Skip to content

Wellthoughts

  • Home
  • Food As Medicine
  • Gut Health
  • Hormones
  • Mindfulness
  • Jac’s Favorites
  • Lifestyle
    • Exposed
    • Quizzes
    • Guides
    • News
  • About Us
    • Contributors
    • Contact

IBS & A Low FODMAP Diet

  • April 15, 2019
  • Liz McMahon

I’m sure you’ve heard friends or family complain about “tummy troubles” at some point in your life. Whether it’s bloating, abdominal pain or something more scandalous like diarrhea/constipation, someone you know has been there (maybe even you!). Unfortunately for a lot of people, these “tummy troubles” happen daily and can be considered as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

IBS affects anywhere from 7 to 15% of the population worldwide. It’s more prevalent in women than men, and is typically diagnosed before 50 years of age. The exact cause is unknown but many researchers believe it could be related to gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, inflammation and/or alterations in the gut microbiome. The main symptoms are bloating, abdominal distention, altered bowel habits (i.e. diarrhea, constipation or a mix of both), excessive gas and/or abdominal pain. IBS is always diagnosed by a gastroenterologist, as they need to rule out any more serious conditions (Celiac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Endometriosis, etc).

Stomach pain

A few questions that typically come up when someone is first diagnosed with IBS is 1) can it be “cured” and 2) what medication can I take to manage it. Unfortunately, it cannot be cured and medications aren’t always great at managing it. However, diet CAN help when symptoms and greatly improve quality of life for those suffering from IBS. The diet that has been proven to manage IBS symptoms and is also the most well researched is the Low FODMAP diet. This diet was created at Monash University in Australia and has truly been life changing for those suffering from IBS.

So what exactly is the Low FODMAP diet? First off, it stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are then broken down even further into Fructans, Galactoligosaccharides, Lactose, Fructose, Sorbitol and Mannitol. FODMAPS are short chain carbohydrates that basically wreak havoc in the small intestine of those suffering from IBS. These small carbohydrates are poorly absorbed (or not absorbed at all) and pull water into the small intestine and then are fermented by bacteria in the colon. This stretches the intestine and stimulates the nerves in the gut, causing all those horrible symptoms mentioned above.

FODMAPS can be found in foods like wheat, garlic/onion, cashews, beans/legumes, asparagus, dairy, plums/peaches and sugar alcohols. I know this seems like A LOT and it is! Luckily the amazing researchers are Monash have tested hundreds of carbohydrates to figure out which foods are high and low in FODMAPs and in which amounts. Because that’s the other big thing with FODMAPs- you might be able to handle small amounts of say garlic, but if you eat it in large amounts then that’s when your symptoms will occur.

Beans

The Low FODMAP diet is done in three phases: the elimination phase, the reintroduction phase and finally the personalization phase. The elimination diet can last anywhere from 2-6 weeks, although some people have found relief from their symptoms after only a few days! The reintroduction phase takes quite a bit longer as you re-challenge foods from each of the FODMAP groups and monitor for tolerance. The personalization phase is basically finding a balance between the FODMAPs that have been reintroduced into your diet and avoiding/limiting the high FODMAP foods that are not well tolerated. Studies have shown that patients doing a low FODMAP diet are more successful with the diet when working with a Registered Dietitian. Monash University also has an app (Monash University FODMAP Diet app) that is extremely helpful to anyone that needs to do the low FODMAP diet.

Liz McMahon is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and has worked in the nutrition field for 10 years. . She currently works full time at a large hospital in Philadelphia in the outpatient Gastrointestinal (GI) Clinic as well as the inpatient Intensive Care Nursery. Liz owns Liz McMahon Nutrition, a virtual nutrition counseling service for those suffering from GI related issues. Connect with her on Instagram @theguthealthRD !

Share:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Liz McMahon

Liz McMahon

Social Media

Instagram Pinterest Facebook-f

Most Recent

10 Ways to Calm Your Nervous System

September 29, 2020

Manage Your Mood by Empowering You

September 29, 2020

Exercise Considerations for Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis

September 7, 2020

7 Pillars to Optimal Health To Support The Immune System

August 27, 2020
Get The Latest Updates

Subscribe To Our Monthly Newsletter

Discover What It Means To Live Well. 

Categories

  • Home
  • Food As Medicine
  • Gut Health
  • Hormones
  • Mindfulness
  • Jac’s Favorites
  • Lifestyle
    • Exposed
    • Quizzes
    • Guides
    • News
  • About Us
    • Contributors
    • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • Food As Medicine
  • Gut Health
  • Hormones
  • Mindfulness
  • Jac’s Favorites
  • Lifestyle
    • Exposed
    • Quizzes
    • Guides
    • News
  • About Us
    • Contributors
    • Contact
PrevPreviousUnderstanding Stress
NextThe Essentials You Need To Understand Your Mind And Master Your MindsetNext
On Key

You Might Be Interested In . . .

Why Boosting Your Brain Health Matters

Did you know that keeping your brain healthy is as crucial as the health of the rest of your body? Many of us don’t think

What are you letting control you?

It’s no secret that we’ve found ourselves in some pretty unprecedented times. Feelings of fear and doubt, the concept of control, health and wellness, among

cold-showers-wim-hof-method-vagus-nerve

Train Your Body To Fight Disease

With the fear of Coronavirus permeating the world, everyone is questioning how to keep their immune systems strong. While there is no proven cure to

There’s More To Intermittent Fasting Than Weight Loss

As we slowly emerge from social distancing, some of us are looking to shed the extra pounds we have accrued during this period of isolation. 

Wellthoughts-02

Home
Exposed
Food As Medicine
Gut Health
Hormones
Mindfulness
About Us
Contact

 

Privacy Policy   Disclaimer  Terms & Conditions

© 2021 Wellthoughts | WordPress Theme by Superb Themes
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.