About
Hi, I'm Zoe - a novice blogger in the Pacific Northwest who happened to experience IBS symptom reduction following a Low FODMAP diet.
Here you'll find recipes for foodies, adapted to comply with a diet that can help up to 70% of IBS patients.
Expect a new post every week, and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to see what's new!
Here you'll find recipes for foodies, adapted to comply with a diet that can help up to 70% of IBS patients.
Expect a new post every week, and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram to be the first to see what's new!
Like many folks in the United States that suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and are lucky enough to find a medical professional familiar with FODMAPs, I was handed a sad looking, self-contradictory list of "eat this, don't eat this!" and sent on my way. But what are FODMAPs? And why does it make us feel better when we avoid them?
Check out Alana Scott's blog post, "What are FODMAPs & How do they affect us?"
Finding answers to these questions is the first step to adapting your life to finding what works for your digestive system. I am not a medical professional, nor does this blog constitute medical advice. This is just one gal's journey to adapting her foodie tendencies to her irritable bowel.
Check out Alana Scott's blog post, "What are FODMAPs & How do they affect us?"
Finding answers to these questions is the first step to adapting your life to finding what works for your digestive system. I am not a medical professional, nor does this blog constitute medical advice. This is just one gal's journey to adapting her foodie tendencies to her irritable bowel.
My Story
For the past ten years I’ve experienced digestive issues. Sometimes they’re predictable - you know, you went out for Thai food and doused it in hot sauce, so you’re pretty sure the next day isn’t going to be a pleasant experience on the toilet - but they started to get less and less predictable.
I just didn’t understand - I was eating a diet full of whole foods, vegetables and healthy fats, and yet I was still spending four or five hours glued to the toilet every morning. Medical professionals seemed just as perplexed, referring me from one specialist to another, often taking blood tests, and even having my digestive tract scoped. One Gastroenterology Specialist prescribed an antacid and sent me on my way, only to find out that the prescription did nothing for my symptoms.
So I ventured out into the world of the Internet looking for solutions and was barraged with a whole slough of different diets claiming to “cure the gut!”. I tried Autoimmune Protocol/Paleo (AIP) for a month, and my symptoms only seemed to get worse. So I then went to a Naturopath who pricked my finger and told me I was intolerant to a random assortment of foods - so I tried removing those from my diet for a month, and still, my symptoms persisted. I was reaching the breaking point.
There’s something so hopeless about feeling so sick, and having employers doubt your honesty, while doctors scrambled to come up with more ideas of tests to run, in hopes to bring you some answers. It comes to a point where you almost wish for them to find something more serious, anything to bring an explanation for the pain.
In a desperate grab for anything that might help, I got a recommendation to see a particular Medical Assistant that a friend has a wonderful experience with. He was thoughtful and kind, and listened with eagerness to my tale of painful poo, and when he was done asking me a million questions I had already answered on my journey, he immediately printed out a sheet and handed it to me, “have you tried this yet?”
He went on to tell me about how research is showing a lot of folks getting symptom relief by doing a Low FODMAP diet, and handed me a printout from Stanford University and instructions to “give it a try”.
What on Earth… this paper had a table of “eat this” and “don’t eat that” - but so many foods were missing. I just remember going home and crying to my husband, thinking what am I going to eat? And fearing the next wave of hunger with no clue how to satiate it and not end up in pain.
By that time, my insurance changed due to employment changes, so this kind MA was no longer an option. So I had to start all over with a new Primary Care Physician - and lo and behold, he didn’t flinch when I said the words “Low FODMAP”, instead he immediately put in a referral for the Gastroenterology department, ran a whole blood work panel for a whole range of things - Celiac, Anemia, Giardia, and the list goes on. Everything came back negative, normal, nothing to see here.
It was about this time that I discovered the huge swaths of people joining Low FODMAP support groups on Facebook - so I dived right in head first. This is when it all started to click for me. These kind strangers on the Internet encouraged me to buy the Monash FODMAP app, full of a detailed and accurate list of foods and their FODMAP content. I began to learn about the science behind the diet, and the medical community in Australia spearheading the research behind Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Then came my appointment with the new GI - I was so nervous. Shaking with anticipation - will he believe me? Can he help me? Does someone finally have answers? I did all the exciting stool sample tests he ordered as the appointment approached. By the time it was over, I was crying again, but this time tears of relief. I finally had a diagnosis - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - and I finally had a plan: the Low FODMAP diet.
And now, here I am: with about 40% symptom reduction from Low FODMAP alone, up to 80% symptom reduction with added medications from my doctor. I finally feel in control of my body and bowel again. Looking forward to reintroduction of each FODMAP category in hopes to find a unique fit for my body, but in the meantime, taking what can be the burden of Low FODMAP and turning it into an exciting challenge!
Notes: This only serves as information about my personal medical history and my story in regards to how I discovered a Low FODMAP diet and was diagnosed. This is not medical advice. Please seek the help of a trained medical professional prior to making any changes to your diet. Please note that the Low FODMAP diet is recommended as a 3 stage process: 4-6 weeks of elimination of high FODMAP foods, followed by a scheduled reintroduction to discover your tolerances to certain FODMAP groups, and finally a diet modified to meet your tolerance needs. Please seek the help of a FODMAP trained dietitian, when available.
I just didn’t understand - I was eating a diet full of whole foods, vegetables and healthy fats, and yet I was still spending four or five hours glued to the toilet every morning. Medical professionals seemed just as perplexed, referring me from one specialist to another, often taking blood tests, and even having my digestive tract scoped. One Gastroenterology Specialist prescribed an antacid and sent me on my way, only to find out that the prescription did nothing for my symptoms.
So I ventured out into the world of the Internet looking for solutions and was barraged with a whole slough of different diets claiming to “cure the gut!”. I tried Autoimmune Protocol/Paleo (AIP) for a month, and my symptoms only seemed to get worse. So I then went to a Naturopath who pricked my finger and told me I was intolerant to a random assortment of foods - so I tried removing those from my diet for a month, and still, my symptoms persisted. I was reaching the breaking point.
There’s something so hopeless about feeling so sick, and having employers doubt your honesty, while doctors scrambled to come up with more ideas of tests to run, in hopes to bring you some answers. It comes to a point where you almost wish for them to find something more serious, anything to bring an explanation for the pain.
In a desperate grab for anything that might help, I got a recommendation to see a particular Medical Assistant that a friend has a wonderful experience with. He was thoughtful and kind, and listened with eagerness to my tale of painful poo, and when he was done asking me a million questions I had already answered on my journey, he immediately printed out a sheet and handed it to me, “have you tried this yet?”
He went on to tell me about how research is showing a lot of folks getting symptom relief by doing a Low FODMAP diet, and handed me a printout from Stanford University and instructions to “give it a try”.
What on Earth… this paper had a table of “eat this” and “don’t eat that” - but so many foods were missing. I just remember going home and crying to my husband, thinking what am I going to eat? And fearing the next wave of hunger with no clue how to satiate it and not end up in pain.
By that time, my insurance changed due to employment changes, so this kind MA was no longer an option. So I had to start all over with a new Primary Care Physician - and lo and behold, he didn’t flinch when I said the words “Low FODMAP”, instead he immediately put in a referral for the Gastroenterology department, ran a whole blood work panel for a whole range of things - Celiac, Anemia, Giardia, and the list goes on. Everything came back negative, normal, nothing to see here.
It was about this time that I discovered the huge swaths of people joining Low FODMAP support groups on Facebook - so I dived right in head first. This is when it all started to click for me. These kind strangers on the Internet encouraged me to buy the Monash FODMAP app, full of a detailed and accurate list of foods and their FODMAP content. I began to learn about the science behind the diet, and the medical community in Australia spearheading the research behind Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Then came my appointment with the new GI - I was so nervous. Shaking with anticipation - will he believe me? Can he help me? Does someone finally have answers? I did all the exciting stool sample tests he ordered as the appointment approached. By the time it was over, I was crying again, but this time tears of relief. I finally had a diagnosis - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - and I finally had a plan: the Low FODMAP diet.
And now, here I am: with about 40% symptom reduction from Low FODMAP alone, up to 80% symptom reduction with added medications from my doctor. I finally feel in control of my body and bowel again. Looking forward to reintroduction of each FODMAP category in hopes to find a unique fit for my body, but in the meantime, taking what can be the burden of Low FODMAP and turning it into an exciting challenge!
Notes: This only serves as information about my personal medical history and my story in regards to how I discovered a Low FODMAP diet and was diagnosed. This is not medical advice. Please seek the help of a trained medical professional prior to making any changes to your diet. Please note that the Low FODMAP diet is recommended as a 3 stage process: 4-6 weeks of elimination of high FODMAP foods, followed by a scheduled reintroduction to discover your tolerances to certain FODMAP groups, and finally a diet modified to meet your tolerance needs. Please seek the help of a FODMAP trained dietitian, when available.