3 Questions To Ask Before Going On A Low FODMAP Diet

You might have seen the low FODMAP diet being pushed and pedaled by Instagram influencers over the last few years, claiming how great it is for bloating amongst numerous other health benefits.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that the low FODMAP diet is something I talk about a lot, being one of the key tools I use in managing clients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). FODMAPs can trigger bloating, gut pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and wind in people with IBS, so we often use the low FODMAP diet as a tool to try and identify foods that trigger these reactions and to create a long-term plan for symptom management.

But is the low FODMAP diet suitable for everyone? Is it suitable as a long-term diet? Let’s take a look at three questions you should ask before starting a low FODMAP diet.

#1 Do you have a diagnosis?

There are many diseases and disorders that share similar gastrointestinal symptoms to IBS, including coeliac disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), endometriosis, gastrointestinal cancers, pelvic floor disorders, diverticular disease and more!

From my experience, people with IBS are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all! So many doctors aren’t performing the necessary medical tests or referring to gastroenterologists (and other specialists) to get their patients’ symptoms properly investigated. This leads to clients being told to “try a low FODMAP diet” without a proper diagnosis.

Did you know there’s up to a 16% chance that an endometriosis diagnosis will be missed if you showed up to your doctor with gut symptoms and they did not perform all the necessary medical and diagnostic tests? Up to 5% chance of missing coeliac disease?

If you have any gut symptoms you’re concerned about you should discuss these with your doctor. And now that you have all this new knowledge, you can make sure they investigate your symptoms properly! 

So, let’s say you have your IBS diagnosis from a trusted healthcare professional. Should you jump right into a low FODMAP elimination diet?

Not quite, we still have another two questions to ask.

#2 Do you have any other health issues that may be impacted by a low FODMAP diet?

The low FODMAP diet is very restrictive, cutting out a whole range of foods including garlic (my personal fave!), onion, lactose-based milks, some wheat-based products – the list goes on. FODMAPS are short-chain carbohydrates that the small intestine absorbs poorly, so what’s the harm in leaving them in the rearview mirror?

There are some health conditions that might be negatively affected by the low FODMAP diet. Because the low FODMAP diet removes so many foods from your day-to-day, you’ll need to assess what other dietary requirements you have and whether a low FODMAP diet would be counterintuitive to those requirements.

So, if you have an IBS diagnosis and don’t have any other health issues, should you still put yourself on a low FODMAP diet?

Not yet! We still have one question left to ask.

#3 Have you consulted a dietitian?

There are zero circumstances in which I would recommend a low FODMAP diet without the guidance and support of a dietitian. 

Not only is it a mentally taxing diet to be on due to its restrictive nature, it’s also a short-term diet only designed to help ease symptoms while we identify triggers. A lack of variety at meal time, lack of joyful eating and issues with long-term gut health are some of the many reasons not to follow a low FODMAP diet forever, so it’s essential to consult a dietitian if you’re considering starting the diet.

Not only will we, as dietitians, make sure you’re navigating the low FODMAP diet safely, we’ll also be working with you to identify your trigger foods, help find yummy (and easy) low FODMAP recipes to keep you sane, and help ease you off your elimination diet and into a more sustainable approach to managing your symptoms long-term.

The low FODMAP diet is an incredibly effective elimination diet for those with IBS, but it should always be explored with the help of a dietitian that understands the symptoms you’re working to ease.

If you are struggling with your IBS, have been told to follow a low FODMAP diet, or are experiencing gut symptoms and are unsure of the cause, get in touch or drop me a dm on my Instagram to discuss how I can help!