Could A Low Fructose Diet Reverse Your IBS?
If you have been suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and no remedies seem to bring you any relief, then you might be considering alternative treatments. Fortunately, there are many effective alternative treatments available. During your quest to find the most effective natural treatment, you may have heard about the low FODMAP diet. FODMAPs, which stands for Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols, are carbohydrates that are present in food. Only certain carbohydrate-containing foods are considered to be in the FODMAP category. These carbs are thought to cause fermentation in the gut, leading to the sometimes distressing symptoms of IBS.
What does the FODMAP diet consist of?
This special eating plan can be restrictive for many people, although after trying it, you might feel that relief is very well worth any amount of restriction. On this particular eating plan, you must avoid the following foods:
- Dairy products (no ice cream, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
- Fructose (honey, agave nectar, fruits like apples, pears, peaches, watermelon and more, as well as high fructose corn syrup)
- Fructans (onions, garlic, leeks, wheat)
- Polyols (sugar alcohols, apricots, cherries, plums, etc.)
- Galactans (beans, lentils, peas, etc.)
Despite the extensive list of foods to avoid, there are still a great deal of foods to enjoy on the low FODMAP plan. You might even discover some new foods that aren't high in FODMAPs that you really like. There is a tremendous amount of support available online, through forums and support groups. You can find plenty of recipes as well.
How will following a low FODMAP reverse IBS symptoms?
While the low FODMAP diet can help you to manage your IBS symptoms, it will not cure your condition. By avoiding or limiting foods that consist of high FODMAP carbs, your IBS symptoms will not be triggered, which brings you relief. You may not see results immediately, but after a period of 6 weeks, you should definitely notice some improvement in your symptoms.
So if you're tired of your IBS getting the best of you and causing almost constant distress, the low FODMAP might be a good natural treatment. If you're interested in trying it, you might want to find a gastroenterologist who is familiar with this diet. Even if your stomach specialist isn't familiar with the diet, it certainly couldn't hurt to share the diet with him or her. Hopefully the low FODMAP diet will enable you to finally get the relief from your symptoms that you deserve.
