IBS Friendly Banana Bread

IBS AND Banana Bread:
Vegan vs. Diary

Low-FODMAP banana bread (using yellow-green bananas, processed white or gluten-free flour, plus enjoying a controlled portion size) can be IBS friendly. Both vegan and diary versions can work, but ingredient choice matters more than dietary labels. Always consider your individual triggers, allergies, and intolerances. I taste-tested the quickest and easiest vegan recipe. It works well with several dietary needs including dairy-free or gluten-free. The flavor is great and can be further boosted by adding extras.

Easy Vegan Banana Bread Recipe:
Dry Ingredients: 
-1 ¾ cups flour or 210g (choose based on your tolerances, if gluten-free flour is used, be sure to incorporate a binding agent if the flour didn’t come with one)
-1/3 cup or 75g pure cane sugar (or ½ finely chopped dates)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients:
-4 small or 3 medium bananas that are green-yellow (not overripe)
-1/3 cup or 75ml neutral flavored oil or melted vegan butter or applesauce
-1 teaspoon of vanilla

Optional Ingredients:
Add any extras that suit your taste and tolerance
-Dash of cinnamon
-1/4 to ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
-1/4 to ½ cup nuts

Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your loaf pan with vegan butter.
-In a medium bowl, begin with wet ingredients. Mash bananas, add melted butter or oil or applesauce, add vanilla and mix.
-Begin adding dry ingredients with the sugar. Fully mix by hand to dissolve sugar into the liquid ingredients. Leave no clumps behind.
-Next add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
-If you want extras, add in your dash of cinnamon, chocolate chips, or nuts now and mix.
-Pour batter into your greased loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes. Toothpick test if needed. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

IBS AND ALLERGIES:
Surprising Link Between IBS and Seasonal Allergies

Up to 80% of IBS patients report seasonal allergic rhinitis, with symptoms often peaking during pollen season. Research increasingly suggests a bidirectional relationship between IBS and seasonal allergies, with shared immune mechanisms and overlapping triggers. Here’s a closer look at the possible connection with tips for how to treat allergy symptoms when you have IBS.

IBS AND SPRING CLEANING:
Tips for Less Triggers, More Calm and a Better Gut

Did you know that spring cleaning can actually HELP with managing IBS? When you declutter and organize your space, it can lower your stress and stress is a known trigger for IBS symptoms.

Having a clean, tidy environment helps you relax, lowers those stress hormones like cortisol, and even cuts down on allergens around the house. Plus, getting rid of dust, mold and pet dander means better air quality, which can make a difference for your digestion too. The Patient Advocate invehow making spring cleaning a regular habit can actually give your mind and gut a boost.

IBS AND GAS:
What You Need to Know

Let’s talk bloating - if you’ve got IBS, you know this is a major issue. That ‘puffed-up’ feeling is very common. Nearly everyone with IBS deals with it at least occasionally. Why? Your gut’s transit gets wonky and your nerves can become hyper-sensitive, so even normal gas feels like a balloon about to pop.

But here’s the thing; it’s not just about what you eat. The Patient Advocate breaks the science down to get to the bottom of why IBS leaves so many people feeling gassy.

IBS AND INCONTINENCE:
Best Products That Actually Work (TESTED)

If you’ve got IBS, chances are you’ve dealt with accidents or near-misses. And ouch, the skin irritation that comes with it? Brutal. The good news? You don’t need pricey products to protect your skin. In this video, we’re taking a closer look at three affordable ‘butt savers’ that can be total game changers.

IBS DIARY:
Wellness Diary for Digestive Discomfort

Using wellness diaries and trackers significantly benefit IBS patients by enhancing symptom management and trigger prevention strategies.

Benefits of using diaries include:

• Patient engagement and control

• Trigger identification and lifestyle modifications

• Enhanced doctor-patient relationships

These tools also play crucial roles in managing disease by promoting quality of life. This is done by identifying which factors are important to each individual person. Armed with this key information, patient and practitioner are then able to better manage conditions so the patient can enjoy more of what they value most.

Comprehensive dairies that provide analysis functions in addition to tracking can provide the best insights.

Wellness Diary for Digestive Discomfort is a three month tracking program that leverages science backed tools to gain insights into how your digestive system works. It additionally provides weekly and monthly analysis so treatment plans can be revised.

Insights gleaned inspire productive conversations between the patient and provider. They also assist healthcare practitioners to make a diagnosis. If you already have a diagnosis, then the insights enable you to sit with your practitioners and co-create a treatment plan.

The Wellness Diary for Digestive Discomfort was developed in collaboration between patients, practitioners and patient advocates. It’s available on Amazon.

The Patient Advocate newsletter is owned by the same publishing company as the Wellness Diary for Digestive Discomfort.

IBS AND MEDICINE:
Free Drug Interaction Checker

Over 22% of American adults aged 40-79 use five or more prescription medications, and many also take supplements, the risk of interactions is high. Checking drug interactions, including those between supplements and medications, is crucial for patient safety and treatment efficacy.

Drug interactions can lead to serious consequences, such as:

• Altered drug effectiveness

• Unexpected side effects

• Toxicity

• Treatment failure

Patients should always inform healthcare providers about all substances they’re taking to prevent potentially life-threatening interactions. Using tools like Medscapes free drug interaction checker can also help patients tract any known contradictions. Access the tool here.