It may not be a magic pill, but relief is possible those plagued by IBS symptoms. 

 

New research shows that a low-FODMAP food plan is superior to other IBS treatments.

As reported in a 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Nutrition, studies show that 70 to 80 percent of people can improve or eliminate their IBS symptoms by following a low-FODMAP diet. 70 to 80 percent! If you’re one of the estimated 45 million Americans who suffer from IBS, those numbers should provide some comfort.

Not enough to convince you? Recent research out of University of Michigan and published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology further substantiated this claim. The 2016 study focused on 92 IBS sufferers and gave them either a low FODMAP diet, or a a general healthful diet. More than 50% of the patients on the low FODMAP diet experienced major improvement from IBS-related abdominal pain. And IBS-issues means a whole lot more than just some stomach pain. Over the six-week period that study took place, 61% of the IBS patients following a low FODMAP diet reported an overall improvement in quality of life.

The takeaway: simple dietary switches can make huge differences in the quality of life of IBS sufferers. For instance, while a blackberry can bloat a belly, a blueberry won’t. Foods that are high FODMAP = bad. Foods that are low FODMAP = good. 

A low-FODMAP diet lists gut-tricky carbohydrates and some alternatives to eating them. The diet has been shown to be more effective than medication in treating IBS symptoms. And for IBS sufferers, the hope of this diet certainly eliminates suffering!

If you’re interested in making the switch to a low FODMAP eating plan, check out this article on swaps you can make TODAY to start feeling better right NOW! To read more about how low FODMAP eating is gaining popularity, click here.