Warning: this post mentions digestive issues in detail. If you don’t want to read about bowel habits, skip it.
The reason I went vegan initially was due to my IBS.
For as long as I can remember I had GI symptoms, alternating between diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, the works. I didn’t discuss it when I was younger because it’s an embarrassing subject and not really something that comes up in everyday conversation. Of course, my parents were aware when I had flare-ups because I would be in the bathroom calling out for Pepto-Bismol and Tums. In hindsight, it’s pretty obvious I had IBS from the get-go.
I stopped tolerating lactose in college. At least, that’s when I officially recognized the link between dairy consumption and digestive issues. This was a rough time for me because I really started noticing the way my GI problems were inhibiting me. And the more I paid attention to what I ate, the more I realized that certain foods were more aggravating than others. Unfortunately, back then (circa 2000), there wasn’t as much awareness for GI disorders as there is now (it seems gluten free news stories are mentioned daily now). And I didn’t have the background to research things on my own. So I ignored the issue until it got to the point that it could no longer be ignored.
How was I to know that my “normal” didn’t match up to everyone else’s “normal”? People didn’t talk about these things. Why would I bring the topic up? How would I have known it was even something that needed to be addressed? I don’t mean to throw myself a pity party, but I definitely went with the suffer-in-silence route (way better than bringing up constipation at the dinner table). My first boyfriend was the first person to really bring to my attention that I might have some kind of GI problem. I won’t go into the specifics but suffice it to say I was averaging one bowel movement a week. Sometimes two weeks. I didn’t keep track but once I started to then it was like something clicked. Whoa!? I guess I really don’t go the bathroom very often at all! As you can imagine, when my gut did decide to do the damn thing, it was a pretty horrible day for me. I had no idea this was abnormal. I felt it, but I never discussed it.
Finally my parents took me to see a gastroenterologist and I got the oh-so-vague diagnosis of IBS.
As anyone with IBS will tell you, it’s not a very helpful diagnosis.
From there, I really didn’t know what to do. I think I chose the worst thing though, which was to stop eating aggravating foods. It was a well intentioned plan, but since I couldn’t detect any patterns with which foods were the ones that produced symptoms, I wound up eliminating food after food after food. I’d try something and feel horrible and never want it again. I was looking for a clear cut cause and effect relationship (which I now know was a pointless mission). I didn’t realize there was no rhyme or reason to my GI tract acting up.
If there’s one thing I learned during that horrible phase of my life, it’s that IBS can take over your life if you let it. My family and friends, bless them, were so supportive during this time.
I don’t know if there was any specific thing that sparked the turning point for me, but eventually I decided to take my health into my own hands.
Fiber became my best friend.
I tweaked my diet over the remaining years of undergrad, nursing school, and beyond, but the one thing that remained constant was my need for fiber. Veggies and fruit made up the bulk of my diet. It wasn’t nutritional perfection though. Looking back there are definitely parts that make me cringe. I ate canned peas and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for weeks on end. But I also enjoyed monster salads almost daily. When a Whole Foods opened in Westwood my grocery bills went through the roof, but I began noticing the way clean, real food made me feel. I liked how fruit and veggies tasted, but I liked even more the way they made me “go”.
I can’t remember exactly when I went completely meatless, but it was some time while I was in nursing school (2006). My diet was already lactose-free and plant-centric, so the change wasn’t huge or sudden. At the time, I was learning a ton (more) about nutrition and it’s role in health so I started doing my own experimentation. I embarked on a mostly vegetarian diet, and because I was on a budget, quality animal products weren’t in my price range. As a result, my meat consumption diminished with each passing month until I was basically a lactose free vegetarian.
Since I was doing all my shopping at Whole Foods, I began to dabble in the world of specialty diets. Every once in a while I would I sample a new product like gluten free granola or veggie burgers or soy cheese. But throughout it all, getting plenty of fiber was my #1 concern. Going several days without a bowel movement felt awful and I didn’t want to return to that way of living.
I have maintained this plant-based, mostly vegan, diet for almost 5 years. I still have IBS flare ups, and my bad days are still bad. But I have way more good days. When I get discouraged, I remind myself that I cannot to let my digestive system control my life. I refuse. The days of cutting out food for fear of painful consequences are behind me. I’d rather err on the side of discomfort and enjoy my meals than return to that scared way of living.
Cut to present day…a few months ago I discovered the world of FODMAPs.
When reading up on it, the first thing I thought was “whoa, this is describing my GI issues to a ‘T’!”
The next thing that went through my mind was “whoa, why do so many of my favorite foods contain FODMAPs?”
Suddenly it clicked. No wonder sometimes I felt fine after a meal, while other times the same food left me feeling bloated and gassy. No wonder I felt pregnant when I ate apples and hummus together, but on their own, each was way more tolerable.
The more I researched the diet, the more it made sense to me. I finally felt like my specific problems were those being targeted with this diet plan.
But now that I had this new information, what was I to do with it? I have IBS-C. Without these fiber-ful foods, I don’t know if my digestive system will function.
Which takes priority in alleviating my symptoms? Having a bowel movement (and thus clearing the gut) or removing fermentable carbohydrates (and thus eliminating gas in the gut).
My Catch-22.
[to be continued...]
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I am you 5 years ago! Unfortunately, friends and family aren’t as supportive, as I continually get the eye rolling when I proclaim that, this food bothers me, and that food, and now I’m only eating salad and chicken again! The hubby is definitely supportive though, since he “see’s it all”, poor guy! I let this whole digestive imbalance take over my 2011 year and feel I missed most of my son’s first year of life because I was in this constant cloud of bloating, feeling miserable and researching! People don’t think it’s real unless you’re diagnosed by a professional, yet I’ve left the GI after multiple procedures and a diagnosis of, “there’s nothing more I can do for you”. Really?!?! Not even a referral to a dietitian! However, with my bs in dietetics,, I’m hell bent on trying to figure it out myself as I’m convinced an RD would just have me journaling and eliminating and challenging. So, after your writing about delicious oatmeal with pb and banana, and cocoa rice crispies prepared similarly, and your mention of chia seeds and the like…I had to try these foods! So…I did. And, the result…no good. Which left me thinking; if my diet typically consists of chicken and salad (insoluble fiber) and the addition of soluble fiber left me bloated, (but, cleared my bowels)…is it the type of fiber? Soluble is fermentable causing gas and bloating. Insoluble, non-fermentable, no bloating and gas, but not as helpful to clear your bowels. Could the answer be low Fodmaps and low soluble fiber, and a sh!t ton of insoluble fiber? Possibly! But I so loved my brief visit with oatmeal again…
Posted by Ashley | February 7, 2012, 4:34 amhey ashley,
im so sorry youre going through this. it was (is) especially hard because i have such conflicting feelings. on one hand, you want the doctor to tell you they’ve found something thats physiologically wrong with you because then there’s definitive proof and hopefully a clear cut solution. but on the other hand, a true diagnosis means the problem is likely way more serious. so while its nice to know i dont have an organic bowel disease, its frustrating to feel like im paving my own way with a solution to a functional problem that cant even be identified. hard to articulate.
anyway, your theory about the different kinds of fibers is an interesting one and one you should continue to look into and track. the book i mention in the resources tab called “gastrointestinal health” by steven r peikin is really good and discusses this in diet to assist in GI disorders.
Posted by elise | February 7, 2012, 6:09 pmThis is so helpful, thank you. I’m looking forward to the continuation.
Posted by Carey | February 7, 2012, 8:51 amI am going through this same catch-22 dilemma in my head! I have been counting fibre grams, and I can say that it is much tougher to get plenty of fibre with the FODMAP restrictions. Beans are something I’ve also been struggling with. I think my body is missing the nutrition of all the beans and lentils I used to eat (even though I take iron supplements), so I am trying to eat them more regularly now. So far, so good, provided I only eat like 1/2 c in any one day and take a digestive enzyme supplement with them. I’d really like to not have to take the supplement at all!
I have also had these problems since childhood, so it’s interesting to read about your journey since you have as well. I used to tell my family, from the time I was very young, that I thought my food was fermenting in my gut. I also struggled to identify the particular foods that bothered me. When I read your posts about FODMAPs on HHH and then did some reading on my own, it finally clicked! My food WAS fermenting in my gut! And there WAS a reason I felt like there was no pattern!
Posted by saraheclement | February 7, 2012, 6:01 pmisnt it crazy (and a relief) to know there are others with the same story?! its like im finally connecting that dots.
it feels wonderful to know that im not alone and theres a real problem here that needs to be addressed. putting it out there, sharing and collaborating in our experiences…hopefully we can sort it out.
Posted by elise | February 7, 2012, 6:15 pmElise, you can’t imagine how helpful your posts are to me! I am 55 years old and have been struggling with this since my youth! I have gone to bed with a stomachache every night for well over 20 years – can you imagine? And I was already vegetarian and then vegan….I have been under the care of a GI doc for IBS-C and reflux for a LONG time, and no-one mentioned this diet. Finding you and trying the low FODMAPS has made an absolute world of difference in how I feel. However….along my IBS-C journey I developed a dependency upon miralax daily – without it, I would become horrible in a way that it seems you understand very well. Now, my dilemma is – do I stop the miralax? Maybe gradually? Anyone have any experience with this?
Posted by Nan | February 8, 2012, 7:29 pmhi nan! thank you so much for commenting. im both thrilled and sad for you – its so great that you are finding relief with the low fodmaps diet, but how tragic that it took so long. hopefully people like you and me and whoever else is reading this will continue to share our experiences to help others find out the solution faster.
i used to be on miralax too – daily just like you. i stopped when after a few years because i really didnt notice much help with it. i weaned myself off fairly haphazardly so i dont think it is a schedule id recommend. i simply started dropping a few days a week until i was down to once a week. then i just quit altogether. i found fluids in general were helpful. i drink a glass of warm water in the morning when i am getting a bit too constipated. i have no clue if it does anything but i do think more fluids make it easier for me. i also take digestive enzymes when its been a few days since ive had a BM. you should enter my giveaway on HHH to try and win some (here: http://www.hungryhungryhippie.com/doctors-best-giveaway/ ). hope that helps!
Posted by elise | February 8, 2012, 8:54 pmI can relate to about 99% of this post! I remember Mum taking me to my first doctor when I was 4 for “pains in the tummy”. I spent years on a rollercoaster of different diagnosis’ ranging from “she’s just anxious” to “it’s just IBS, take a fibre supplement every night and she’ll be fine”. I wish I could say it had gotten better by my 20′s but it hadn’t. I even had one gastroenterologist tell me to go home and stress less (umm yes, that was easy, my husband was away training to enter the army and I was at home with a 4 year old and 9 month old twins!).
Then I went vegetarian about 6 years ago. Sadly things for me got so much worse. Turns out galactose (? the beans and legumes part of fodmaps) just about kills me. I can have about 1/4 cup of only certain types of beans once a day and that’s it. Some things like chickpeas kill me in even the smallest amounts. Attempting to be a soy intolerant, bean and legume intolerant lacto vegetarian just didn’t work for me. I wish it did. I loved it (digestive issues aside).
Thank you so much for sharing. So much of what you write gives me “aha” moments and I’m more and more sure that it’s certain kinds of fodmaps making me miserable.
Posted by Amy | February 8, 2012, 11:11 pmI’m still trying to sort out beans myself. I *seem to* tolerate hummus with no other fodmaps but then I had brownies that were made with fava bean and chickpea flour and it was blahhhh. So I’m going back to the trial and error process of the challenge phases right now with elimination days in between. I’ll post more when I know more. Have you noticed a difference between the more processed galactans (ie flours) and those in the more pure forms (ie whole beans)? Or canned vs made from dried form?
Posted by elise | February 14, 2012, 11:07 amI haven’t noticed a difference between flours and whole beans, or canned vs dried (that being said, I’ve only eaten chickpea flour, we don’t get a lot of bean flours here) and I’ve only ever cooked black turtle beans and red kidney beans at home.
I found Eden organics brand to be the gentlest on my stomach (I’m not sure if it’s because they cook with kombu, I did that at home too), but the only kinds I can eat are the black turtle, canellini and red kidney beans and I never pushed it past 1/4 cup because I was rumbly and sore after even that small amount. Chickpea’s are the worst, closely followed by adzuki beans. I’ve not tried fresh soy beans. I had such a bad reaction to soy milk and tofu that I haven’t been game enough to try the beans.
Posted by Amy | February 14, 2012, 12:19 pmWow, strange that Chickpeas and Aduki are the worst—those are supposed to be the easiest to digest! How are vegans supposed to do this?!
ALL grains bother me, except for Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas, lol.
I’ve been basically living off banan/date smoothies made with green juice, as that’s all I can tolerate with my UC and dysbiosis. I had some apricots and peaches this evening and I’ve been suffering ever since….eating shouldn’t be a painful and scary activity, but it is for me. How can the majority of the world not be affected by what they eat, while others suffer after one bite?
Do u guys take any supplements? Like probiotics or digestive enzymes? How have they helped or are they useless?
Also, what is the consensus on fermented foods, like Rejuvenative Foods raw sauerkraut or Zing Salad, homemade dairyfree yogurt, kombucha, etc? Would these help with digestion and the IBS issues?
As far as the Constipation, mine really cleared up after adopting a fruit-based diet (just don’t eat stone fruits, as these contain sorbitol, and hence my issue that Im dealing with today, lol). Bananas and organic dates (especially Khadrawy dates) are very good IBS foods…just make sure the bananas are VERY ripe (spotty and easily falls off the stem). Make smoothie or “ice cream” with them. Use green juice instead of water for extra nutrients.
I’d love to see daily food logs….would u be able to do a “What I eat wednesday” post, like what many of the other bloggers are doing?
Thanks!
Posted by Stacy Jones | September 15, 2012, 9:05 pmmost important thing to remember: everyone is different. everyone tolerates fodmaps differently.
the best thing a trial elimination phase will do for you is teach you which groups are your most problematic, which are easier for you, and the quantities of various foods in each that will and will not produce symptoms. i can eat most beans now and be okay as long as the rest of the meal is fodmaps free.
i dont currently take probiotics but i used to take digestive enzymes by doctor’s best. they were (are) great and i hilghy recommend (im currently pregnant and off all herbal/homeopathic things due to lack of studies addressing their effects on pregnancy).
many fermented foods are fine for me, but try them for yourself before assuming anything. i dont know what zing salad is and i havent tried sauerkraut or made my own yogurt, so i cant comment on those, but kombucha, miso, and tempeh have all been fine for me personally.
i agree about the really ripe bananas.
Posted by elise | September 17, 2012, 3:51 pm