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Low Fodmap diet help

Posted , 8 users are following.

kari101
kari101

I've been struggling with gut problems and my diet for years, I recently went to the dietitian and she said I most likely have IBS and put me on a low fodmap diet for 6 weeks. I have aspergers and have difficulty communicating verbally and get stressed easy, so I just took all the info she gave me and went home to sort it out.

I've searched the internet, I don't really know where to go for help, so I'm starting here.

I just need a REALLY simple low fodmap diet to follow, or some ideas. I'm a terrible cook, and I'm very happy eating the same thing every day regardless of what it tastes like.

I'm good for breakfast, I have a gluten free cereal and lactose-free milk, I need some ideas for lunch and dinner, or perhaps another forum that could help me with my limited cooking skills.

Thanks biggrin

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • sam18386
    sam18386 kari101

    Posted

    Hi Karl,  the dietitians service are used to dealing with lots of different people.  I have dyslexia and dyspraxia and  have huge problems remembering what the dietitians say.  I get them to write all the information down.  You can ask them to do the same or you can take someone with you.  The FODMAP is good  you need to work out what is good for you and what is not.  I shop in Sainsbury's as they have lots of gluten free foods and because I'm vegetarian I have to be really careful.  Just keep asking you will get the help you need.  It's hard to start off with. 

  • leeniepie
    leeniepie kari101

    Posted

    You don't have to cook fancy things. The main thing to remember is no wheat or dairy. There are lots of lists online of low/No FODMAP fruit and vegetables and you can choose from this a few fruits and vegetables you like and then stick to those. All meat and fish are FODMAP free so for simple meals just choose a protein, some low FODMAP veg you like and some potatoes or rice and you're sorted smile

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 kari101

    Posted

    You can get low fodmap recipe books to give you ideas.  However, you should go back to your dietician and ask for help with Low Fodmap.   A lot of people struggle with it  trying to follow it on their own.  Explain you have Aspergers and need simple explanations.  I have Aspergers and struggle with comprehension and learning practical tasks. I can only learn practical skills one at a time..  I also have IBS brought on by my anxiety.  Just the thought of learning anything practical flares up my IBS.  I had a bad bought of diarrhoea in July while on holiday because of the stress of learning how to work our new espresso-cappuccino machine.  Check to see if you have an Asperger support group near you to advise you on cooking classes.  I should be doing this myself but fear and anxiety is putting me off learning to cook especially since my stomach and bowel can flare up so easily.
  • kari101
    kari101

    Posted

    The problem is, I live in a small town in Australia, the dietitian is here only once a fortnight, as she's based in the city which is about a 2 hours drive away (Australia's annoying like that).

    I've looked at some fodmap diets, they all seem very complicated to me. Just so you know where I'm at, my previous diet was something like:

    Weet-bix for breakfast (I've replaced with a gluten-free variant)

    Banana for snack

    Chicken/lettuce/carrot sandwich for lunch

    Boiled vege's for dinner - potato, pumpkin, broccoli. Apparently I have to limit the pumpkin and broccoli.

    I only drink water and tea.

    Even then I didn't feel I was getting enough, and now I don't know what to add.

    • leeniepie
      leeniepie kari101

      Posted

      Please read what I said above. FODMAP is actually very simple.

      Your breakfast is fine. You can still have sandwiches for lunch as long as you use gluten free bread.

      Why are you only eating vegetables for dinner?

    • sam18386
      sam18386 kari101

      Posted

      Hi kari, I am almost through the FODMAP diet process.  The basic dietary information I have is 1 bread, 1 protein and fruit/veg/salad with EACH meal.  You can drink what you like, eat fats sometimes, eat some chocolate and lactose if you can with each meal.  The idea is BALANCE! You need to add more to your diet to have it balanced.  Try each food stuff 3 times and if you react don't have it.  That's what I understood in simple terms good luck!

  • kari101
    kari101

    Posted

    I don't know if this is the right place to discuss diets in detail, I'm not sure where to look.

    Ultimately I'm just looking for a very simple 1 day diet I can follow and repeat each day. "Eat more protein" doesn't help me, cause I don't know how much more? What food exactly? etc. (the last time I tried to cook meat I gave myself food poisoning) Whenever I don't know what to eat, I just don't eat, I know it's not healthy, but I used to live off MacDonald's and TV dinners which is even less healthy...

    I was never educated on food, and my parents are the kind that said "you're 18, you're not living here anymore", I'm 30 now and I'm trying to get my health sorted out before I start permanently damaging myself. In a small country town, there aren't many services that can help someone like me, and my friends live off sugar and fried food, so I can't go to them for help (I keep telling them they're gonna kill themselves, they don't listen), my best bet is the internet.

    Sorry if I'm annoying.

    • leeniepie
      leeniepie kari101

      Posted

      No one can say exactly what you should eat. Life doesn't work like that. The only way to become educated on food is to research and learn as you go. Most things you buy from the supermarket have cooking instructions on, and if you look up a recipe it tells you how long to cook for.

      You can't just eat the same thing every so for day forever, it's not healthy. Everyone has heard of the 'eat well plate' and even if you THINK you have no food knowledge, I bet you do know that you should have protein carbohydrate and vegetables at each meal. How much and what you eat is personal preference.

    • kari101
      kari101 leeniepie

      Posted

      I actually don't know these things, but don't worry, i'll be seeing the dietitian in about a week again, I'll try explaining things more thoroughly to her.

    • sam18386
      sam18386 kari101

      Posted

      I wouldn't worry too terribly if you're seeing a dietitian they are fantastic.  Just tell them everything you have told us. 

  • jenny98222
    jenny98222 kari101

    Posted

    carbohydrates are things such as bread, pasta and foods made with flour (gluten free on this diet) rice, oats and potatoes - all okay.

    proteins are meat, eggs, cheese and fish

    vegetables and fruit are also essential as they contain various nutrients such as vitamins and also contain fibre. However some are forbidden entirely or only small amounts are allowed on the Fodmap diet.

  • dawn16385
    dawn16385 kari101

    Posted

    Hi. I have been through the Fodmap re-introduction phase and the best advice I can give you is download the Monash Uni App on your phone, it does cost money but it is worth it, it is regularly update by the people who developed the Fodmap diet, it tells you how much is a safe seving of most foods and there are some recipes on it too. Good luck with It.

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