Fodmap Diet – The Best Diet of the Year

Fodmap Diet – The Best Diet of the Year

Syndrome of irritable intestinal tract: How the Low Fodmap Diet is working

In the practice of coloproctologist, gastroenterologist and therapist there are a lot of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS have people of different ages, lifestyles and places of residence. Most patients are complaining on abdominal discomfort and pain, alternation of constipation and diarrhea. During the careful examination, organic pathology is not detected. But the patients are still troubled with big pain and problems with defecation. Such patients need treatment that is appointed jointly by the gastroenterologist, coloproctologist and psychoneurologist, because the reason of illness is connected with disregulation of central and vegetative nervous systems and as a result the disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Under the influence of stress, psycho-emotional tension, the inadequate production of chemicals is taking place. This chemical substance is regulating the motor and evacuation function of the intestine tract. In addition, the sensitivity threshold of the receptors is changed and the person feels severe pain in the abdomen, for example, the excessive gas formation, although in the normal state he would  probably didn`t feel it.

In the process of treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome IBS, a whole complex of measures is used. Thes emeasures have to relieve pain, normalize the defecation, and correct the psychoemotional state. The patient is offered to take a course of medical treatment that helps to get rid of the problems with the colon microflora, normalize the contractile function of the intestine tract, restore the nervous regulation of the work of the gastrointestinal tract.

Recommendations for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome IBS also include changes in lifestyle and strict dietary intervention. The choice of foods depends on the type of IBS and is aimed to remove hypovitaminosis, to normalize the electrolyte balance, to remove the deficit of micro- and macroelements. The right diet for IBS is an important condition for improving of well-being and further preventing the development of this disease.

According to the opinion of Bret Lashner, a professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic (USA), some patients with irritable bowel syndrome IBS, who keep to the right diet can control the symptoms of the disease without the use of drugs. The author of the article is recommending to follow a special easily digestible diet that is called a low-FODMAP diet.

What is Low-Fodmap Diet?

FODMAP is the abbreviation for "fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols". That means that the carbohydrates that are poorly digested and cause fermentation in the intestine.

The use of which products should be limited and how they can be replaced.

Lactose that is contained in milk and other dairy products such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and ice cream.

Each organism is able to digest a certain amount of lactose, but with the use of lactose-containing foods in larger quantities than what the intestines can cope with, the result will be increased gas formation and abdominal pain. About half of the population is born with a low level of lactase enzyme, which metabolizes lactose from food.

Alternative  products: lactose-free milk, oatmeal / rice / soy milk as an alternative, lactose-free yogurt. Hard cheeses, brie and camembert are allowed to eat. The olive oil instead of butter.

Fruits that contain fructose, which can cause similar problems in patients with irritable bowel syndrome  IBS. The content of fructose is especially high in apples and pears, in watermelon, in concentrated fruit juices and dried fruits.

You should eat fruit with low content of fructose, such as bananas, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, grapes, orange, lemon, lime, kiwi and melon.

Some vegetables may cause excessive gas formation. Avoid such vegetables as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, especially sauerkraut. Limit the use of dishes with artichokes, onions, shallots, leeks and asparagus.

You should eat: eggplants, green beans, celery, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini and pumpkin. You can add: basil, chili, coriander, ginger, lemongrass, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme.

Beans, peas, lentils and soybeans contain a large number of carbohydrates and may also cause gas formation in the intestine. The patients with irritable bowel syndrome IBS should avoid these products or eat in very small amounts.

You can consume gluten-containing foods (wheat, oats, barley, rye) if you don`t have celiac disease.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome can be successfully controlled with the help of drugs, but the changes in the diet are the first thing that we try to pay attention to. A healthy lifestyle, a low fat diet, physical activity, refusal to drink alcohol and giving up smoking make a big contribution to the success of treatment.

The good news is that a low-FODMAP diet is not very restrictive. If you study the alternative products carefully, you will find many products that will match your eating habits.

Your doctor may also prescribe medications for you to remove unwanted symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome IBS. It can be various drugs, including anticholinergic drugs that relieve spasms of the intestines, as well as antidepressants, to reduce stress.