Hi Katylo,

IBS can be very difficult to manage, so I really feel for you having to cope with this as well as trying to lose weight.  But, don’t despair as, over time, I am sure you will find a new diet and way of eating that will help with both situations.

A wheat-free diet means avoiding bakery goods, bread, cakes, biscuits, pastry, pasta and couscous.  You also need to guard against ‘hidden’ wheat, which can be in the form of flour included in many packaged foods.  As rye and barley contain chemically similar types of gluten to wheat, it may be beneficial to avoid these grains too whilst following a wheat-free diet.  Oats, however, should not pose a problem. 

In place of these try oatcakes, rice cakes and wheat-free pasta and cereals.  These are all acceptable and readily available in the majority of supermarkets.  So for breakfast, for example, I would recommend a wheat-free muesli or porridge and for lunch, something like a rice salad with chicken or fish.  Dinner is generally less of a problem and for snacks, I would look at eating oat or rice cakes with a savoury spread, like houmous, or a natural sugar-free jam if you fancy something sweet.

As you have found out, there are a number of substitutes for dairy products.  For alternatives to milk there are soya, rice and oat milks.  All of these are available as unsweetened milks. Dairy-free margarine and plain soya yoghurt are also good substitutes.  Did your Doctor tell you to avoid goat’s milk products? If not, you could try goat’s cheese, which is available as a soft cheese, but also as a hard cheese (it looks like cheddar) which can be useful for grating onto potatoes etc.

Take a look at the website www.wheatanddairyfree.com for some more ideas and inspiration.

Apart from this, try to eat regularly, avoid large meals, include plenty of dietary fibre by always eating your 5-a-day and drink plenty of water.  Peppermint tea can sometimes calm the gut during an attack and is well worth trying.

I hope this helps and wish you well.