A Complex Diet
I am super pleased to hear that more and more often healthcare practitioners are mentioning the low Fodmap diet to their patients with IBS but, almost right across the board, they don’t really know much about it and tell the patient to Google it for a list of allowed foods.
So, the confused soul Googles the diet, picks up some probably obsolete list of allowed and banned foods to try it themselves. And they fail. They fail because the list is very likely to be inaccurate and also because this diet needs to come with a set of instructions and you won’t find that by Googling it. It is a complex diet and you need to understand how it all works to implement it safely and in such a way that you have positive results.
All fruit and vegetables contain Fodmaps. Those on the allowed list contain a lower level of Fodmaps – that’s the only difference. So you think you can have a big salad of allowed vegetables – 1 carrot, ½ cup of zucchini, ¼ stick of celery, 2 radishes, 1 cup of lettuce and a tomato. Yum, yum! And then you get a belly ache and curse the diet for being all wrong. But see those amounts? 2 radishes are okay, 3 are not. ¼ stick of celery is okay, ½ stick is not. So what happens when we put all those allowed amounts together? We have a high Fodmap cocktail, that’s what!
This diet is all about amounts and the accumulative effect of those Fodmaps in the body. And they continue accumulating over the day until you go to the toilet and zero them out. Then you can start the accumulation process all over again. It is not about good foods and bad foods. Balance is the key.
And one more thing. There are heaps of low Fodmap foods to eat, so we can get a varied diet. Don’t do what I see many people do and that is to limit your diet down to a handful of foods you are sure don’t hurt you and that you know how to prepare. You will end up with a whole new set of health problems from the lack of nutrients being absorbed into your body. Eat as widely as possible and stay healthy.
If you are more than a little confused by it all and need help, my new low Fodmap diet coaching program starts Monday 30th June and you can still get into the group of ladies who are about to start the transformation process so they can live a normal, pain-free life. Fill in the application form HERE and I will give you a call about it.
The Recipe
One of the ladies in my coaching program which is just finishing up gave me the idea for this recipe when she made a fish pie one night for her and her husband. This is my version of a low Fodmap potato-top fish pie. It was very tasty and along with a green salad created a full meal for dinner and there was one mini casserole left over for my lunch the next day.
- 2 large potatoes
- 2 tbsp butter
- 500gms/17.6oz smoked fish
- 16 mussels
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 2 tbsp of butter
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- Milk
- Salt & pepper
- 4 slices bacon
- Grated cheese
- Heat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Peel and chop up the potatoes.
- Boil them in salted water until tender.
- Mash them with one of the lots of butter.
- Break up the fish into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop up the red pepper and zucchini into small pieces.
- Fry the bacon until crispy.
- chop into small pieces.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the vegetables until tender.
- Melt the other lot of butter in a large saucepan.
- Add the flour and stir to combine with the butter. Cook a little until well combined.
- Add the milk a little at a time, Stirring well in between additions.
- Add enough milk to create a thick white sauce.
- Add the cooked zucchini and pepper mix and the mussels and the fish.
- Season.
- Spoon into 4 small casserole dishes or one larger one.
- Pile the potato on top and scatter the cheese and bacon over the potato.
- Place them in the oven for 10-15 minutes to brown the tops and melt the cheese.
Nice food styling! And terrific recipe — thanks.
Thanks, John. It got a bit messy but made it look more real in the photo, I guess.
I love how you served the pies in little pots. They look elegant and pretty. How lovely to have enough left over the next day for a casserole – I love it when I have something leftover for my lunch xx
I bought those little pots for a few dollars at a charity shop in the village. I get a lot of items in that shop for almost nothing. But I also give them a lot of things so they can sell them so what goes around comes around. LOL.
Hi Suzanne,
I have SIBO. Can I use foodmaps to help my bloating problem?
Thanks for letting me know
I don’t know if you received my message.I only have an IPad,but I am having severe issues with IBS .I was placed on antibiotics and it tore my stomach up so I stopped.I also have Gerd so it has been a challenge. I can’t eat anything right now unless it is steamed and mashed like baby food.I am at a total loss what to do next:-( Thank you for your impute,Christine
Christine, I am sorry you are having these issues, The low Fodmap diet helps 75% of those with IBS so there is a very good chance that you could become symptom-free with this diet. If you wish to fill in the application form here: https://www.strandsofmylife.com/inspiredlife/, I will give you a call to have a conversation around your IBS and the coaching program I run for people just like you.
I wish I could speak with you,but I live in the USA,and only have a cell phone so that won’t be possible.Is there a way we could correspond through email? Thank you,Christine
I can call anyone anywhere through Skype. That is not an issue at all.
I am older and do not understand all the modern technology. I will see if I can get someone to help me.I did purchase your book Low Fodmap Menus for IBS. I am slowly moving forward,but it seems like it’s been forever.My Dr.is trying to help me but the meds.upset my stomach also. I will get back to you once I figure out how to Skype .
I would use Skype but I would be calling your mobile. It would be like an ordinary phone call for you. The phone would ring and you would pick it up.
Would it take up a lot of my min.? I’m sorry I don’t mean to sound so nieve. Let me know how I can give you my number without anyone else seeing it. Thank you.
Let me know how I can get my phone number to you privately.Thank you.
Christine, you have to fill out the application form for my coaching program to get the call and that is private. https://www.strandsofmylife.com/inspiredlife/
When I go to the site it says that I am already enrolled in the program. I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
I know you probably think that I’m a basket case by now. I watched the video once more and saw where I had to sigh up to get on the program. I am sorry for the misunderstanding.I have been miserable for such a long time and that’s my only explanation .
No worries. I understand feeling miserable. I have received your form and will contact you soon.
I made the low fodmap fish pie as above
I thought it was bland but more important is the fact that it gave me IBS mixed.
Was there too many proteins, fish, cheese, bacon?
Your comments are appreciated
Thank you
Carmel
I am sorry you found the recipe bland – I thought it was delicious. Perhaps you didn’t include all the ingredients or used too little salt. Proteins contain no Fodmaps, which are carbohydrates so you can’t have too many. However, we can only eat small meals so maybe you had too much. And also maybe it was too rich for you.
Delicious! I made it with a mix of smoked fish, white fish and salmon that the local supermarket sells. Given the size of the casserole dish I used, another potato would have come in handy. I also learnt that you can make a decent bechamel from gluten-free flour.
I am glad you enjoyed it, John. Yes, you can definitely make a good sauce from GF flours.