My Low-FODMAP Diet Journey: How I Managed Functional Diarrhea
I've been living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional diarrhea for a while now, and I was desperate to find a solution. That's when I stumbled upon the Low-FODMAP diet, and I'm so glad I gave it a try.
At first, I thought it was just about cutting out certain types of carbs, but it's actually much more complex than that. The Low-FODMAP diet involves understanding the underlying causes of IBS and functional diarrhea, and making informed choices about the foods we eat.
What's FODMAP, anyway?
FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides, and Polyols. It's a type of carbohydrate that can be difficult for some people to digest. There are five types of FODMAPs: Fermentable, Oligosaccharides (like fructans and galactans), Disaccharides (like lactose), Monosaccharides (like fructose), and Polyols (like sugar alcohols).
Who is the Low-FODMAP diet for?
The Low-FODMAP diet is recommended for anyone experiencing IBS, functional diarrhea, or other digestive issues. It's not just for people with IBS, but also for those who experience bloating, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.
The surprising part?
One of the things that surprised me the most about the Low-FODMAP diet is that some types of booze are actually allowed in moderation. For instance, a pint of beer up to 350ml. But no apples or white bread - at least, not if you're trying to follow the diet.
I thought, 'Wait, what? I thought when you have diarrhea, you're put on the BRAT diet - banana, rice, applesauce, and toast.' But the Low-FODMAP diet says no apples and no white bread. It's actually pretty simple: apples and white bread contain high amounts of FODMAPs, while bananas and rice are okay.
And then there's beer. The yeast ferments the carbs into booze, so it's fine in small quantities (up to 350ml) if you don't have celiac disease.
What's on the allowed/disallowed list?
The Low-FODMAP diet has a pretty extensive list of allowed and disallowed foods. You can check out the full list here.
Pay attention to portion sizes:
Yellow banana:
100g contains low amounts of FODMAP110g is moderate> 110 - highOverripe banana with brown spots:
total 35g contains low amounts of FODMAP45g - moderate100g - high.So, try to go for the greener bananas.
You can get a lot out of a standard grocery run:
carrots/beets/tomatoes/flat green beanspotatoesbananas/strawberries/oranges/kiwimeat/fish/seafoodrice/bulgur/corn/quinoa/oatssome cheeses like mozzarella or parmesanpeanutseggslactose-free milk and some plant-based alternativesIt's pretty diverse and you can make a lot of different dishes. I found that I could make some really tasty meals using ingredients like rice, bananas, and fish.
Here are some examples from my own menu:
scrambled eggs with tomatoes and oatmeal banana pancakes
fish with rice and veggiesThat's what I had for lunch at the cafeteria. I only just realized that the veggies had mushrooms in them! I didn't eat them. You never know what's in the food at cafes - they might use a lot of FODMAPs like dried onions. They won't even list it in the ingredients.
rice pancakes made with lactose-free milkThe recipe is:lactose-free milk - 250 ml
rice flour - 200 g
egg - 1
boiling water - 50 ml
raising agent, salt, sugar, vanilla
They turned out a bit thick for me, but you can add more water to get a thinner batter.
strawberry cupcakesThe recipe is:
corn flour - 150 g
rice flour - 100 g
butter - 60 g
lactose-free milk - 100 ml
egg - 1
sugar - 150 g
strawberries or other allowed fruits - 250 g
vanilla
raising agent - 1 tsp
These cupcakes are super tasty! Even my husband, who's never been on a diet, loved them.
Oat BreadI tried making oat bread using a recipe from YouTube, but it was a total fail - it looked okay, but tasted pretty bad, so I'm not going to bother with it again.
My Experience?
My gut is finally at peace - no more bloating, discomfort, or nasty symptoms.And the psychological relief is amazing - I've stopped being paranoid about what I eat, as I thought most foods would trigger a diarrhea episode.This diet kept me going for 2.5 weeks, and then I gradually reintroduced more foods into my diet. I think the diet, combined with my meds (loperamide, Smecta, enterol, psyllium), really helped.
Check out my review of loperamide
And here's my review of psyllium
And my review of Smecta
I also discovered that I'm pretty intolerant to mushrooms, so I've cut them out of my diet. However, there are some downsides:
Foodies might struggle - you'll need to cook a lot, as many foods contain high FODMAP ingredients.Many common Russian foods are off-limits, like white/rye bread, onions, kefir, and rye.You'll need to weigh your portions carefully.You'll need to keep a food diary.It's a bit of a hassle, but the results are worth it. I'd recommend this diet to anyone with similar issues.