Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.
FODMAP diet
The FODMAP diet is designed for people with intestinal distress such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and/or Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). FODMAP refers to “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols”. These are small sugars that your small intestine doesn’t absorb very well and because of this may trigger intestinal distress in some people. Distress may include
Diarrhoea
Constipation
Gas and flatulence
Cramps
Stomach bloating
Therefore in this diet you eat food low in FODMAP to then find out which foods were causing the problem by slowly and carefully reintroducing them.
How does it work?
The FODMAP diet consists of three phases:
Phase 1: restriction | FODMAP diet
For 2-6 weeks swap high FODMAP foods with low FODMAP foods.
Wondering what you can eat during this phase? Check out the following section “What can I eat?”.
Have your symptoms got better? Move forward to phase 2. If it is otherwise, it may be that your symptoms are not sensitive to a low FODMAP diet, in which case you need to consider other therapies that may help you with the intestinal issues. For example stress-reduction techniques and counselling therapy.
Phase 2: reintroduction
In phase 2, you continue the FODMAP diet but practice a few “challenges” by reintroducing some foods. This serves you to identify which foods you tolerate and which ones trigger some symptoms. These are very specific foods which are high in one type of FODMAPs but not in the others so that you get to know to which FODMAPs you may be sensitive to.
Phase 3: expansion | long-term maintenance
In phase 3 you re-expand your food intake diversity as much as possible, introducing well-tolerated foods and FODMAPs, while you keep avoiding the poor-tolerated ones.
What can I eat?
To easily recognise foods that you can eat or you need to avoid you may consider the purchase of one of the following apps.
Monash University FODMAP diet (one time purchase)
InTolerApp: Histamine & FODMAP (subscription or one time purchase)
Because the FODMAP diet is a temporary restrictive plan, it is best to consult a qualified practitioner to make sure your diet is balanced and provides the right and sufficient nutrients to nourish your body