Many people suffer from issues with their digestive system causing symptoms such as bloating,
abdominal pain, cramping, and constipation.
Your body may be reacting to certain foods if you feel gut discomfort. One of the ways to treat these tummy troubles is to start an elimination diet. You’ll cut out certain foods for an extended period of time and see if you notice any improvements. Begin by completely eliminating one food from your diet for four weeks. Note any changes in your symptoms, and gradually reintroduce the food to see if it caused any issues. Then, move onto the next food on your list.
I recommend journaling your eating schedule along with your symptoms to discover any patterns. Record the time you eat and what you eat and drink. Fueling your body every few hours with proper nutrients, correct water consumption, proper sleep, regular exercise and stress reduction are all important for a healthy gut.
Common foods that trigger symptoms include:
*coffee
*lactose-dairy(milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt)
*certain fruits and vegetables
*alcohol
*soda with artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup
*gluten (see previous blog on “Gluten Free Living”
*sugar alcohols: sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, and mannitol
*nuts
One type of elimination diet to follow is called the FODMAPs diet. The acronym stands for “Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharaides, and Polyols. They are carbohydrates that are difficult for the intestines to digest. These carbs pull more water into the bowel and increase gas, leading to bloating, pain, and diarrhea after eating these foods.
Foods to avoid on a FODMAP diet include:
*lactose(milk, ice cream, cheese, yogurt)
*certain fruits (peaches, watermelon, pears, mangoes, apples, plums, nectarines)
*legumes (chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils)
*high fructose corn syrup
*sweeteners
*wheat based breads, cereals, and pasta
*certain vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, onions, brussels sprouts)
*sugar alcohols: sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, and mannitol (found in artificial sweeteners and some fruits and vegetables)
Low FODMAP foods you can eat on this diet include:
*lactose-free milk or other alternatives, like rice or almond milk
*fruits like oranges, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi and grapes
*eggs
*lean meat
*rice or quinoa
*agave or steviea
*oatmeal
*vegetables like carrots, peas, eggplant, green beans, pumpkin, and zucchini
It will take some time to discover the foods or drinks that your body can’t tolerate, so have patience and keep journaling. Stay in tune with how your body reacts to certain diets, as you may need to tweak the foods you eat. It’s a lot of trial and error, but hopefully it will work!
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