Judith Proctor's Journal

 I've managed to reduce the stomach pain significantly by following a FODMAP diet.

Essentially, this misses out all the things that are common triggers for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Next week, I'll start re-introducing items one at a time, so see which ones can be re-introduced and which may have to remain off the menu.

I also have to watch out for confounding variables...

eg.  today, I have mild abdominal pain, but careful checking says it's muscular and not bowel-related.  I tried a new class at the gym the other day, and it had a lot of abdominal exercises.  I'll try the class again, as I enjoyed it, but not until the pain has gone away.

I also have to think about my asthma medication which can give very similar symptoms - it's possible that I have occasionally blamed it for what was actually IBS

Below is a simple version of FODMAP advice - I'm pleased to say that cheese is NOT a trigger for me. Already added that back with no problems.   (But I'm concerned that beans may be - I'm vegetarian and I like beans of many kinds...  they come back at the weekend, so fingers crossed)

High FODMAP foods that you should avoid include:

• Fructose: Fruits (including apples, mangos, pears, watermelon), honey, high-fructose corn syrup, agave
• Lactose: Dairy (milk from cows, goats, or sheep), custard, yogurt, ice cream
• Fructans: Rye and Wheat, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, onions, garlic
• Galactans: Legumes, such as beans (including baked beans), lentils, chickpeas, and soybeans
• Polyols: Sugar alcohols and fruits that have pits or seeds, such as apples, apricots, avocados, cherries, figs, peaches, pears, or plums

Low FODMAP foods to enjoy instead include:

• Dairy: Almond milk, lactose-free milk, rice milk, coconut milk, lactose-free yogurt, and hard cheeses.
• Fruit: Bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges, and strawberries.
• Vegetables: Bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bok choy, carrots, chives, cucumbers, eggplant, ginger, lettuce, olives, parsnips, potatoes, spring onions, and turnips.
• Protein: Beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and tofu.
• Nuts/seeds:  (limit to 10-15 each) Almonds, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pine nuts, and walnuts.
• Grain: Oats, oat bran, rice bran, gluten-free pasta, quinoa, white rice, and corn flour.