It's that time of year again and the build-up to Veganuary is in full swing. However, as someone with chronic health and digestive issues, switching to a fully plant-based diet is not always as simple as it seems. Today we're focusing on the tips and tricks I wish someone would have told me at the start of my vegan journey. I've created this Veganuary for IBS sufferers series to share with you everything I learned the hard way so that you don't have to.
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What is Veganuary?
Veganuary is an annual 31-day challenge run by a nonprofit charity in the UK. Veganuary aims to educate, empower and support people to go vegan for the month of January and beyond.
The Veganuary team guide you through the challenge with 31 days of emails, each one tackling a different topic on veganism. Along with these daily emails they also have a blog and social media full of vegan recipes and cookbooks, meal plans, nutrition, shopping and restaurant guides.
Since it started in 2014, Veganuary has grown year after year with over 620,000 people worldwide making the Veganuary pledge in 2022. Veganuary helped to play a huge part in my vegan transition and I wouldn't have done it without their support, education and encouragement. I continue to take the Veganuary pledge every year and love seeing the awareness and growth that Veganuary brings to the vegan cause.
Is it possible to be vegan with IBS?
Yes! Absolutely, but as with most things related to IBS, your journey may not be linear or look like anyone else's and that's ok.
Specific way's that someone suffering from IBS might need to personalise going vegan can include;
- Transitioning more slowly to include more plant foods gradually over time.
- Adjusting fibre intake dependent on digestive response and symptoms.
- Initially relying on medications, probiotics and treatment protocols to support your gut and avoid flare-ups.
- Monitoring your nutrition, macros, vitamin and mineral intake and blood levels more closely to identify potential deficiencies.
- Involving more people in your decision to go vegan such as your doctor, gastroenterologist and dietitian.
As a Veganuary graduate of the class of 2015, I found myself hugely struggling with the worsening effects of my lifelong IBS after turning vegan practically overnight. All those extra beans and fart-inducing fibre tipped my gut over the edge. It took a lot of time, tears, energy and resources to tip the scales back in my favour.
Fast forward 10 years and I'm thrilled to be able to say that I'm still vegan and managing to keep my IBS flare-ups to a minimum. However, my transition to veganism could have been much easier if I'd known then what I'm sharing with you now.
What about going vegan can trigger IBS?
IBS can be triggered by a multitude of factors including diet, lifestyle, environment, hormones and stress. Specifically, when we talk about beginning to transition to veganism, many things can affect digestion.
- The majority of plant-based, protein-dense foods are high in FODMAPs and fermentable fibres which can cause digestive issues in some people.
- A sudden increase in the dietary fibre found in legumes, fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds can impact bowel habits, bloating and flatulence.
- Changes in the amount and type of pre and probiotics you eat may cause temporary digestion issues until the gut microbiome adjusts.
- Increases in the quantity of fermentable high FODMAP foods can trigger flare-ups.
- Stress is a big trigger for many IBS sufferers. Experiencing stress or anxiety around shopping, cooking, eating out, family opinions and the negative attitudes of others towards veganism can cause digestive distress.
Can going vegan improve IBS?
There is currently no reliable research to suggest that switching to a vegan diet can improve the symptoms of IBS. Many of the dietary triggers for IBS such as fibre and FODMAPs are only found in plant foods. Animal products do not contain carbohydrates so may be seen as being easier to digest for those with gut issues.
However, many health organisations are beginning to research and acknowledge the overall, long-term health benefits of increasing plant foods and decreasing animal products in the diet. A reduction in meat and dairy and an increase in plant foods have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers.
Over the years I've heard many anecdotal stories from folks that attribute a vegan diet to an improvement in gut health. Depending on a person's individual IBS type and triggers, this could be explained by the increase in overall variety, beneficial pre and probiotic fibre and a general move towards healthier habits.
Unfortunately, my experience of going vegan did not reflect this. My IBS symptoms worsened initially until I learned how to keep on top of my condition with diet, lifestyle and stress-relieving measures.
I would advise anyone thinking of switching to a vegan diet purely to improve the symptoms of IBS to talk to a dietitian.
5 Veganuary IBS tips
1 ~ Don't try to do too much too soon
This is one of the biggest mistakes I see when people with IBS start eating more plant foods, and one which I made myself.
Whilst the challenge of going fully vegan, every day, for the month of January can be a great motivator it can also hinder a flare-up-free vegan transition for those of us with gut issues.
I know all too well how easy it is to get carried along with the hype and sense of community surrounding Veganuary. Whilst I don't discourage anyone from setting a goal it's important to be realistic about what you and your current health can manage and maintain.
This particularly applies If you're already following a strict diet protocol for your health such as;
- being gluten-free for coeliac disease,
- following a dietitian-led low FODMAP or AIP diet for IBS
- suffering from allergies to foods such as nuts or soy
- reintroducing foods or recovering from disordered eating
- eating for athletic endurance
then take a pause. Is this the right time to embark on another dietary challenge? How will this affect your current protocol? Could this potentially impact your nutritional needs? Is this detrimental to your physical health, mental health or recovery?
Speaking honestly to your healthcare team and getting them on board with your intentions is the key to a successful transition.
Your Veganuary may start with a few simple swaps or meat-free meals each week to see how you feel and build up from there.
2 ~ Go slow
If you're new to eating or increasing beans, grains, nuts, fruit and veggies then go slow. I recommend gradually increasing your intake and portion sizes and slowing down your eating habits and chewing thoroughly.
View your journey towards a more plant-filled diet as a marathon rather than a sprint. In order to be able to successfully maintain it long-term you need to give your gut and microbiome time to adjust.
You may find that you need to incorporate several smaller servings across the day at each meal or snack rather than aiming to cram the full Daily Dozen into two or three meals a day. This particularly applies if you're also sticking to low FODMAP portion sizes.
The recommended serving sizes, particularly for beans, fruit and whole grains, may be on the high side for those of us prone to gut issues. Actively looking for ways to add variety and smaller portions of these throughout the day, into each meal or snack, is a great starting point.
Try adding stewed fruit to a rice pudding or lentils to a savoury porridge for breakfast, throwing quinoa or cooked beans into a soup at lunch, mashing up chickpeas for a dip or snack and stir-frying tofu with veggies and whole grains for dinner.
Eating more slowly and chewing more thoroughly gives your gut a head start. It signals to your digestive system that food is incoming and reduces the likelihood of indigestion and overeating. Eating in a calm, relaxed way benefits overall digestion regardless of what you're eating.
3 ~ Crowd out don't cut out
The biggest mindset tip I can offer is to think of crowding out rather than cutting out animal products. Gradually increasing protein, fibre and calorically dense plant foods in your diet will keep you feeling full and satisfied. Keeping on top of your hunger is key to stopping you from reaching for your old go-to snacks.
Using available resources such as meal plans or the daily dozen guidelines can help you to incorporate more variety. If you're on a low FODMAP diet but don't know how to start eating vegan then check out these low FODMAP resources for Veganuary for done-for-you recipes and meal plans.
Don't worry if you don't achieve your intentions every day. See them as a goal to eventually aim for as you attempt to crowd out the foods and habits that you wish to change. It gets easier over time and you'll soon be naturally incorporating more plant foods over your previous choices.
4 ~ Break it down
Whilst an increase in fibre is inevitable when eating more plants we can pick and choose our battles. The bulk of insoluble fibre can be found in the peel, skin and seeds of fruits and vegetables. Peeling and deseeding some or all of your fruit and veg, to begin with, can help you to get variety without overloading on fibre.
Another great way to build up your tolerance to fibre is by pulverising or blending fruits and vegetables into smoothies, soups and sauces. Blending keeps the all-important fibre content but helps to break it down for easier digestion. Juicing which, unlike blending, removes the majority of the pulp, is also an option for anyone needing to keep fibre to a minimum.
One of the best ways to break down the fibrous, cell wall of fruits and vegetables is to cook them. If you're attempting Veganuary during January, then for my friends in the Northern hemisphere, it's the perfect time to enjoy your veggies cooked into stews and soups and your fruit stewed into porridge, rice pudding or crumble.
5 ~ Fibre = Farts
There's no getting away from it, an increase in fibre will result in increased farts. It's important to acknowledge that this is a perfectly normal reaction to increasing the insoluble fibre in your diet and will likely happen to everyone. Whilst farts and the associated bloating or cramping are definitely more troublesome for those with IBS it is a perfectly natural bodily function and something we shouldn't automatically feel so ashamed about.
Excess flatulence, when it's accompanied by uncomfortable distention, bloating, cramps or incontinence is the real issue. Depending on your lifestyle and working environment, farts can be more stressful to manage in certain circumstances. I appreciate it can be more difficult to see the funny side in a board meeting versus relaxing at home with the dog.
Follow the rest of the tips in this guide to reduce the severity and hopefully avoid flare-ups. It's best to be prepared for it to happen, particularly in the early stages of increasing the plants in your diet. Knowing to expect it should hopefully alleviate some of the anxiety and always remember, better out than in!
Are you making a Veganuary pledge this year? Let us know your gut feeling about it in the comments below. If you're looking for tips to eat more veg with IBS then check out our dedicated Veganuary for IBS series.
Please note that if you're following a low FODMAP diet then not all of the suggestions may be suitable for the elimination phase of the diet. Refer to your preferred resource for low FODMAP foods and portion sizes.
All references to the low FODMAP diet within this article are aimed at those with a clinical diagnosis of IBS, working under the guidance of a health professional or dietitian. The low FODMAP diet is not intended for weight loss, calorie or food restriction and is not recommended for the general population without a medical need to do so.
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