When I first started using a Low FODMAP diet to help people, more than a decade ago, it was such an amazing tool that helped so many people that no-one stopped to think about the longterm consequences. The general consensus was: if you feel better for avoiding FODMAPs, keep them out of your diet. And people did, in fact entire businesses have been created to help you to stay on a Low FODMAP diet forever, without getting bored!
But what we didn’t know back then, was that following a Low FODMAP diet is actually not very good for your gut health (oh, the irony!), in particular your gut bacteria.
Now, don’t get me wrong, a Low FODMAP diet is still a very useful tool that I frequently use to help my clients to reduce their gut symptoms – after all, the research shows that 3 out of 4 people with IBS do reduce their symptoms on a Low FODMAP diet.
However, a low FODMAP diet should only be a tool to help you relieve your symptoms. A Low FODMAP diet should NOT be a diet for life, for a number of reasons
Following a Low FODMAP diet longterm is hard (if you ever want to eat out of your own house that is, and enjoy food at restaurants or with friends)
Following a restrictive diet may mean you are missing out on some important nutrients. I find that Calcium and Fibre are the most common nutrients at risk
Following a Low FODMAP diet longerterm has a negative impact your microbiome, which can impact not only your gut health but also your overall health. A Low FODMAP diet has been shown to reduce overall levels of gut bacteria, and may impact important beneficial bacterial families including Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Roseburia and the anti-inflammatory bacteria Faecalibacterium prausntizii.
But many people feel trapped on a low FODMAP diet as they get symptoms if they try to eat FODMAPs foods once again.
But how can I get OFF a Low FODMAP diet?
Now that we know that a Low FODMAP diet is not ideal for gut health longterm I’m seeing clients who have been told by their doctor to ‘give up’ following a Low FODMAP diet or to ‘just start eating FODMAPs again’.
The reality is though, if you could have you would have by now, right?
You are likely stuck on a Low FODMAPs diet because eating FODMAPs triggers your symptoms. Just forcing yourself to eat more FODMAPs will cause pain, discomfort, flatulence, abdominal cramps and loose stools or constipation (or a bit of both).
But don’t give up! It absolutely IS possible to re-introduce FODMAPs back into your diet.
I can help you to go beyond FODMAPs: to nurture your gut to a Happier & Healthier place so that you are able to reintroduce FODMAP foods again without symptoms.
Does this sound familiar to you? If you are stuck on a restrictive low FODMAP diet, and want to nurture your gut so you can broaden your diet, please reach out to learn how I can help you - the quickest way is to book a free 15minutes Discovery Session where I can find out where you are stuck and show you what I can do to help.
