It has been a few years now since I was on the low FODMAP diet and it has had a massive impact on my gut health journey. It was the beginning of me feeling better and understanding how food was one of the main things affecting my gut and of course, not forgetting- other life style factors that I will talk about later in this post.
I still have the low FODMAP Monash app to hand and hold on to the knowledge I have gained about FODMAPS. I have learned to control the portion size of foods that trigger my symptoms and only avoid a small amount of foods now. I am able to eat a good diverse, variety of foods to keep my gut healthy and feel much better.
Not All Healthy Foods Are Good You
One thing I learned, that surprised me the most was that- not all healthy foods are good for you. We are all so different, something that works for me, might not work for you. You would think, eating salads and whole wheat is very healthy- it is- but not for me, my gut does not digest it well. My stomach issues were at its worst when I was eating my healthiest! I was eating well (lots of raw vegetables, salads, hummus and legumes etc) and exercising but suffered bloating, gas, discomfort and diarrhoea. For years I lived with those symptoms and it was only when I had to eliminate them during the low FODMAP diet I realised my intestines were unable to digest them properly leading to my symptoms.
When I started reintroducing foods, I was able to tolerate salads in much smaller portions (so they don’t become high FODMAPs!) I eat salads now but in controlled portions and it doesn’t trigger my symptoms but I do mainly eat my vegetables cooked rather than raw as my gut does digest it better that way.
Understanding The Low FODMAP Diet
The low FODMAP is not a lifelong diet, it is a temporary diet to figure out the foods that trigger your symptoms (bloating, gas, discomfort, diarrhoea, constipation).
There are 3 phases:
- Phase 1 (eliminating foods)
- Phase 2 (reintroduction- slowly reintroducing the foods you eliminated)
- Phase 3 (personalisation- long term plan, non restrictive, sustainable and diverse diet)
The main goal is not to stay restrictive forever but to know the foods that trigger your symptoms in order to build a sustainable, diverse diet that helps you manage your symptoms and support your gut health.
The Big Question: Has The Low FODMAP Diet Helped Me?
The short answer is YES! However, when it comes to gut health, stress, lack of sleep and movement are factors too, so managing these are just as important.
The low FODMAP diet has helped me manage my symptoms. It reduced the bloating and gas significantly and friends and family were telling me, I had lost weight around my stomach area. I had no more complaints from my family about my smelly gas too (sorry for over sharing!). I went from bloating, gas, diarrhoea and discomfort to less bloating and normal bowel movements.
Should You Take Supplements?
These were the recommended supplements I took, to support me during the low FODMAP diet:
- Prebiotics- helps to feed the bacteria microbes to support with better digestion
- Probiotics- live bacteria and yeast that help support the body’s micro biome
- Magnesium- helps with sleep, mood and bone health
- Vitamin D- Helps support the immune system.
To be honest, I do not know if the supplements helped me in anyway. I hear so many conflicting information about supplements, that our body doesn’t even absorb what we need to make it effective or that many supplements are so full of rubbish it does nothing.
After completing the diet and supplements, I did not continue with them. When it comes to supplements, I guess it is down to personal preference and what you feel works best for you. Not to say I would never take supplements as there are many types, for different reasons but right now, I focus on getting things like prebiotics and probiotics from whole foods rather than tablets. I personally feel you do not need supplements to improve your gut health; you just need to make the right food choices.
Supporting Your Gut Health After Low FODMAP
Now that you have successfully completed the low FODMAP diet and have learned about the foods that trigger your symptoms, maintaining a balanced diverse diet and working on your lifestyle habits is the way forward to support your gut. Ultimately, lasting gut health is influenced by the way we live our lives and the food choices we make every day.
Below are simple habits that helped me support my gut health after the low FODMAP.
Practical tips:
- Focus on eating fiber– fiber helps feed the good bacteria in our gut, which helps regulate bowel movements.
- Stay hydrated– helps with saliva production (the beginning of the digestion process) aids digestion, prevents constipation.
- Regular physical activity– we are designed to move and our gut loves it. Exercise, whether that is walking, dancing or going to the gym helps to boost circulation, strengthen the intestinal lining and accelerates digestion.
- Manage stress– when you are stressed, your body is in fight-or-flight mode- this slows down the digestion process. It can heighten sensitivity in your digestive tract and cause changes in the gut bacteria, which can weaken your immune system and cause inflammation. Practise breath work, take a walk or take a little time out in the day just for yourself. Do something that you find relaxing.
- Sleep– we need sleep, the brain and gut are connected and communicate all the time. Quality sleep protects the gut lining, reduces inflammation and is crucial to regulating our gut microbiome.
- Cut down on processed foods- after eliminating processed foods on the diet, I felt heaps better- my energy levels and my gut. Processed foods have so many hidden FODMAPs. Have them only when you need to.
Final Thoughts
The low FODMAP diet has been a real stepping-stone into improving my gut health. It has helped me make better food choices and cut down on many processed foods.
It’s all about finding your long term balance, creating a personalised diet that includes diversity, fiber and wholesome foods that nourish and serves your body well.
Eating the right foods for you and living a healthy lifestyle- adequate sleep, stress management and exercise- combined, is the key to better gut health, feeling more energised and more like yourself again.
Aim for consistency over perfection. As a busy mum, it’s hard to do things perfectly when you have 100 other things to do and that’s ok, life happens. I’m not perfect all the time but being consistent is how I improved my gut health.
I hope that sharing my experience with you, have answered questions or doubts you may have about the low FODMAP diet and that you feel more reassured with each phase. As always, if you have any questions, please get in touch on my contacts page. I would love to hear from you! x