About

My Journey Back To Health Thank To The Low FODMAP Diet

Soon after turning 40, I started to feel unwell, especially after eating and in the years that follow, things started to become even worst. The bloating was constant with peaks soon after each meal and the numerous trips to the bathroom were wearing me down.

I’ve always loved food and enjoyed eating a variety of mainly healthy food, but eventually it became a routine that I started to dread. What made it worst was, that although I was eating less and I was visiting the toilets up to ten times per day, my weight was going up and up. In fact in two years I gained 8 kg, not happy with that 🙁

As I was in my forties, I was blaming the slower metabolism and hormonal changes for the gain, but what about the yucky feeling I constantly felt, was that also part of mid-life changes?

I went to see various practitioners and nutritionists and one of them suggested for me to come off any wheat products I was eating. Being of Italian origin, you can imagine my diet was very rich in pasta and bread type of food. It took me a few weeks of weaning myself out, until I was completely wheat free. Thank goodness, I could still eat rice.

Although I started to feel slightly better, I was still bloating at almost every meal and running to the bathroom several times a day. I could not understand why, I ate healthy food with lots of vegetables and some fruit.

In the midst of all of this, I also started to feel chest pains. The type of chest pains I had, were very similar to the symptoms described for unstable angina and they usually happened at rest or early in the morning.
From one moment to another I would have this pain starting from my jaw, travelling down my upper back and at the front in my chest, where I could feel like a squeeze in my chest. I ended up twice at the hospital emergency, where they performed all sort of tests to see if I had any heart issues, but thankfully my heart was all good.

You can read about this experience, in details, on a separate blog post.

Soon after, I was able to be seen by a new doctor, who moved in my area and who really listened to me and wanted to try to identify the cause, rather than just treating the symptoms. This doctor sent me for a lot of tests and scans.

Finally, after three years of horrible symptoms I received a diagnosis: I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and on top of that I also have non-alcoholic fatty liver (P.S. my latest scan have shown that my non-alcoholic fatty liver has since gone – amazing :-D).

IBS is a condition that around 15% of the population has and which causes bloating and abdominal pain, often in association with an alternating of constipation and diarrhoea.

My doctor referred me to a dietitian, who suggested to go on strict low FODMAP food for about 6 weeks (elimination phase). After the six weeks I was able to re-introduce some high FODMAP food and now I follow a diet which is probably 85% low FODMAP. (P.S. the elimination phase length can vary depending on your individual situation).Baby Loves Vegetables

The Low-FODMAP diet can help people suffering from various digestive issues, especially IBS. Around seventy-five percent of people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome have greatly improved their symptoms, when they remove the FODMAP foods from their diet.

 

About This Blog

In this blog, I will take you through my experience with IBS and the low FODMAP diet, my struggle with weight gain and what I do to improve my health and fitness.

I also share my favourite low FODMAP recipes.

If you have also been diagnosed with IBS and have been recommended to follow a low FODMAP diet, I would love to hear your stories.

Within this blog I also recommend some products and books (affiliate links). If you purchase anything I may receive a small commission for which I am very grateful.

I have also a Podcast about the Low FODMAP Diet & IBS

 

Low FODMAP Diet & IBS PodcastI am an avid podcasts consumer. I listen to podcasts shows many hours per weeek. I listen to them in my car, when driving to work, while I am cleaning the house, during my fitness exercises, I have them even playing in the background, while I am working on my blog. Podcasts are easy to consume and that is why I thought that would be the perfect media to further spread the word about the Low FODMAP Diet.

During the podcast I interview low FODMAP experts, such as doctors, specialised dietitians, nutritionists, fitness experts, low FODMAP diet and IBS bloggers, recipes creators, etc., they  explain the details of the diet and of course talk about IBS and all those nasty symptoms.

I also interview IBS sufferers like me and you, who have found relief to their IBS symptoms by following a low FODMAP diet. Any other digestive issues sufferer, who have managed to feel better, by following a low FODMAP diet, are also welcome to participate as guest to this podcast.

The low FODMAP Diet & IBS podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher and on my website.

Click here to check out the latest podcast episodes show-notes

Feel free to contact me, if you think your story is relevant and can help other IBS sufferers. Thank you.

XO Larah

Disclaimer:
Please note that I’m not a health professional. In this blog post and on the rest of this site, I am sharing my experience with IBS, with the low FODMAP diet, with food, health and life in general. This is purely my experience and it is not my intention to give you advice. When it comes to your health, diet, fitness etc., always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider.

 

15 comments on “About

  1. Hello Larah, i have suffered most of my life with IBS issues . I also have Ehlers-Danlos which had caused a birth defect of a twist in the connection of my large and small intestines. I simply figured bloating and gut pain was normal.

    At 40 after being diagnosed as a diabetic I have been going to diabetic education . This is where I met my dietitian. I mentioned I was dehydrated due to a month of constant liquid poop. And that it felt hot like lava. “Lava guts” was sadly normal even with me changing to gluten free a few years before.

    I’ve now finished my elimination phase and I can’t say enough good about this diet. It has given me such gut peace. I don’t even care it is restrictive . The results are so amazing to me. The pain , bloating, tiredness, and muti bathroom visits have all stopped.

    I can’t wait to start figuring what I can eat but don’t want this peaceful gut to go away. Happy FODMAP ppl it is a good thing !

    Oh and I’ve lost 15 pounds and 4 inches around my middle and that’s only during elimination …… this is a gift .

    • Hello Suz, thank you so much for taking the time to write about your diagnosis and suffering. I really appreciate and I’m so happy for you that you have finally started to feel better thanks to the the low FODMAP diet. Here is an article I wrote that talks about the reintroduction of FODMAPs and that may be useful to you. https://www.lowfodmapdiets.com/ibs-diet/
      Saying that there is no substitute to expert advise from a specialised dietitian, who can help you with reintroducing as many high FODMAP food that you can tolerate. Please keep in touch and let me know how you go with it. Love and hugs xo Larah

  2. Hi Larah, I love your story and love that you are so passionate about bringing the IBS community together and are so committed to supporting low FODMAPers! It is SUCH a hard diet to navigate and IBS is such a complex disease state- I would love to chat about my passion project- The Gut Program http://www.thegutprogram.com which is a subscription box for low FODMAP dieters who are looking for support and help finding snacks and ingredients safe to eat on this diet!

  3. I too have suffered for years with IBS with constant bloating after meals I actually look 9 months pregnant its so embarrassing. I live with constant dull pain in my stomach, and gluten makes me worse. I’m beside myself and feel so alone sometimes because knowone understands what I go through. I also have to watch garlic in foods they really do a job on my IBS too. Any tips you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

    • Hi Linda, I understand your pain and I do hope the low FODMAP diet can help you too. Have a look at this article, it explains the basic of the diet https://www.lowfodmapdiets.com/low-fodmap-diet-start-here/ On this website I provide you with my experience with IBS and the low FODMAP diet, but it’s always better to get the help of a specialised dietitian to guide you through the phases. Keep in touch and please let me know how you are. All the best xo Larah

  4. After 3 years of problems and multiple drugs to treat symptoms and heart tests for this chest pain that is going on a year, you are the first I’ve found that matches my symptoms – exactly. I’m laying in bed after 10 trips to the bathroom in the last 2 hours, on hyoscyamine and percocet. I found multiple items I ate yesterday on the FODMAP list. Time to look at low FODMAP. Thank you for providing me a direction to take.

    • Hi Trisha, so sorry that you had to spend all that time in pain, not knowing what’s going on. I hope you will get the right assistance with your low FODMAP journey. Let me know how you go. Love, Larah

  5. So glad to have found your site thank you for sharing …I have been struggling for so long…you look great and I feel encouraged to hope to feel better before too long -Thank you

    • Thank you for your kind words Marguerite. I hope the low FODMAP diet, will help you to feel better, as much as it has helped me. All the best.

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