Phase 3 of The Low Fodmap Diet
Phase 3 of the Low FODMAP Diet: Incorporating the Tolerated Foods
People with IBS who are considering the low FODMAP diet (LFD) might ask, “How long do I stay on the low FODMAP diet?”
Well, the answer is, “It depends.” Each person cruises through at their own pace. You have to first do the elimination phase, followed by the challenge phase. I have blog posts on each of these phases, which are also known as phase 1 and phase 2 of the low FODMAP diet. So check out those blogs by clicking on their links if you’re not too sure what they are. After that, the last phase to complete is phase 3, or the phase that ties it all together.
Phase 3 is where you take all the information you learned about how your body reacts to these foods, and you start to incorporate them into your diet. This phase should not be ignored or taken too lightly. Remember, by this time your body has been exposed to very low amounts of the small-chain carbohydrates known as FODMAPs, and you should be feeling pretty good.
If you take a bunch of the foods that you found to be tolerable and add them all at once to this GI tract that is feeling good, well, I think you could imagine how that might go. Too much, too soon. The key to continued tolerance is easing back to a full diet. You’ll want to try two of your okay foods in one meal in your tolerated amounts. Or even trying two foods on the same day could be your first step. Keep trying different FODMAP group combinations
You can take this phase at a nice slow pace. Just like in the first two phases, you’ll have to pay attention to your symptoms. If symptoms increase, then slow down a little. Listen to your body and soon you’ll be out and about more often and feeling much more in control of your gut. You’ll be a pro at label reading for FODMAPs and ordering in restaurants to suit your tolerances.
After about 6 months or so after the start of phase 3, you can even consider retrying some of the foods that you didn’t tolerate very well in the challenge phase. You should do this in order to expand your diet, but also, you may be able to add back a favorite food that you didn’t tolerate very well earlier. Wouldn’t that be great?
Our bodies are constantly changing, and our gut microbiomes can also change over time. With a new diet, more peace in your body, and possibly a different stress level, things may go better with a new food trial. Why don’t you give it a try? Expanding your food options is always a good thing.