requires more than just a restrictive diet. Unfortunately, what I often see is that many people with IBS are given oversimplified dietary advice because their condition isn't easily understood.

That's why working with dietitians who specialize in gut health is one of the best things you can do in your search for guidance with this condition. These practitioners welcome the complexity of your body and want to understand what's happening for you as an individual, not just hand you a generic elimination list with no follow-up instructions.

The Problem with Just Cutting Out Foods

When you search online for solutions to improving gut health, you'll be bombarded with lists of what NOT to eat. But here's what's really wild: proper IBS treatment often involves expanding your diet, not just restricting it.

In podcast episode 84, I talked with Samina Qureshi, a registered dietitian specializing in IBS management. She shared a fascinating point: people who try the low FODMAP diet alone usually fail. Not because they lack willpower, but because it's overwhelming and there's so much nuance beyond just avoiding certain carbohydrates.

Your symptoms might be affected by erratic meal timing, stress while eating, not eating enough overall, or dozens of other factors that have nothing to do with specific food triggers.

Here's something your doctor probably never told you: the elimination phase of low FODMAP should only last 2-4 weeks. If you're not seeing improvement by week two, you should stop.

Yet Samina shares that she’s met people who've been on these ultra-restrictive diets for years, literally starving their gut bacteria of the fiber-rich foods that actually support a healthy microbiome.

The Dangerous Cycle of Restriction

The wellness world loves telling us what to cut out, but offers almost nothing about how to add foods back. As a result, people end up afraid of most foods and limited to just a handful of "safe" options.

What's particularly concerning is how restriction actually makes gut issues worse. When you don't eat enough, your digestive motility slows down. 

This leads to constipation, which then causes bloating, reflux, gas, and pain. Stay constipated long enough, and ironically, it can lead to bouts of diarrhea too.

Adding more restriction to an already stressed digestive system? That's like throwing gasoline on a fire.

A Completely Different Approach

Instead of jumping straight to cutting foods out, gut health actually starts with making sure you're eating enough, consistently

Here's what that looks like:

  1. Eating every 3-4 hours throughout the day.

  2. Training your body to recognize that food is coming regularly so it can relax.

  3. Only after establishing regular eating patterns, looking at specific symptom triggers.

  4. Making targeted swaps rather than broad eliminations.

  5. Gradually introducing foods that help form well-structured stools.

If this sounds totally different from what you've tried before, you're not alone. Most people are shocked to learn that the path to healing often involves adding more foods, not fewer.

woman holding silverware and eating at the table

The Truth About Trending Food Sensitivity Tests

We want to be really straightforward with you about these – the science doesn't back them up. Especially the IgG antibody tests which are so popular right now.

Research shows these tests often just identify foods you eat regularly, not foods you're actually sensitive to. I've seen people get results saying they're "sensitive" to 40+ foods, many of which they've eaten their whole lives without issues. 

In fact, I (Destiny) eliminated vegetables for two years after getting my results from one of these tests. At the time, I had no idea that I was causing more damage than anything else by doing that.

The real question to ask yourself is: "Did I notice problems with this food before I took the test?" If you weren't having issues with avocados before a singular test told you to avoid them, there's likely no reason to cut them out now.

These tests have led so many people down a path of extreme restriction, creating food fear that leads to nutritional deficiencies that then – you guessed it – make gut symptoms even worse. Working with a professional who understands the nuances of your particular medical condition takes the guesswork completely out of your eating needs.

Little-Known Way to Support Your Nervous System: Eat Regularly

When you eat breakfast, even if it's just a protein bar, some milk, or smoothie, you're sending your body a powerful signal: "Food is coming regularly. You're safe."

This creates a profound sense of physical safety that impacts your entire digestive process.

man holding wire grocery basket with groceries

This isn't complicated biohacking – it's meeting your basic human needs. Your body works better when it knows what to expect, especially around food.

And yes, this looks different for everyone. If you're on ADHD medication and struggle with morning appetite, maybe you start with just a few bites or a drink. If you have food fears from past experiences, you work with those gradually. 

The point is to start where you are and build consistency.

Breaking Free from All Those Rules

We're surrounded by wellness culture telling us there's an ideal way to eat – whether it's intermittent fasting, carnivore diets, or some other protocol. But we've completely lost touch with figuring out what works for our unique bodies.

I see so many people following restrictive protocols that make them feel worse, while believing if they just push through, they'll eventually feel better. Meanwhile, they're not eating enough calories, not eating consistently, and getting less and less variety.

The truth? 

Gut health has much more to do with eating enough food and focusing on variety than it does with eliminating potential triggers.

If you're struggling with IBS or any digestive issues, please know that you don’t have to doubt your experience—it’s real, and you deserve support.

The path forward probably isn't about more restriction. Instead, it's about finding a supportive approach that helps you expand your relationship with food while managing your symptoms.

Finding that balance takes time and often professional support, but it is absolutely possible to enjoy food again while improving your gut health.

 

Samina is currently accepting virtual clients in her 1:1 IBS Food Freedom Program. This program is right for you if you need to find balance with food and relief from your uncomfortable gut symptoms without a side of diet culture!

Schedule your free discovery call today to see if you’re a good fit to work with Samina.

Download your free guide on 5 Ways To Avoid IBS Flares!

Connect with Samina: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Tiktok


 

Samina Qureshi photo

Samina Qureshi is the Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Wholesome Start, a virtual nutrition practice specializing in digestive health. She received her B.S. in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics from the University of Texas at Austin where she also completed her dietetic internship to become a dietitian. Her wellness philosophy is derived from the Intuitive Eating principles and Health At Every Size® (HAES®) framework. She encourages her clients to care for their health in a holistic way that best honors their lifestyle and cultural traditions and respects body diversity.


Meet Destiny - The host of The Chronic Illness Therapist Podcast and a licensed mental health therapist in the states of Georgia and Florida. Destiny offers traditional 50-minute therapy sessions as well as therapy intensives and monthly online workshops for the chronic illness community.

Destiny Davis, LPC CRC, is solely responsible for the content of this document. The views expressed herein may or may not necessarily reflect the opinions of Samina Qureshi, RD.

Destiny Davis (formerly Winters)

Destiny is a Licensed Professional Counselor and chronic illness educator.

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