Posted on October 13, 2017 by Kate Halsall
A little while ago I posted a blog about bloating, well I finally have to adhere to a full fodmap diet for a while to sort out my now diagnosed IBS. To find out I need to go without garlic and mushrooms for between 3-8 weeks has sent a surge of panic to my taste buds.
So as I sit here surrounded by cook books to desperately work out what I’m going to eat for the next few weeks, I can’t help but feel a sense of duty to help anyone who is also in this position. I will post my meal plans (once I’ve worked them out) and any recipes (if I can find any without onion and garlic in!) but for now – here are my top tips for Fodmap Diets.
Focus On What You CAN Eat
Otherwise you will panic and get confused (like me right now – I mean, what’s wrong with peas?!). I have mushrooms and garlic in EVERYTHING – but not anymore. So I’m focused on the fact I can still eat my second favourite vegetable aubergine and therefore my aubergine stew recipe is still ok (if I leave out garlic etc) – so life is still good! Although cashew nuts, I can’t have cashew nuts, OMG………
If your dietician has given you a food list, stick with it. Alternatively do your research on what are low fodmap foods (don’t worry yourself about high fodmap foods)- there’s an abundance of information out there. I’m waiting for my dietician appointment so I’m currently using this: https://www.dietvsdisease.org/diy-low-fodmap-diet/
Be Prepared
Yep, scouts motto – and I cannot emphasise this enough. You cannot leave this to chance. You cannot rock up home at 9pm wanting to cook your food and realising that the stuff in your fridge or cupboards are no longer suitable. Fresh salads or soups in supermarkets can no longer be a healthy alternative for meals. Everything needs to come from scratch so if you want to get this sorted you need to plan plan plan.
Portion Control
As with any diet, the quantity you eat will effect the benefit of that food. Don’t think for a second that just because something is low calorie, lean & clean, low carb, low fodmap that you can eat as much as you want! Trust me, I’m crying at the fact that a “portion” of avocado is 1/8 of a medium one – how much even is that!?!?!
It’s not going to be easy (cauliflower is not on the list of things I can eat for crying out loud!). But it is going to be a short term thing – so focus on that.