3 Phases of the Low FODMAP Diet
A look inside the Low FODMAP Diet protocol
What are FODMAPs?
The word FODMAP is an acronym for groups of carbohydrates naturally found in some vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and milk products. Click here to read the acronym breakdown and definition.
3 phases of the Low FODMAP Diet
This diet is not a cure for IBS, rather a new way of eating that helps you to control and manage your IBS symptoms.
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3 weeks of substituting foods that are high in FODMAPs with ones that are either low in, or free from FODMAPs. This phase is necessary to eliminate IBS symptoms.
On the Two Raw Sisters App we create delicious Low FODMAP recipes suitable for this phase that make you feel great and help take the guesswork out of “what to eat?”. Alternatively you can purchase our FODMAP E-book here.
If you would prefer an individual meal guide then working with a Dietitian would be beneficial for you. We highly recommend Sara Widdowson, a dietitian and women’s health expert from Your Monthly Club.
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Over roughly 10 weeks you will reintroduce foods on-by-one from each FODMAP sub-group, leaving enough time in between additions to see if any symptoms return. This allows you to see what FODMAP groups, or foods are triggers for your symptoms. Throughout this phase it is important to keep all other foods Low FODMAP. This is to make sure you are seeing true symptoms from good and not from overloading on other FODMAPs.
We know that ~75% of people following a low FODMAP diet will have a significant relief of symptoms, and for that reason reintroducing FODMAPs may not be tempting… However, there are a few reasons why reintroducing FODMAPs is important for your health:
Limiting FODMAPs restricts nourishment to your healthy gut bacteria which over time can result in an increase in IBS symptoms
It is not recommended to follow a low FODMAP diet indefinitely because it may put you at risk of certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies
You should feel reassured that most people are not sensitive to all of the FODMAP groups, but rather 1 or 2.
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Once you have identified the FODMAP groups, or foods that are triggers of your IBS symptoms, you can eliminate or manage the frequency and dose that you consume them. It is highly unlikely that you will be sensitive to all the FODMAP groups.
In this final phase you can eat everything that doesn’t trigger symptoms, whether it is high in FODMAPs or not. It is about finding a way of eating that works for you and allows you to feel your best.
3 steps to take before starting the Low FODMAP diet
Step one
First, work with your GP (general practitioner) or other medical professional to establish that you do indeed have a diagnosis of IBS. Your medical professional would also check for other common digestive disorders such as:
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), an autoimmune disease with IBS-like symptoms
Coeliac Disease, an autoimmune disease which impacts the small intestine
Note: Some people with other conditions (such as Endometriosis) also experience IBS-like symptoms and would likely benefit from identifying the individual dietary triggers of their symptoms.
Step two
Rule out any ‘red flag symptoms’ which may indicate a diagnosis other than IBS. These include:
Symptoms starting after the age of 50 years
Blood in your bowel motions
Fever or raised body temperature
Unintentional weight loss
Strong family history of bowel cancer
Step three
Be mindful that other factors (not FODMAPs) can also influence our digestion and cause IBS symptoms including the following:
Caffeine intake
Alcohol intake
Carbonated beverages
Chewing gum
High fat meals
Spicy foods
Skipping meals
Eating too quickly
Making changes to your current diet by reducing the factors above will likely help to improve your IBS symptoms. If you eliminate FODMAPs but don’t address some of these other dietary points you might find that removing FODMAPs won’t be as helpful as it could have been.
