Writing a food diary is recommended by many experts as the first step towards managing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

1. Help Manage IBS
Dr Carolyn Dean
W r i t i n g a F o o d D i a r y t o
is a medical doctor and naturopath. She has
authored and co-authored over 35 books

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Writing a Food Diary
to Help Manage IBS
Writing a food diary is recommended by many experts as the first
step towards managing the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
A food diary helps to identify trigger foods and notice patterns and
connections to food and drink that cause a flare-up of symptoms.

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A food diary for IBS should detail
everything that is eaten or drunk
throughout the course of each day, in-
cluding ingredients and how the food
was prepared. Different ways of cook-
ing, such as frying or baking, can cause
different reactions.
Drinks can be just as guilty as food
when it comes to IBS symptoms, so
these should be recorded as well. For
example, alcohol and caffeine are
known irritants.
The size of portions eaten can make a
difference as to whether the food caus-
es an adverse effect in the bowel or not,
so portion sizes should be recorded.
Any snacks, no matter how small or
seemingly insignificant, should also be
detailed. This includes things people
may not usually think of as food, such
as chewing gum.
Meals and Ingredients
Drinks
Portions and Snacks
‘IBS for Dummies’ has professional advice for people
dealing with irritable bowel syndrome.

4. You can learn more about this book
and about IBS by visiting the blog
of Dr. Carolyn Dean.
Dr Carolyn Dean