IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a relatively common disorder that affects your large intestine. Many of the signs and symptoms you may experience with IBS can include abdominal pain, cramping, gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. It's a long-term condition that needs long-term management.
While only a small number of people suffer from extreme symptoms, most can control them through a structured diet, lifestyle changes, and managing stress levels— for most people, IBS treatment is best attempted with the FODMAP Diet.
What Is The FODMAP Diet, Or IBS Diet?
The FODMAP diet is a diet low in fermentable carbs or FODMAPS (Fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols). For those with easily irritable bowels, these kinds of foods often trigger bloating symptoms, stomach pain, or gas, causing them to spend more time than they’d probably like on the toilet.
This diet identifies these foods and restricts them in order to dramatically reduces digestive symptoms related to IBS. In fact, the FODMAP diet has helped 81% of patients with bloating and stomach pain and has significantly reduced other symptoms like gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
There are two main steps to this diet— elimination and reintroduction. It’s important to note that you won’t necessarily have to stay on such a limited diet forever! Since inflammatory foods are the most common trigger when it comes to digestive complications like IBS, it can help to ‘reset’ your bowels and start doing some detective work to figure out what you can and cannot tolerate. Once you’ve seen a major reduction— or even remission— of your symptoms, you can start adding foods back into your diet.
Here at the Colorectal Clinic of Tampa Bay, we highly recommend that you keep a food journal or log not only during your exclusion period but also during the reintroduction period. This will help both you and your doctor identify your personal triggers; after all, everyone’s body is a little bit different!
What Can You Eat On A FODMAP Diet?
While you definitely want to iron out the details with your colorectal specialist, here are a few suggestions about what to keep and what to get rid of to get you started. Finding the best foods for IBS that you can eat and the worst foods for IBS will help make your life significantly more comfortable.
These are just a few examples about what you should & shouldn’t eat on a low FODMAP diet. For a complete list talk to your colorectal specialist.
Talk To An IBS Specialist
When it comes to IBS and the FODMAP Diet, you will want to speak to your colorectal specialist and a nutritionist to see which foods are best for you to start with and which ones you should avoid. Speaking with a professional in this matter will help you move forward with your life with more comfort and less time worrying about whether or what you ate was a bad idea.