This Is What A Day On A Plate Of A Super Gut-Healing Diet ACTUALLY Looks Like

I struggled with IBS for years before finding a diet that healed my symptoms enough to help me live a normal, happy life: the low-FODMAP diet. It was developed at the Monash University in Australia, and it reduces fermentation in the gut, thereby reducing gas production, decreasing the distention of the bowel, and therefore reducing symptoms like constipation, bloating, and stomach pain.

So what is it, exactly? FODMAP is an acronym for short-chain carbohydrates, which are poorly absorbed in the small intestine.

It stands for Fermentable (the process through which gut bacteria break down undigested carbohydrate to produce gases like hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide) Oligosaccharides (fructo-oligosaccarides found in wheat, rye, onions and garlic) Galacto-oligosaccharides (found in legumes/pulses) Disaccharides (a lactose found in milk, soft cheese, and yogurts) Monosaccharide (fructose in excess of glucose found in honey and many fruits and vegetables) And Polyols (sugar polyols like sorbitol and mannitol, found in some fruit and vegetables and used as artificial sweeteners).

I wake around 7 a.m., having gone to bed at 11 p.m. Getting around eight hours of good-quality sleep a night in a solid routine is essential, since lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, and exercise affect my symptoms. I have my breakfast within 30 minutes of getting up. I've found that, for me and other IBS sufferers I know, it's best not to leave it any longer, because gas starts accumulating in an empty stomach.

I have IBS with constipation, so my breakfast is an attempt to get a good hit of fiber early on to facilitate an easy bowel movement. It consists of cranberry and almond muesli (a recipe from my new cookbook, The Low-FODMAP 6 Week Plan and Cookbook, shared below), ½ a kiwi fruit, ½ an almost green banana, lactose-free milk, and a dollop of lactose-, sugar-, and fruit-free yogurt.

I also have my daily cup of tea. While I prepare breakfast, I munch on a few baby carrots or celery to increase my fiber and get a serving of vegetables. I like to have vegetables in all five of my meals to get enough since I can't eat too many at any one meal.

At about 10:30 a.m., I have a glass of water and a snack—perhaps some rice crackers with feta and tuna dip (from my cookbook, shared below) and ½ cup of cucumber.

Dinner is at about 7:30 p.m. in our household and varies considerably from one day to the next since I enjoy cooking and like to experiment. An example could be tuna pasta salad with snow peas and radishes (from my cookbook, shared below). I also include the usual glass of water. In my family, everyone eats a low-FODMAP meal together for dinner—if the rest of the family doesn't need to eat low-FODMAP, they can eat FODMAP foods during the rest of their day.

Muesli is a great breakfast staple, and it’s so convenient for busy mornings. Oats are high-fiber and may be too harsh for you, especially if you have IBS with diarrhea, so be sure to test your tolerance levels. On the other hand, though, oats can be an effective tool if you have IBS with constipation. Vary the nuts and spices according to taste, and serve with lactose-free milk, a low-FODMAP fruit, and lactose-free yogurt.

Serves 12

Method

This rich, nourishing dip is a great snack-time partner for gluten-free crackers and vegetable sticks. You’ll notice on the Food Groups list that you can have ½ cup of feta at a time, but because it's blended to a cream here, have ¼ cup for your snack alongside 8 to 10 rice crackers and a nonstarchy vegetable. It's ideal for sharing, so offer it to guests with drinks, or bring it along as your contribution to a shared meal.

Serves 4

One cookie is the serving size for these addictive treats, so freeze the rest of the batch so you can enjoy them later. Even though they contain sugar, I consider them to be "healthy" treats because of the other ingredients. It's still important to limit your sugar intake and get as much of it from fresh fruits as possible, which is why I don't have more than one per day.

Make 12 cookies

Packed with tuna and crunchy, low-FODMAP vegetables, this pasta salad is another quick weeknight meal. Substitute salmon or any other canned fish for the tuna, or use another type of mature cheese in place of the Brie, and have up to a quarter of this recipe per serving. Leftovers make great lunches or dinners for the following day—just be sure to adjust your serving size so you don't exceed your FODMAP limits.

Serves 4