Best diets for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth)

Apps to help you navigate the Low FODMAP Diet

What is the most successful diet for SIBO sufferers?

When I received my diagnosis of SIBO several weeks ago, my integrative doctor was very concerned that I would further restrict my already restrictive diet.  She felt that since I was eating so well to begin with, I did not have to continue on an already narrow pathway with food.  She was convinced that as long as I treated the SIBO with the recommended protocol (see my prior post), that I would rid the SIBO while also healing my gut.  Would I listen to my doctor?  Of course not, I had to do more research.

I have been trying really hard to follow the AIP diet for several months now.  I am not 100% even though I know this is what is recommended for starting out on AIP.  I had been underweight while embarking on this diet, so I really needed to keep a couple of "staples" so that I didn't go insane (or lose more weight).  What are those "staples?"  Potatoes (my husband's Irish) and dark chocolate (whoops).    

You know how when you learn more, you realize how little you know?  That's how I've felt over the last couple of weeks.  I read about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), the GAPS diet, and the low FODMAP diet.  On top of these diets, it appears that lots of people have their own opinions on which diets work, and which don't.  I'm not going to go into each of these diets, because you can easily find more about them online.  Dr. Allison Siebecker writes about the individual diets here, and provides some helpful resources.

So back to the drawing board.  Since I was already doing (mainly) AIP, it didn't make sense to follow the SCD diet.  After reaching out to some AIP bloggers, it was recommended to me to try AIP + low FODMAPS.  This seemed to make the most sense to me.  I recently had bought the AIP wellness bundle, which contained an e-book called "28 Days of Low FODMAP," so I utilized this as a resource.  I also downloaded two helpful apps: the SIBO app and the Monash University LOW FODMAP diet.

Scapes

Over the last couple of weeks, I've tried some new foods that I surprisingly like (go rutabaga!) and learned to cook a little bit more simple.  I've also eaten a boatload of carrots and developed a fondness for scapes.  Recently, after I ate 2 cherries and a 1/4 avocado (both high FODMAP foods and not allowed on the diet), I felt extreme guilt, and this is when I realized I need to do something different.  Last night I thought about how my body was feeling, and realized that it is not much different than before I went on this diet.  With all of the new supplements and antibiotics, I'd assume that I would feel amazing, but I don't.  Is the stress and guilt of this new diet making me feel even worse?

Last night, I decided to say F@#* It! to FODMAPS and made myself a big pile of cauliflower rice, ate some beets, and plantains (there appears to be a debate if these are high FODMAPS or not), and decided to see how my body felt afterwards.  Guess what, it was fine.

What I've learned is that I have to be more careful about what I eat and listen to how my body responds to food.  I have to respect my bio-individuality.  I may not respond poorly to cauliflower, but that big bowl of cherries may not be the best idea for me.   And that's okay.  I just have to figure it out, one day at a time.