Struggling With Digestive Issues?
The FODMAPS diet Could Be Your Answer
Anyone have stomach issues like gas and bloating? These are very wide-spread issues especially in women and tend to start in your mid-twenties. I was no stranger to Prilosec or Pepcid.
I was Taking something daily just to be comfortable.
My friend and I actually referred to taking our PPI’s (proton pump inhibitors) as “pre-partying,” before going out to eat together. At my worst point, I started having very painful bloating. My stomach had become uncomfortably distended, I swear I looked about 6 months pregnant. I would feel nauseated after eating and just overall uncomfortable. I tried food journaling, which gave me some insight into certain sensitivities, but it was difficult to make any conclusions.
After undergoing an endoscopy and being tested for food allergies, my GI doctor (gastroenterologist) suggested going on the FODMAP diet and this completely changed everything for me.
First of all, what is a FODMAP?
FODMAP is an acronym for "Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols.” These are various short chain carbohydrates that are not well digested by the small intestine.
The FODMAP diet is a 3-step elimination diet.
Avoid the foods that are high on the FODMAP chart
Slowly reintroduce foods to find out which ones trigger unwanted symptoms
Once you identify the foods that cause symptoms, avoid or limit them and just enjoy the foods that don’t.
Simplified, there are foods that are easier to digest than others. If we can identify the culprit foods that are causing symptoms, we can avoid bacterial overgrowth in our gut, and minimize irritation.
Research shows that the FODMAP diet is effective in reducing symptoms in 86% of persons with IBS type issues. If any of these symptoms sound familiar to you, take a look at this chart. You’ll find some of the items that are rated high FODMAP foods are pretty surprising.
You should note, there are a few versions of this chart. Some are more detailed and broken down into specific types of carbohydrates. For those of you that want to eliminate certain types of carbohydrates from your diet, you can search online for one that has more or less of the information you want.
How do you find out which foods are causing your symptoms?
In theory, you would eliminate high FODMAP foods for a couple weeks (2-6 weeks is recommended). Then every three days you would add a food from the high FODMAP chart to determine if it causes any symptoms. I think most of us have an idea of what foods cause us discomfort, but some of these culprit foods can end up being a complete surprise.
I would also suggest keeping a food journal as you do this. Everyone is different! You may not be as sensitive to certain foods as others, despite the rating on the chart. Keep it simple! Have a doc or pages open on your phone so you can easily keep track. If you are a paper and pen person, a literal journal will do the trick. You simply track the food you eat throughout the day. Since I used my phone to keep track, I was able to use emojis to describe how I felt at the end of each day, or after meals.
Something to keep in mind is that this diet can be very restrictive in the beginning. This is not a diet meant for weight loss. If you are underweight or have other health issues that can be affected by diet, you should clear this with your MD first. You should also see your doctor to rule out any underlying issues as these symptoms could be the results of something more serious. For most people without these issues, it's a great way to find out your digestive agitators.
Identifying the specific foods that were creating these terrible symptoms was so relieving. For me, knowing I had control of my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and that I could actively avoid having any flare ups, was so worth it. I’m hoping this process can be an option for many of you suffering from GI (gastrointestinal) issues. If anything, you have an idea of how to make your diet work for you and find the balance you have been craving.
