You might have read, or been told that you should try a Low FODMAPS diet. How will you know if it is the right thing for you? What is a FODMAP? and How hard is this "diet" going to be?
If you Google it you will be met with a huge number of different issues with a FODMAP diet and to be quite frank, it is enough to leave you scratching your head and thinking that it is just too hard. Well it isn't and here is why......
What is the Low FODMAPS diet and why should I use it?
If you are experiencing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the abdominal pain, bloating and changes in your bowel habits, including an increase in wind, or just one or two of the symptoms, you should see your GP and ensure other causes of the symptoms are eliminated. This is important as I will be checking that other problems have been eliminated before looking at changing your diet.
The low FODMAPS diet has been proven over many years to assist with the symptoms of irritable bowel and can improve your quality of life. Imagine a reduction in the pain, the bloating and the embarrassing wind problems.
What is a FODMAP?
The FODMAPS are the fermentable carbohydrates like sorbitol, mannitol, lactose, fructose and fructans that we don't absorb properly and as a result they ferment in our large intestine (or large bowel) producing the wind and bloating and causing an imbalance in fluids in the bowel leading to diarrhoea. By consulting with a dietitian you can be sure that you are eliminating the correct foods and assessing the symptoms as you go.
Do I need to eliminate foods forever? I heard you can't even eat garlic or onions?
The answer here is NO you start the FODMAPS elimination diet by eliminating all of the carbohydrates that can be malabsorbed leading to the symptoms, then we complete a process and reintroduce the foods group by group until you have identified which food groups cause the problems. The best news is that it may only be a few foods, and as a result you can feel more confident when eating out and choosing foods.
I provide a list of the foods, and work with you in the reintroduction phase to ensure that you are able to work your way through the food groups once by one for the best result.
