Low FODMAPs diet is becoming a more frequent topic in my office. Low FODMAPs diet was developed by an Australian PhD in 2001 to help people with symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The program to conquer IBS I have had in place since 1999 addresses all the recommendations of the low FODMAPs diet, but in a step-by-step process of elimination, instead of painting with such a broad brush.
The low FODMAPs diet suggest limiting these foods and yet may be too restrictive for some who suffer from IBS. In other words, I have not found it necessary to restrict all of the foods the low FODMAPs diet restricts. Conquering IBS is tough enough without taking away this much food for everyone. Plus, the typical explanation with the different categories of foods/sugars can be confusing. Let’s make this much easier!
Low FODMAPs diet is a thorough and comprehensive plan to eliminate many foods from the diet, each of them…for their own reason…may contribute to symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). But, it may be too much…and contain some unnecessary eliminations for many sufferers.
FODMAPs is an acronym (abbreviation) referring to Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. Saccharides are sugars (Oligo, Di and Mono) and Polyols are sugar alcohols (sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol and isomalt), commonly added to foods because of their lower caloric content compared to real sugar.
These sugars and sugar alcohol molecules can be poorly absorbed by some people in the small intestine of the digestive tract. Arriving at the large intestine, they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there normally. These bacteria then digest/ferment these FODMAPs molecules and can cause symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) such as abdominal gas and/or bloating and distension, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and/or constipation and other gastrointestinal complaints.
How to Accomplish a Low FODMAPs Diet
When reading about a low FODMAPs diet on other websites, you will find many foods listed under the different aforementioned sugar categories and some in more than one category. Confusing!
I have a much more simple explanation found in the articles and free reports on this website that discuss the same foods as the low FODMAPs diet, but I explain them according to food group and I also suggest you not eliminate all of these food groups at once, but according to a step-by-step process depending on your symptoms and rate of success in eliminating your symptoms.
It’s this simple:
- Eliminate dairy products because of lactose
- Eliminate some fruits and some vegetables because of fructose
- Eliminate foods that contain gluten
- Eliminate cruciferous vegetables because of raffinose
- Eliminate the legume family (beans) as they also contain raffinose
- Eliminate sugar alcohols
I do not have information in my free reports, book or website related to the sugar alcohols sorbitol, erythritol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol and isomalt because I have found them to not be a problem in more than 99% of my patients. If you are completely confused, have tried the above eliminations, have tried the treatment plan detailed in my free report or book with the recommended supplements, your last resort may be to search for the sugar alcohols in your diet.
Do you really want to eliminate ALL of those foods at one time? Let’s look at each one according to your health concern with more detailed information about the exact foods to eliminate following this section.
For IBS patients:
In my free report, Conquering Irritable Bowel Syndrome: How to Become Symptom Free, we begin with only two of the above food groups eliminated initially, dairy and legumes (beans). In the Step-by-Step Thought Process section of the report, I also advise to consider eliminating gluten containing foods and then fructose containing foods…one food group at a time to see what effect that may have on you. And only if you need to.
Eliminating cruciferous vegetables is only necessary in about 5% of the population, but I do discuss this in my book, but not in my free reports. Please see link below.
For Crohn’s Disease, any type of Colitis or any inflammatory condition:
In my free reports about Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, autoimmune inflammatory, psoriasis, eczema and pancreatitis, we begin with three of the above food groups eliminated initially, dairy, gluten and legumes (beans). I also advise to consider eliminating fructose containing foods. In fact, I am finding fructose to be a dietary villain in more and more inflammatory bowel disease patients.
Some of these patients may also need to eliminate the cruciferous family to fully eliminate their symptoms.
Details about each elimination:
Bottom line is that the low FODMAPs diet may be a bit too much for people to embrace right off the bat and simply limiting the amount of these foods or eating them in isolation from other FODMAPs food…I have never found to be effective.
Please fill out the form below to receive a copy of Dr. Dahlman’s free report on how you can conquer IBS, Crohn’s Disease, any type of colitis or any inflammatory condition with his all natural treatment utilizing his step-by-step process, temporary dietary eliminations and an all natural supplement program.
To find the costs of his program, please click here: “Do It Yourself Program” and solve irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s Disease or any type of colitis on your own or “Phone Consultation Program” to learn about how he can guide you through the step-by-step process to help you conquer these conditions.
