IBS and FODMAPs: What you need to know

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is such a common diagnosis now and days. I think it is sometimes over diagnosed. It is challenging because there is no test you can do to confirm the diagnosis, it is a disorder from exclusion. This means that tests are done to rule out other disorders first.

Very common symptoms of IBS include bloating, irregular bowel movements, and stomach pain. There are 4 different forms of IBS, IBS-C (constipation), IBS-D (diarrhea), IBS-M (mixed), and IBS-U (unclassified). To diagnose IBS, you have to have reoccurring abdominal pain, at least once a week in the past 3 months AND either have 25% of poops pebbly or hard (constipation), 25% poops liquid or loose (diarrhea), or 25% poops pebbly and 25% poops loose (mixed diarrhea and constipation).

What can help alleviate the symptoms?

There are some supplements that can be helpful, but they are symptom specific, so vary depending on the person. Herbal medicines, probiotics, and prebiotics can all be helpful in managing IBS.

The main diet for IBS is the Low-FODMAP diet. The low-FODMAP diet avoids short chain fermentable carbohydrates for a period of time and then reintroduces them back in. It has shown to be helpful in 75% of people with IBS. But...you don’t want to go on the low-FODMAP diet if you have a history of an eating disorder. No restrictive diets if you suffer from a past eating disorder. 

I have seen the low-FODMAP diet help in many people, but it is a challenge to do on your own and I’ve seen some mistakes from people along the way.

The low-FODMAP diet Pitfalls (common mistakes)

1. Not following proper portion sizes. The low-FODMAP diet is all about portion sizes, if you are eating too much of a certain food then it might increase to a high FODMAP food. For example, broccoli in ¾ cup is low FODMAP, but in 2 cups it is high.

• Solution: pay attention to the portion sizes of your foods as you eat them, the Monash university FODMAP app is a great resource to discover portion sizes at your fingertips.

2. Not having your meals planned out. You are better able to follow the diet when you have an idea of what your meals are going to be.
3. Read ingredient lists, there are hidden FODMAPs in some foods, like onions, garlic powder, inulin, high fructose corn syrup, agave, and chicory root
4. Do not stay on this diet long term! It is meant to be a short-term diet because it does alter the bacteria in your large intestine. You want to reintroduce foods, so you eventually have more variety within your meals.

Click the button below if you would like a free low-FODMAP meal plan and shopping list to help you on your FODMAP journey!

 Free Low-FODMAP Meal Plan And Shopping List