As someone who has suffered from IBS for the past 20 years, in my early days I was disappointed when I was told that there was not much that could be done to help me, and I would “have to live with it”. At the time I was studying, participating in sport and enjoyed going out with friends and family, and I have to say that irritable bowel got in the way of my quality of life.
While studying Exercise Physiology I did a nutrition subject and had one of those moments in life where I just knew “this is what I wanted to do as my career”, and I became a dietitian. Little did I know that this decision would also open up the opportunity to read the initial research findings of Sue Shepherd and the positive impact of following a low FODMAP diet and improving irritable bowel symptoms. Sue took those initial findings and started her PhD, and along came a new treatment pathway to manage IBS, which is continuing now, about 15 or more years later.
I was of course very excited, and played my own guinea pig as the research unfolded to see if this could really work….And luckily for me I responded well and significantly improved my IBS. I know what I can eat, how to get best symptom relief when I really need it (like on my wedding day or before a presentation) and how much of my trigger foods I can eat before my symptoms are exacerbated. I have now seen more clients than I can count change their lives due to the low FODMAP diet and I really feel it is worth a try for people suffering with bloating, excess wind, loose stools or stomach pain.
Purchase the Low FODMAP recipe book and improve your IBS symptoms while eating interesting and deliciously healthy foods.