Irritable bowel syndrome
My FODMAP journey started over two years ago, after many diagnostic tests over several months. You can read my whole food journey here. My doctor and dietitian in The Netherlands diagnosed me with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
My dietitian placed me on a low FODMAP diet to help manage my symptoms. He sent me home, and I was in shock. I had to figure out how the low fodmap diet worked. After eight weeks, I had to go back and tell him how I felt and hopefully be ready to try to re-introduce the fodmaps again.
When I started the low FODMAP diet, I felt overwhelmed because I didn’t know where to begin. I was sad and didn’t want to do it because I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew I had a lot of reading to do. It felt as if it was an impossible job to finish. Well, I began to read, read, and read again. It was a lot of reading to understand and figure out how the low fodmap diet works. I got there in the end.😊
At the beginning
In the beginning, it was tough to work out what I could eat and what information I could trust. Monash University researchers developed a low FODMAP diet, and they remain the lead research centre for the diet. They have created an app that is the best to use. Luckily, I already had it, but not use it so much. My dietitian had told me to follow the App, and I still remember the overwhelming anxiety I first experienced when I saw the high and low FODMAP food lists again.
My older sister told me about a Danish Facebook group following The Monash University guideline. That group has been a big help if I had some questions or wanted to understand the diet more.
I handle everything by myself, and it has been a bumpy road with a lot of up and down periods. I would not recommend doing it alone, and it was hard. Sometimes I wanted to give up, but I continued with my discipline and structured programme.
Luckily I had a very supportive husband who helped me through it. I am forever grateful.
What surprised me at first
One of the things that struck me first was that I couldn’t have onion or garlic. I use them a lot in my cooking, and I was – no way, how am I cooking now?! The more I read and learned about the diet, I found out I could use the green part from spring onion and leek instead. It is also possible to buy infused garlic oil in some stores, and I was lucky to find it in one store here in The Netherlands. It was easier to leave onion and garlic out in my cooking. I would never have thought, and It took me by surprise.
Another thing I began to eat more of was kiwis, passions and dragon fruit, and I have become a big fan of all three now.
The light at the end of the tunnel
The transformation was unique within the first week because I felt fantastic. The bloating went away during the day and in the evening. I didn’t have to change to more comfortable clothes, which was a new feeling. I was thrilled.
Re-introduction
When I met with my dietitian again, we decided it was time for me to re-introduce the different fodmaps again. I had a mix of feelings because I felt great.
At one point, I wanted to continue and not do a re-introduction. But of course, I did miss some things in my diet, example, avocado, almond, and asparagus. I knew I had to do it, but I was a bit nervous because I didn’t want to feel bad again.
The beginning of introducing the different fodmaps was hard, but the longer I went through them, the more transparent it showed what my biggest triggers were. I found a great and simple system to use when I did the re-introduction, and it worked great for me.
Trigger my symptoms
After a while, I knew which foods triggered my symptoms, and it was more clear to me what food I could eat and add to my regular diet. I was no longer afraid to introduce things because I knew I might feel bad for 2-3 days when I ate something I couldn’t handle, like almonds. But I also knew it would disappear again. Before, it would have been more challenging for me to accept that fact, and it satisfied me that I had come so far.
Change my life
The low FODMAP diet changed my world and resolved my IBS symptoms. The constant struggle to find safe recipes and up-to-date information was tiring and made sticking to the diet a challenge. I decided to combine my passion for cooking and love for sharing my ideas to create RauJensen.
The diet didn’t only decrease my symptoms but ultimately changed my life. I am thrilled I am through the tunnel now.
If you want to learn more about IBS – you can click the links below or go directly to the Monash University website.
What is Low Fodmap diet
What are Fodmaps
The three stages for a Low Fodmap Diet
