What’s Your Colon up To? 28 feet of Intestines, the Highway to Health!

    Have you heard of FODMAPs?  What is that or better, what are those!?

    After many years of people suffering with digestive disorders such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), it has finally become mainstream to help by reducing foods high in FODMAPs.  FODMAPs are short chain carbohydrates that some people’s digestive system cannot break down, and therefore cause extreme digestive issues. FODMAP stands for F = Fermentable; O = Oligosaccharide; D = Disaccharide; M = monosaccharide; A= and; P = polyols (some fruits/veggies, and artificial sweeteners such as mannitol or sorbitol).  All these are in certain foods and cause fermentation and extreme digestive disorders in sensitive individuals who cannot break down fermentable sugars aka “saccharides.” Cases of diarrhea, pain, excessive bloating and other debilitating digestive effects have created work loss, loss of income, loss of “fun times” and family time for sufferers of IBS or Crohn’s disease (another intestinal chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus).  According to Harvard Medical School, and MONASH University, high FODMAP food examples are: cow’s milk products (custard, ice cream, cottage cheese); fruits such as apples, pears, peaches, cherries, watermelon; sweeteners such as honey, agave, high fructose corn syrup; veggies such as broccoli, asparagus, and onions/garlic; grains such as wheat, rye or added fibers such as inulin; lentils, beans, and soy.  TRY LOW FODMAPs such as lactose free or rice milk; banana and blueberries, honeydew, oranges; beans sprouts, bok choy, carrots, olives, cucumbers; beef, pork, chicken, fish egg; no more than 10 pc of almonds or macadamia, peanuts, pine or walnuts; and for grains not too much but try oat, oat bran, rice bran, gluten free pasta, rice, corn or quinoa.

    More info is available on their websites (https://www.monashfodmap.com/about-fodmap-and-ibs/, and https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/a-new-diet-to-manage-irritable-bowel-syndrome)

    What about FATS and IBS?

    Not only are these pesky overly fermentable foods an issue for IBS sufferers, but so are FATTY fried foods.  After reviewing multiple survey answers from IBS sufferers, researchers have found that respondents often attribute IBS symptoms (bloating, cramping, pain, diarrhea etc.) to fatty foods such as fast food, pizza, heavy creams, deep fried treats).  One of these reviewed over 300 patients, and 44% reported that their symptoms of IBS were triggered by fatty foods, and yet another confirmed that over 50% of their respondents with IBS were also negatively affected when consuming fatty foods. For people without IBS, fatty foods do not necessarily cause digestive issues.  However, for people with IBS, their hypersensitivity and colonic transit (how fast food goes through the colon) differences as compared to non-IBS sufferers may make them over reactive to fatty acids/fats/oils thereby aggravating existing digestive issues.

    DO YOU HAVE IBS?

    If you suffer from IBS, try a low FODMAP diet, keep a food journal and pay attention to which foods may trigger symptoms.  Many foods such as caffeine, chocolate, high FODMAP foods, including fried foods may trigger symptoms. Be your colon’s best friend, and pay attention to your COLON!  

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