Irritable gut: the guts of it.
- claire
- Jun 8, 2019
- 3 min read
Irritable gut is something I've lived with all my life and is very embarrassing to talk about but the more I talk about it, the more common I realise it is! It is commonly known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS and affects the digestive system. The most common symptoms are bloating, gas, stomach cramps, constipation and diarrhoea. These symptoms tend to come and go and some experience all symptoms and some only experience a few. This post is about my personal experiences and what I have noted whilst suffering from this syndrome.
Having lived with this for 25 years, I have often experimented with different foods to try and pin point what it is that had been affecting me. It wasn't until I came across an article by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, that I finally twigged what it was that was making my body so upset. They had worked out a diet called the 'FODMAP' diet that was catered to people suffering from IBS. The main idea behind the diet is that certain food groups could be high or low in these 'FODMAPS' and that caused different reaction in your body. Monash defines FODMAPS as, 'a collection of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that aren’t absorbed properly in the gut, which can trigger symptoms in people with IBS. FODMAPs are found naturally in many foods and food additives. '
They released a list of foods that were high, medium or low FODMAP and reccommend that you cut all of the high and medium foods out and try an elimination diet. For some, their bodies might only be reactive to a few of the FODMAPS, and for others, like me, their bodies react to all high fodmap foods.
I started the elimination diet, taking out all high and medium FODMAP foods for two weeks. I then introduced the high fodmaps one at a time. Starting with fresh dairy I found that my body reacted quite badly with diarrhoea and stomach cramps. I then tried introducing gluten and similar things were happening. Though I found that my stomach bloated quite badly after eating or drinking gluten products.
Two of the major foods that I try to avoid at all costs are onion and garlic. I had always suspected that garlic was one of the main causes of all my symptoms and the Monash study confirmed it. I try to avoid these at all costs because I know them to have the worst side effects for me.
After reintroducing the high fodmaps I soon realised that my body couldn't process them very well at all. After having cut out all of the high fodmap foods I found that I had more energy and felt very clear headed. I realise that my body was constantly trying to digest and break down these foods and couldn't do so very well so I felt tired and sick all the time.
However, I had to think realistically about what food choices I was going to make because a lot of the dairy and gluten alternatives are very expensive and often hard to come by. And I LOVE food and am in the hospitality business so I made sure to learn which foods were moderate/high fodmap and which were low so I could base my diet around that. So a splash of milk in my long black or one slice of bread I'm not worried about. But if I'm ever feeling bloated, sluggish, tired and all the rest, I'm sure to get back on my low fodmap diet and reset my body.
I'm yet to know it this is proven, but I've been trialing different foods and the affects on my skin. When my gut is stressed by all the high fodmap foods, I see a change in my skin and seem to get more breakouts. I'll keep you posted..
More and more people are beginning to know about fodmap foods and I've seen a few products at Source Foods in Kumeu and the Countdown in Ponsonby that stock low fodmap products. Lets hope there are more to come! I've been playing around with low fodmap recipes and will post some up for you soon!
Resources
A good book to read is the 'Clever guts diet' by Dr Michael Mosley.
Take a look at these links to find the explanations from Monash University and their approach to the FODMAP diet. https://www.monashfodmap.com/
Please see your GP or health practitioner if you think you have any of the symptoms, please do not use this as a diagnosis for yourself.
c.
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