"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

IBS? A low FODMAP food plan may help.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a typical gastrointestinal disorder that affects not less than one in 10 people within the United States every year. With symptoms like pain, diarrhea, gas and bloating, it's no surprise that living with IBS can have a big impact on an individual's quality of life.

Diet is a method people manage IBS symptoms. A standard treatment method is to avoid foods that trigger symptoms.

But if you might have trouble identifying your trigger foods, it's possible you'll profit from adopting an elimination food plan. One of one of the best diets for individuals with IBS is the low FODMAP food plan.

FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates. They are present in many foods and are related to IBS problems, comparable to diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, and bloating. The following foods contain FODMAPs:

  • oligosaccharides, including fructans (in wheat, onions, garlic) and galactans (in beans, lentils, soybeans);
  • Disaccharides, including lactose (in milk and other dairy products)
  • Monosaccharides, including fructose (in apples, honey)
  • Polyols, including sorbitol and mannitol (in some fruits, vegetables, artificial sweeteners).

The low FODMAP food plan works in two steps. First, you eliminate most dietary FODMAP foods for 2 to 4 weeks. Then you replace them with a low FODMAP alternative. You monitor your symptoms for changes after which reintroduce specific FODMAPs one by one over a period of six to eight weeks, in response to your tolerance. (Your doctor or nutritionist may advise you to maintain a food diary and symptom chart to assist discover problem foods in addition to the quantity.) The goal is to search out out which foods triggers your IBS symptoms, so you possibly can limit or eliminate them out of your food plan. .

Keep in mind that everybody reacts to FODMAPs otherwise, and a few individuals with IBS can eat small amounts without symptoms.


Photo: © Rimma_Bondarenko/Getty Images