Over a Tenth of Your Clients Are Dealing With IBS—And Here’s How to Help
By Emilia Farry · Nutrition
Elimination diets for IBS: How and when to try them
Elimination diets do what the name suggests: They exclude certain foods for a short period—usually three weeks. Then, you slowly reintroduce specific foods and monitor your symptoms for possible reactions.
Elimination diets work a lot like a science experiment that helps you identify problematic foods.
The phrase “elimination diet” may sound scary and off-putting, as if you’ll be living for months on bland food you have to slurp through a straw.
However, there are many different types of elimination diets, with some much less restrictive than others.
Here are a few versions.
Elimination diet “lite” for IBS
This is an excellent option for people who suspect they already know which foods and beverages trigger symptoms.
It goes like this: You eliminate up to four foods for several weeks. Then, slowly reintroduce them one at a time to see if your symptoms return.
Let’s say, for example, from experience, you know you feel bad whenever you eat dairy. On the lite elimination diet, you’d eliminate just dairy for three weeks. Then you’d reintroduce it to see how you feel.
Elimination Diet “medium” for IBS
If you’re unsure of how food interacts with your GI tract—but aren’t ready for a super restrictive eating plan, our Precision Nutrition elimination diet is likely the way to go.
Created by PN and approved by several registered dietitians, the plan removes many of the foods most likely to cause problems, while still including a variety of vegetables, fruits, starches, legumes, nuts, seeds, and meats, so you can continue to eat a well-balanced diet.
To learn more, download our FREE Ultimate Guide to Elimination Diets. This ebook has everything you need to be successful, including an at-a-glance chart that helps you easily follow the diet, along with recipes, meal ideas, and tip sheets.
The FODMAP diet for IBS
Over several years, researchers at Monash University in Australia have developed and extensively studied a low-FODMAP elimination diet for people with IBS.22
Unlike other types of elimination diets, the FODMAP diet is a highly specialized form of medical nutrition therapy. The FODMAP diet’s list of problematic foods (shown below) is anything but intuitive, and the reintroduction phase is more complex than other elimination diets.
As a result, if you’ve been diagnosed with IBS and suspect you have a FODMAP issue, seek the expertise of a FODMAP-certified practitioner. You can also download Monash University’s FODMAP Diet app, which will help you navigate low-FODMAP eating.
| Food Group |
Low FODMAP |
High FODMAP |
| Vegetables |
Green beans, bok choy, green bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes |
Artichoke, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, garlic, snowpeas, cauliflower, leeks |
| Fruits |
Cantaloupe, kiwi, mandarin, orange, pineapple, firm bananas, blueberries |
Apples, cherries, mango, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, watermelon, ripe bananas |
| Dairy and Dairy Alternatives |
Almond milk, brie, feta, hard cheese, lactose-free milk & yogurt |
Cow’s milk and foods made from cow’s milk, soy milk |
| Protein-Rich Foods |
Eggs, tofu, tempeh, most minimally-processed meats, poultry, seafood |
Most legumes, some marinated and processed meats |
| Starches |
Foods made from oats, quinoa, rice, spelt, or corn |
Foods made from wheat, rye, and barley |
| Sweeteners |
Dark chocolate, maple syrup, rice malt, table sugar |
High-fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar alcohols, agave |
| Nuts and Seeds |
Peanuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, macadamias, and walnuts |
Cashews, pistachios |
The power of health coaching
In isolation, more knowledge doesn’t always lead to more power.
For example, there’s a difference between knowing that dairy messes with your gut and doing something with that knowledge.
Similarly, you might know that you feel better when you eat a small dinner earlier in the evening, but you may struggle to plan your life so an early dinner happens regularly.
This is where a certified health coach can help.
“Many of my clients already have an idea of the foods that tend to cause them problems,” says Maughan, “But they’re nervous to know for sure because they fear that the knowledge will make eating more challenging.”
That’s why Maughan assures clients…
Even if you do an elimination diet and you learn your favorite food is contributing to your IBS, you don’t have to do anything with that information.
You can choose to continue to eat your favourite foods if you want, AND you can choose to avoid them when it’s really important for you not to experience IBS symptoms, she says.
“With knowledge, you have choices,” says Maughan.
References
Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.
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