Travelling with IBS can feel daunting, especially when holidays often involve flights, hotel buffets, eating out, alcohol and changes to routine. If bloating is one of your main symptoms, a little planning can make a big difference.
Here are five simple tips to help you feel more comfortable and less self-conscious in your summer clothes whilst travelling this summer.
1. Avoid fizzy drinks and drinking through a straw
Carbonated drinks can increase gas in the digestive system, which may worsen bloating and abdominal pressure. Drinking through a straw can also increase swallowed air. Choose still drinks where possible, such as water with lots of ice, lemon, lime, mint or cucumber. If you are travelling to a higher-risk destination, use bottled or safe drinking water and avoid ice unless you are confident it is safe. Peppermint tea, iced herbal teas, and iced tea or coffee with lactose-free milk can also be good options if lactose is a trigger for you.
Dry red or white wine, vodka or gin are lower-FODMAP alcoholic options, especially when alternated with water. If fructose or sorbitol are triggers, try to avoid cocktails containing apple, orange, peach, blackcurrant or grape juice, as well as syrups such as agave, which may be used in some margaritas or Mexican-style lime drinks.
2. Know your personal food and drink triggers
Everyone with IBS is different. Some people are more sensitive to lactose, while others react more to fructans, fructose, sorbitol or GOS. Before travelling, it can help to identify your biggest food triggers through the three-step low-FODMAP diet or breath testing, so you can avoid your main triggers without restricting too much.
Common holiday bloating triggers include onion, garlic, wheat-heavy meals, fruit juices and smoothies, dried fruit, large fruit salads, beans, lentils, and high-FODMAP sauces or dressings. At a buffet, choose simpler foods where you can see what is in them. Sauces are often where the highest-FODMAP ingredients are hidden.
Gluten-free or lactose-free options can help if fructans or lactose are triggers for you. A large amount of higher-FODMAP vegetables in one meal may cause a lot of fermentation. Smaller amounts of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains at each meal are often better tolerated. If you are prone to bloating, spread fibre more evenly across the day. Foods that can also speed up digestion or irritate the gut include high-fat meals, caffeine and chilli, so go easy with these too. Have a read of Bay’s Kitchen’s blog 6 Essential Tips for Eating out on the Low FODMAP Diet.
3. Eat slowly and avoid overeating
Buffets can make it tempting to eat quickly or go back for several large plates. Eating too fast and eating until overly full can both worsen bloating. Aim to eat slowly, chew well and stop when you feel around 80% full. It can also help to choose smaller plates, sit down calmly, and avoid rushing meals just before travel or activities.
4. Keep your routine as steady as possible
Changes in sleep, meal timing, hydration and stress can all affect IBS symptoms. Try to maintain regular mealtimes, drink enough fluids, and keep a normal fibre intake spread evenly across the day using low-FODMAP foods. Gentle walks after meals can also support digestion and help gas move through more comfortably. Tight clothing around your tummy can worsen bloating. Relaxation tools can also be helpful. Breathing exercises, calming music/ binaural sounds or a short relaxation app session can support the gut-brain connection and reduce stress-related bloating. Check out Bay’s Kitchen’s blog, 6 Relaxation Techniques To Ease Your IBS Symptoms.
If you are travelling somewhere hot, alternate alcoholic drinks with water and be mindful that salty foods, alcohol and poor sleep can contribute to abdominal water retention as well as bloating.
5. Pack a small IBS travel kit
Having a few familiar options with you can reduce stress and help you feel more in control. Useful items may include: low-FODMAP snacks, a refillable water bottle, peppermint tea bags, or if you suffer with stomach cramps, a hot water bottle can help relax your tummy. Low FODMAP snacks could include: 70% dark chocolate, nuts (apart from cashews and pistachios), oatcakes, small cheese snack like Babybel, small bag of popcorn, plain/ salted crisps, mandarins/ tangerine, firm banana, blueberries and raspberries, carrot and cucumber sticks.
Over the counter or prescription remedies you know work for you could include: specific digestive enzymes such as lactase, WindEze (simethicone), enteric-coated peppermint oil capsules, Buscopan or Colofac for cramps or spasms, or Gaviscon for heartburn. Always check with a pharmacist or healthcare professional if you are unsure whether a remedy is suitable for you, especially if already taking medication.
Final thought
The goal on holiday is not to eat perfectly or worry about food. It is to understand your biggest triggers, reduce the biggest bloating risks, and give yourself enough flexibility to enjoy your time away. Preparation beforehand can reduce worry and allow your gut to relax. Support from a registered Nutritional Therapist specialising in gut health and IBS can help you work out your personal FODMAP triggers and your individual root causes of your IBS.
