Life After Low FODMAP

The efficacy of the Low FODMAP regimen in clinical studies has ranged from 40–75% in IBS patients.^1-3 This is a wide range of therapeutic response. However, if you are one of those individuals who has experienced benefit, then I am happy for you!

We have to ask ourselves, though, how do we carry forth this way of eating food.

Identifying your triggers and eliminating them from your diet is only one huge part of the Low FODMAP regimen.

Reintroduction of high FODMAP foods

The second part is dietary re-introduction.⁴ Yes! You heard me right. It is extremely important to slowly re-introduce your known dietary triggers back into your food supply.

You’re crazy, why would I ever do that to myself?

Simple – for the nutrition. Nature has perfectly packaged nutrition into our fruits and vegetables. Supplements can only provide so much nutrition and their absorption is not optimized. Real, good old fashioned nutrition, however, is perfectly formulated for optimal absorption.

When we restrict a dietary trigger, oftentimes we are restricting the consumption of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients that our body requires to function properly. This is not healthy for us in the long term.

Therefore, it is very possible to consume a smaller portion of a known trigger and not have symptoms. You just have to try.

How do I reintroduce dietary triggers?

Truth: There is no right way. Everyone is different but it is important that you try. It is also important that you know that it is possible!

Suggestions: Prioritize which FODMAP triggers you want to re-introduce into your diet. Take one food in that FODMAP group and over the course of 1-2 weeks slowly re-introduce it in small but increasing quantities.This means the rest of your diet may have to stay fixed for you to isolate your response to that one trigger. Slowly you will be able to develop a sense of how much you can tolerate or not.

Once you have re-introduced that one food for that FODMAP group, you can try other similar foods over 1-2 weeks each and begin to continue increasing the variety of foods you can enjoy.

This takes patience and discipline, but if are reading this through to the end, then it means you have what it takes to pursue this. Good Luck!