Digestive Health & IBS – How Nutrition Can Help: Gentle Dietary Strategies
At Elgin House, we believe digestive health is about more than what you eat — it’s about how your body feels, functions, and responds as a whole. Gut health can influence everything from your immune system and hormones to your mental wellbeing. And for many navigating IBS, endometriosis, PCOS or fertility journeys, a balanced gut can make all the difference.
Why is Gut Health Important?
Your gut is home to countless micro-organisms known as your gut microbiome. These microbes influence everything from digestion to mental wellbeing, immune health, and inflammation levels. Various factors such as diet, sleep quality, physical activity, stress, medication use, and existing medical conditions can significantly affect your gut health.
By optimising your gut microbiome, you could experience:
Improved mental health and emotional wellbeing
Enhanced immune function
Better nutrient absorption
Reduced inflammation
Improved digestive comfort
Relief from symptoms related to conditions such as IBS, PCOS, and endometriosis
How Can We Optimise Our Gut Health?
Small and manageable dietary changes can have significant impacts on your gut microbiome:
Aim for more than 30 plant-based foods per week, including diverse fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Try to include at least three different colours of vegetables in your lunch and dinner meals.
Incorporate more plant-based proteins such as legumes and beans, aiming for at least three meat-free meals per week.
Include probiotic-rich foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi regularly.
Limit alcohol intake, reduce consumption of processed meats, foods high in added sugars, and deep-fried or high-saturated fat foods.
Understanding IBS and Its Management
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) commonly presents symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and altered bowel habits (diarrhoea and/or constipation). Because IBS symptoms can overlap with other medical conditions, it's essential to consult your medical team to rule out alternative causes.
Managing IBS effectively requires a highly personalised approach—there is no one-size-fits-all solution. At Elgin House, our dietitian can help by:
Assessing your hydration and fibre intake to find a comfortable balance.
Identifying potential dietary triggers using a detailed diet history and a food and symptom diary.
Considering non-dietary factors contributing to your symptoms, such as stress, poor sleep quality, medications, pelvic floor concerns, and inflammation.
Exploring the suitability of probiotics or fibre supplements.
Introducing complementary non-dietary strategies such as gut-directed hypnotherapy, where appropriate.
Each person's IBS journey is unique, and working closely with a qualified dietitian ensures your plan is tailored specifically to your individual needs.
For personalised digestive health support, speak with your Elgin House practitioner today.
Written by Gemma Wright, she is an Accredited Practising Dietitian & Nutritionist with a special interest in hormonal health, PCOS, IBS and fertility nutrition. She consults at Elgin House, offering face-to-face and online appointments.