One of the most common complaints I’m seeing with clients involves bloating, bowel issues and stomach pain. They just want a cure for their bloating! After medical investigations with no answers, the diagnosis is often irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The good news about IBS is that while it can be a pain in the butt, it’s completely manageable with diet.
While lots of people think it might be gluten or dairy that’s causing their digestive upsets, it’s often not the case. While removing these from their diet helps, it’s actually other compounds found in wheat that are often causing the upset.
These compounds are part of a group known as FODMAPS – short for….
Fermentable
Oligosaccharides (includes Fructans and Galactans)
Disaccharides (eg. Lactose)
Monosaccharides (eg. excess Fructose – when there is more fructose than glucose)
and
Polyols (eg. Sorbitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Xylitol and Isomalt)
These are short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed by those with irritable bowel syndrome. They are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and then pass into the large intestine where they are rapidly fermented by the bacteria that live there, causing gas, bloating and changes in your bowel habits (can be constipation, diarrhoea or a combination of both). Those with IBS can sometimes have fluctuating weight because of the bloating – up to 2kg difference each day.
Everyone is different when it comes to FODMAPS. Some people are affected by just one type of FODMAP where as others are affected by a a few of them.
SO, if you’re suffering bloating, pain and bowel issues what should you do?
The first step
- make a trip to see the doctor Before you go on any type of elimination diet, it’s important to rule out that you don’t have a medical problem like celiac disease, or an inflammatory bowel disease.
- Once anything serious is ruled out, and other diagnoses ruled out, then it’s time to try an elimination diet to figure out what FODMAPs are causing you issues. This is best done with a nutritionist or dietitian who is familiar with FODMAPS to ensure it’s done correctly and you get the best results.
FODMAPS are found in lots of foods, which is why the guidance of a nutritionist/dietitian is so helpful. Also some foods you can eat in small amounts rather than not at all. Just as an example, here’s a sample:
Excess Fructose: Honey, Apples, Mango, Pear, Watermelon, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup Solids
Fructans: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beetroot, Chicory, Dandelion leaves, Garlic (in large amounts), Leek, Onion, Raddicio lettuce, Spring Onion (white part), Wheat (in large amounts), Rye (in large amounts), Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides.
Lactose: Milk, icecream, custard, dairy desserts, condensed and evaporated milk, milk powder, yoghurt, margarine, soft unripened cheeses (eg. ricotta, cottage, cream, marscarpone).
Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS): Legume beans (eg. baked beans, kidney beans, bortolotti beans), Lentils, Chickpeas
Polyols: Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Cherries, Longon, Lychee, Nectarines, Pears , Plums, Prunes, Mushrooms, Sorbitol (420), mannitol (421), xylitol (967), maltitol (965) and Isomalt (953).
(list from Sue Shepherd)
If you’d like some personalised help, I am available for consultation via Skype or email.
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