FODMAP Diet: This Extremely Restrictive Diet May Help People Suffering From IBS And Digestive Stress

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition where the patient suffers from abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. The condition isn't understood much beyond its symptoms, which are sometimes controlled by regulating diet and lifestyle, and sometimes through counselling and medication. A new diet called FODMAP diet is gaining traction among sufferers of IBS and a lot of people are increasingly focusing on eliminating certain foods that make their digestive system topsy turvy, in order to gain relief from the condition.

What Is FODMAP?

FODMAPs are short chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine. Over the years, these carbohydrates have come to be recognized as triggers for severe digestive stress that interferes with day-to-day activities of a person. This condition is commonly called the irritable bowel syndrome. This happens because these poorly absorbed carbohydrates pass from the small to the large intestine, where some bacteria ferment them, causing flatulence and bloating. Most people don't suffer from very serious symptoms after ingestion of FODMAPs, but some people get IBS. It has been found that avoiding foods rich in FODMAPs improves these symptoms.

What Is FODMAP Diet?

FODMAP diet is an extremely restrictive diet and should ideally be followed only with the consultation of a clinical doctor. It is recommended for those with IBS and IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disorder), other forms of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder (FGID), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), etc. Common FODMAPs in your foods include fructose, lactose, fructans, galactans and polylols. These carbohydrates, that are to be avoided, are present in most fruits and vegetables, milk and other dairy products, legumes like lentils, artificial sweeteners, chewing gums, and many other foods.

A FODMAP diet basically cuts out any food that is found to be triggering digestive stress, which is bound to be from among the above mentioned foods and food groups. However, after eliminating these potential triggers from your diet, it reintroduces these foods and food groups into your diet at a later stage. So for three to eight weeks, patients are said to exclude all these FODMAPs from their diet, with the duration depending on how the patient responds.

The idea behind this 'cleansing' of the diet is to allow the body to adjust and 'reset' it. Then the diet reintroduces FODMAPs into your diet, one by one, in order to gauge which one is triggering digestive troubles. Once the triggers are identified, the patients are able to understand better what they can and cannot eat. There have been some clinical trials and research that have vouched for the validity of this diet to reduce the symptoms of IBS. However, if you are someone who regularly suffers from digestive stress and are looking for a dietary solution, you are advised to first consult your physician, before starting on this diet.