So it's been awhile. The past few months have been full of family, various digestive issues, obnoxious colds and hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and cooking breakthroughs. Also, the discovery of the low-FODMAP diet. Why am I looking for more foods to cut out of my diet? Well, I'm not. I'm looking for a way to cut back on digestive issues, fatigue and all those other jolly health problems that accompany so many food related problems.
FODMAP -
Fructose
Oligo-
Di-
Mono-saccharide
And
Polyols
In short, it's the mal-absorption of certain types of sugars. When you don't digest/absorb them, they sit in the gut and ferment, causing all those issues (you know what I'm talking about). The are couple of reasons I decided to give this a go. One is because I had noticed digestive issues with some fruit if I didn't eat them with a meal. Number two is because, despite cutting out some fruits and veggies, I am not altering my diet much which means I can still eat without coming up with a whole new diet plan. And three; I always hit pretty spot on with all the symptom lists to everything, EXCEPT the weight-gain. People, I do not gain weight. Seriously, I'm like every super-models dream when it comes to losing weight. Though I've never technically been underweight I've come pretty close. And I eat a lot, so it's frustrating. FODMAP, however, lists underweight/trouble gaining weight a symptom. First diet I have ever seen that does that. Huh!
Update-
It's been a month since I started doing the low fodmap plan....annnndd, I'm doing loads better! I've had a lot less digestive issues, even ones that I didn't really pay attention to, and thinking about it now, the rash on my back is gone. Huh, I didn't realize that until now.. Sure, there's less flavor in my food but at least I can eat the food. I mistakenly cut out my daily, fresh-squeezed cabbage/apple juice but will be adding that back in because my heartburn is worse than the..erm, never mind.
So, here are some links with more infoand what you can/can't eat. Comment bellow if you have any tips, links, or questions on FODMAP.
http://www.cassandraforsythe.com/blog/complete+fodmap+list+for+a+happy+gut
http://stanfordhospital.org/digestivehealth/nutrition/DH-Low-FODMAP-Diet-Handout.pdf
http://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/
http://gutsybynature.com/2013/10/02/low-fodmap-and-paleo-autoimmune-protocol-what-can-i-eat/
http://www.ibsgroup.org/brochures/fodmap-intolerances.pdf
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2012/08/28/ibs-could-be-the-fodmaps
http://www.strandsofmylife.com/8-signs-fodmap-intolerance/
