Ep 92 What is the FODMAP Diet and Why Should I Care?
Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –
I speak this week with Kate Scarlata RDN, MPH, FODMAP & IBS expert about the FODMAP diet. We explore what the diet is, and how it relates to both celiac disease, gluten intolerance and IBS. The diet aims to resolve lingering digestive issues not completely solved by the gluten free diet. It goes without saying that if you’re celiac or gluten intolerant, you must avoid gluten, but for you individually are there other foods that may be causing discomfort and should be avoided?
We look at the origins of the diet, and how it has helped many people to identify specific food issues. Kate has authored many books, but her recent book “The Low-FODMAP Diet Step-by-Step” is a comprehensive resource for using the diet to resolve some ongoing digestive issues.
Kate’s website with more information on the diet and the book is –
https://www.katescarlata.com/
Sue’s Websites and Social Media –
Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com
Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com
Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast
Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA
Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com
Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com
Instagram – @suesgfbaking
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL
(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)
Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com
Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com
My Thoughts –
I learned a great deal chatting with Kate about the FODMAP diet. One thing that stuck out for me was the fact that our bodies and our digestive systems keep changing over time. You may be well-adjusted now on the gluten free diet, then gradually you may find some symptoms returning.
This can take you by surprise, as you’re doing what you’ve always done, but for some reason, you just don’t feel as well as you did previously. We often blame the dreaded cross-contamination. “Something must have touched my food”, or “someone must have used a utensil that was used with a wheat product”. This, of course is the natural reaction. We know gluten is a problem, so if we start experiencing digestive issues, it must be because we didn’t pay careful attention.
It may take months, or longer, to realize that it may not be just gluten. This is where the FODMAP diet can help.
Something else that springs to mind is the fact that many of us with celiac disease also suffer from other autoimmune conditions, and some of these are best treated by avoidance of some common foods. How often have you been at a celiac get together, just about to taste a new food, or delight someone has baked, only to have others in your group ask about the ingredients. Gluten is a given, but other ingredients can be problematic for some people.
Again, this is where the FODMAP diet can help. You might feel you are alone in not being able to eat a particular ingredient – honey for instance, but that happens to be something that has been found to be a trigger on FODMAP. You are not alone. The FODMAP diet, is a resource, a method to determine these trigger ingredients. Once you find out, you can then set about the task of eliminating them from your already gluten free diet. Not simple, but necessary.
On next week’s episode I interview a man who has worked hard to create some common foods, that don’t contain some common ingredients. I think we’ll be hearing lots more about FODMAP in the years to come.