
If you have irritable bowel syndrome or IBS, you’re no stranger to abdominal discomfort, embarrassing side effects, or frequent trips to the bathroom. Fortunately, if you suffer from IBS, you don’t have to live with unpleasant symptoms of the disease—a plant-based diet for IBS can help!
What Is IBS?
IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a group of symptoms related to disorders of gut-brain interactions that affect your large intestine. Unpleasant symptoms of IBS can include:
- Changes in bowel movements
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Mucus in your stool
- Excessive gas
- Abdominal pain
- Stomach cramping or bloating
While IBS doesn’t harm your intestines, it can be painful and hinder your quality of life. It affects about twice as many women as men, and the cause of it isn’t always entirely clear. Fortunately, you can often control symptoms naturally by following a plant-based diet for IBS, managing stress, and taking probiotics.
How Does the Hallelujah Diet Reduce IBS Symptoms?
Switching from a standard American diet (SAD) to a plant-based diet, such as the Hallelujah Diet, can improve your health in numerous ways and gives you the best chance at reducing IBS symptoms.
- Fiber-Rich Plant Foods Ease IBS Symptoms
One reason the Hallelujah Diet eases IBS symptoms is that it’s loaded with fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and it provides you with fiber supplements. Studies show that fiber supplementation is safe and effective for improving IBS symptoms.
- The Hallelujah Diet Makes Dietary Transitions Easier
To eliminate IBS symptoms gradually, the Hallelujah Diet allows you to transition from your usual diet to a plant-based, mainly raw foods diet gradually. You’ll begin with 100% cooked foods plus low-fiber juices and add raw foods to your meal plan about 6-8 weeks later in the form of green smoothies, fermented foods, and salads. You’ll steer clear of foods that cause irritation by keeping a food diary. Finally, you’ll transition to a traditional Hallelujah Diet consisting of 85% raw and 15% cooked vegan foods (Some folks with IBS may do better with a higher percentage of cooked foods).
- Bible Diets Lack Drinks that Trigger IBS Symptoms
When following a plant-based diet for IBS, you’ll avoid certain foods and drinks that can trigger IBS symptoms. Examples include sodas, other carbonated beverages, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Instead, you’ll choose greens smoothies, vegetable juices, and non-caffeinated herbal teas.
- Vegan Diets Avoid Dairy Foods
Following a plant-based diet for IBS means no dairy foods, which can exacerbate IBS symptoms. Instead, the Hallelujah Diet encourages you to drink vegetable juice to ease or eliminate IBS symptoms.
- The Hallelujah Diet Lacks Artificial Sweeteners
Diet foods and drinks containing artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose, can lead to IBS symptoms of bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Even sugar-free chewing gum sweetened with artificial sugars can be problematic in IBS sufferers. The Hallelujah Diet is free from artificial sweeteners and other additives.
What Is the Hallelujah Diet Rescue Plan?
The Hallelujah Diet has formulated an IBS/Crohn’s disease rescue plan. Crohn’s disease is associated with chronic inflammation within your digestive tract that can lead to scar tissue, swelling, and intestinal blockages. The IBS/Crohn’s disease support kit includes dietary supplements that support your body’s natural ability to battle GI challenges when transitioning to a plant-based diet. It strengthens your immune system, boosts energy, and lowers chronic disease risks. Supplements included in your kit are:
- Pure green juice BarleyMax to strengthen your immune system and boost energy
- Probiotics to support immune function and boost healthy gut bacteria
- Digestive enzymes to enhance nutrient absorption and improve digestion
- Betaine hydrochloric acid (HCL) pepsin and gentian to promote healthy digestion
- Omega-3-rich DHA flax oil to reduce inflammation
- Vitamin D3 with K2 to support immune health, heart and bone health, and enhance calcium absorption
The goal of the Hallelujah Diet rescue plan is to ease IBS symptoms, prevent nutritional deficiencies, restore your health, and help you transition to the Hallelujah plant-based diet for IBS.
The Hallelujah Diet Transition
If you’re used to eating a standard American diet, you’ll slowly ease into a plant-based meal plan to reduce or eliminate IBS symptoms. You’ll:
- Eat only cooked foods for 6-8 weeks—no beans, other legumes, or grains
- Reduce stress
- Slowly add in legumes and grains after 6-8 weeks
- Consume 1/2 cup of fermented foods daily
- Eat salads (smoothies and blended salads initially to avoid irritating fiber) with every meal
- Slowly transition to an 85% raw, 15% cooked foods diet
- Minimize sugars
- Drink raw green vegetable juices
- Consume plenty of water; add HydroBoost to raise pH and protect against free radicals
During your transition to a plant-based diet for IBS, document foods associated with IBS symptoms. Cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower might be problematic for you, while other veggies won’t be. God designed your body to heal itself naturally with proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle!
If one decides to go this route, is there someone to work with to guide me? What are my options?
Thanks, Nancie
Nancie,
There may be a Hallelujah Diet Health Minister in your area that could help you. There is a good DVD, “Getting Started on the Hallelujah Diet”. The booklet, “5 Steps for Success, Making the Hallelujah Diet Work for You”, explains the Hallelujah Diet and shows how simple it is. When I say simple, I don’t mean easy. Making our food instead of eating processed low-quality foods requires time in the kitchen and commitment.
Problems with digestive health can be very challenging and go on for decades. I’m glad to learn that IBS doesn’t harm your intestines. One young man I learned about recently said he noticed that people with digestive issues lack friendly flora in their gut. He loaded his diet with prebiotic and probiotic (fermented foods) and was able to recover his health. Pure water also plays an important part in protecting the good bacteria in the gut.
A healthy diet is a great way to help prevent or reverse these type symptoms!
Great information on IBS. The information about the HD Diet eating healthy could make a difference with a person dealing with IBS. I think once you start the diet it helps alot. I have heard taking in more fiber through the foods can help a person with IBS. Thank you for all the information.
Ok i read through the ibs info but im curious about the cosco membership for a year which was used to get me to click onto this page. Where do i get my free mebership. Or is it just a lie to get me reading all this stuff with no intent of giving me nothing at al
Hi Charles, I work at Hallelujah Diet and this is the first I’ve heard about any costco membership. If I find out anything I’ll reply back.
The suggestions under Hallelujah Diet Transition are good ones for a person with a digestive disorder. It assists a person by focusing on the foods that are easier to digest.
Great information. I love the IBS/Crohn’s rescue kit. Great products and good advice on how to best transition to this new lifestyle.