==Special Precautions of Food Combination==
*Eat fruit alone, away from food, either an hour before or two hours after. Make sure it's a soluble fiber fruit, such as bananas, peeled apples, mangoes, or papayas. Insoluble fiber fruits may be tolerated if eaten after soluble fiber fruits. Insoluble fiber on an empty stomach is problematic for IBS sufferers.
*The accepted starch and protein combination no-no for everyone can apply on a limited basis for IBS folks. Grains like pasta, bread or rice and potatoes with meat, poultry or fish. People with IBS-D (diarrhea) should try to split those two types up because the enzyme requirement for each is different.
*If a starch contains soluble fibers, it's usually okay to mix it with some animal or legume proteins. White rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are starchy, but they contain soluble fibers that form a gel in the intestines and help inhibit IBS reactions.
*Soluble fiber veggies should be eaten before an insoluble fiber salad.
*Many animal foods and heavy fats that are difficult to digest should be completely avoided until one is out of the woods with IBS. Ditto for caffeine and alcohol.
*Soaking legumes overnight helps remove the complex sugars that can agitate IBS. It also minimizes the beans' cooking time. Whole grain rices (brown rice) can be soaked overnight as well to minimize phytates or phytic acid, which tend to block mineral absorption and perhaps agitate IBS reactions.
==Benefits and uses of Food Combination are==
Learning how to combine your foods will ensure you’re making every bite count.