In honour of IBS awareness month, Dr. Bobby Parmar, our resident Naturopath, has provided us with a great (vegan) recipe including ingredients beneficial to those living with the condition: Mom's homemade Curried Beans on Rice, India's answer to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

3 branches Kale
1 tablespoon ground Flaxseed
1 cup of Brown Rice
1 large red onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 teaspoon Garam Masala mix
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 cut potato
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Slightly oil fry pan with olive oil
Cut 1 large red onion and add diced to oil
Add 4 cloves of garlic
Fry until browned

Add garam masala 1 tsp
Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
Stir for a few seconds
Add 1 peeled and cut potato
Cook for 20 minutes

Add pre-soaked kidney beans 2 cups and mix
Add 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
Add three branches cut Kale
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt
Simmer for 20 minutes

Serve over a bed of steamed brown rice.
Serves 1 to 2.

*note some IBS sufferers cannot tolerate the insoluble fiber in brown rice, substitute white rice if this is the case. Also some individuals do not do well with onions, eliminate if necessary.

Healthful ingredients for IBS:
1. Curcumin is the main medicinal ingredient in turmeric. Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory. IBS is believed to be partially aggravated by a low-grade inflammation in the gut. Curcumin is currently undergoing phase IV clinical trials of persons with IBS.
2. Brown rice is considered hypoallergenic and has beneficial constituents that soothe the gut.
3. Flaxseeds are a good source of fibre that is helpful
4. Kale is also a great source of soluble fibre beneficial for IBS.

Most importantly, consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting a diet for IBS as it is a condition that has no single dietary protocol that works for all sufferers.

Like in Indian restaurants, this meal is best followed by carminatives that are soothing to the gut including fennel seeds and cardamom seeds!

Yours in Health,
Dr. Bobby Parmar, ND