IBS and GERD (Gut Health)

IBS is a functional gut disorderthe gut is structurally normal but hypersensitive. Symptoms include bloating, cramping, alternating constipation and loose stools, and discomfort that is often worse after eating. Stress worsens it significantly.

GERD is reflux, when stomach acid moves back into the oesophagus, causing heartburn and a burning sensation in the chest. It is often worse after large meals, lying down soon after eating, or eating very spicy or oily food late at night.

FODMAPs are fermentable carbohydrates that some people with IBS cannot absorb well, leading to fermentation in the colon and symptoms. High-FODMAP foods common in Indian cooking include onion, garlic, rajma, chana, chole, and wheat roti in large amounts.

The right approach:

1. Identify which specific foods trigger your symptoms through a 2-week food and symptom diary.
2. Reduce, do not eliminate. A small amount of onion in a cooked dal rarely causes the same response as a raw onion salad.
3. Work with the list, not against it. Moong dal is much lower FODMAP than chana. Rice is much lower FODMAP than wheat. Many Indian staples are naturally gut-friendly.

For most Indian GERD patients, the problem is not the food itself; it is when and how much they eat.

Large late dinners are the primary driver of nighttime reflux. Eating a full meal at 9–10 pm and lying down within two hours gives stomach acid easy access to the oesophagus.

Solutionsmove dinner to 7–8 pm; make dinner lighter than lunch; avoid lying down for at least two hours after eating; avoid very spicy, very oily, or very fatty food at dinner.

Jeera waterone of the most consistently helpful traditional remedies for both IBS and GERD. Jeera is carminative; it reduces gas. Boil a teaspoon of jeera in two cups of water, cool slightly, and drink before or after meals.

Ajwainsimilar to jeera but stronger. A small amount in dals and curries reduces bloating significantly.

Lauki (bottle gourd)one of the most gut-friendly vegetables in Indian cooking. Easy to digest, anti-inflammatory, and cooling. Lauki ki sabzi or lauki dal is an excellent choice on difficult gut days.

Curdgenerally much better tolerated than milk for IBS, because lactose is largely broken down by fermentation.