By Priya Rawat – Accredited Practising Dietitian

Do you suffer from bloating, abdominal pain or have altered bowel movements – that just won’t go away? Are you tired of going to the doctors and doing further tests and still find nothing? Have been told you have IBS but we don’t know what this is? – You’ve come to the right place! 

IBS is a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder which affects 1 in 7 people. The common symptoms of IBS include 3 of the following:  

  • Bloating 
  • Abdominal pain and distention  
  • Alternating bowel habits (constipation, diarrhoea or both) 
  • Excessive wind 
  • Urgency to defecate 
  • Fatigue 

Although the cause of IBS are still unknown, evidence that suggests that there are many factors that could play a role on the onset of IBS, which includes: 

  • Visceral sensitivity – sensitive gut 
  • Altered gut motility – the contents of the gut can move either, quickly or slowly 
  • Dysbiosis – Imbalance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut 
  • Infection – infection in the gut such as gastroenteritis also termed as ‘gastro’  

There are many discussions and evidence-based research found that irritable bowel syndrome and an intolerance or sensitivity to FODMAPs have a very close connection. 

FODMAPs is an acronym for: Fermented Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosachharides and Polyols, are groups of carbohydrates (sugars) found in our everyday foods such as dairy products, wheat, grains, fruits and vegetables. The kinds of carbohydrates found in FODMAPs are (4): 

  • Fructose – fruits, honey, high fructose corn syrup 
  • Lactose -  dairy products, milk, cheese, cream, yoghurt
  • Fructans – wheat, onion, garlic,  
  • Galactans/ Galactooligosaccharides – legumes, lentils, soybeans  
  • Polyols (including sorbitol and mannitol)- sweeteners, cough lollies, syrups 

There are 3 steps of the FODMAP diet: 

  • FODMAP elimination 
  • FODMAP Reintroduction 
  • FODMAP Personalisation 

 To further know more, get in touch with our team of dietitians on 1300 859 059