How to Tackle IBS & SIBO Using a Low FODMAP Diet

A 3 Step Method Based on 20 Years of Experience

By Deborah Barns (CanXida)


If you’ve been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (aka IBS), SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or have digestive issues, chances are you’ve heard of the low-FODMAP diet.


Many doctors today recommend the low-FODMAP diet to new IBS patients.


Which isn't surprising since research shows 7 to 18% of the world's population has IBS to some degree. It also shows that over 35% of IBS patients also have SIBO.


And while we at CanXida aren’t huge fans of the low-FODMAP approach (for reasons we’ll explain in a moment) we do recognize its value & usefulness for many patients, as long as it’s followed correctly.

The low-FODMAP diet can help you discover which foods are triggering your flare-ups, but it is not a long term solution to IBS or SIBO and shouldn’t be used as such.


If you look at the original research behind the low-FODMAP diet, which was published in 2001 by Dr. Peter Gibson and Dr. Sue Shepherd at Monash University in Australia, it says the low-FODMAP diet should last 2 to 6 weeks. NO MORE.

After which point you’re supposed to slowly reintroduce most of the foods you eliminated.

And that is because of how restrictive it is. It takes almost all carbohydrates out of the diet. Remember, we shape our microbiome & gut bacteria by what we eat. So the more restrictive you are with food, the more restrictive the bacteria will become in the gut.

And over time this can create dysfunction. It can create a situation where if you deviate off the diet, you’ll get sick rather quickly. Which of course will make you think “I need to get back on the FODMAP diet.”

Two of the six major FODMAP groups are prebiotics — foods that feed beneficial bacteria in your gut and make them replicate.

And according to a research study from Monash University (where the low-FODMAP diet was invented), “individuals who stay on the low FODMAP diet develop changes in their gut microbiota.”

Notably, a significant reduction in Bacteroides bacteria, which is a beneficial bacteria that helps regulate your immune system and prevents your gut from being colonized by bad bacteria.

Another reason we’re not fans of the low-FODMAP diet is it doesn’t treat the root cause of IBS or SIBO. It doesn’t eliminate the IBS so you can eat like normal person again when you stop following the diet.


If you want to learn what does reverse IBS & SIBO so you can eat normally again, check out our CanXida range of supplements.



  • CanXida Remove (RMV): our 12-ingredient herbal-based antifungal, antibacterial & anti-parasitic cleansing formula based on +30 years of experience. RMV is sustain release (meaning it targets all parts of the GI tract), uses standardized ingredients & is designed to work even in very severe cases where the patient has been sick for YEARS.
  • CanXida Restore (RST): our time-released probiotic + digestive enzyme formula designed to recolonize your gut with the EXACT good bacteria strains shown to most inhibit yeast, bad bacteria, & parasites and restore digestive function. 


You can learn more about CanXida by clicking the links above.


We’re not saying you shouldn’t try the low-FODMAP approach if you’re struggling with IBS, SIBO or another gut issue. By all means, give it a shot. It’ll probably help you. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking you need to stick to it for months or years.


And with that out of the way, let’s dive into what the low-FODMAP diet is, what foods are allowed, and how to add supplements to it so you get better results faster.


Topics Covered on This Page

• Phase 1: The Elimination Phase

• FODMAP Foods to Eliminate During Phase 1

• How Long Should You Stay In Phase 1?

• Phase 2: The Re-Challenge Phase

• Phase 3: The Adapted FODMAP Diet Phase

• Is the Low FODMAP Diet Enough to Fully Eliminate IBS Symptoms?

• Dietary Supplements To Take During a Low-FODMAP Diet

• What Real People Are Saying About CanXida 


Phase 1: The Elimination Phase

As you likely know, FODMAP stands for:
Fermentable 

Oligo-saccharides, 

Di-saccharides, 

Mono-saccharides, 

And 

Polyols.

The Fermentable part refers to foods which cannot be fully digested or absorbed in the small intestine so ferment in the large intestine (colon).

While saccharides are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) which are found naturally in many foods. Almost all foods that contain carbohydrates have these sugars.

Most people can tolerate these sugars without any problems (unless they eat a whole lot of them at once) but many patients with IBS tend to react to at least one or two of these groups.

The 4 groups you want to eliminate during Phase 1 are:

Oligosaccharides — these are found in foods like wheat, bread, beans, garlic, and the onion family.

Disaccharides — also known as disaccharide lactose, these are found in most dairy products and anything that contains milk or cream.

Monosaccharides — are found in foods high in fructose such as apples, mangoes, oranges and honey.

Polyols — these are basically sugar alcohols & are found in foods that contain artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and xylitol. Certain natural foods like mushrooms and avocados also contain them.

You need to be very strict during phase 1. And that means avoiding ALL of the foods that follow for a 2 to 6 week period.


FODMAP Foods to Eliminate During Phase 1:

Wheat Products to Eliminate:

  • Bulgur
  • Couscous
  • Semolina
  • Rye
  • Barley
  • Amaranth

Alternatives that are OK:

Rice, oats, tapioca, potato, buckwheat, corn, and quinoa.

Breads to Eliminate:

  • White
  • Whole grain, & multigrain
  • Pita bread
  • Bagels
  • Croissants
  • Muffins
  • Pastries
  • Rye & spelt bread
  • Crumpets
  • Naan

Alternatives that are OK:

Wheat free and gluten free bread. Bread made from oat, rice corn, tapioca, cornflour, millet or potato flour. Sourdough is usually ok in small amounts. Spelt sourdough is usually ok.

Flours to Eliminate:

  • All wheat flour (including rye & barley)
  • Chickpea flour
  • Coconut flour
  • Soya flour

Alternatives that are OK:
Wheat free and gluten free flours. For raising agents, baking powder, baking soda, & arrowroot are ok.

Pasta to Eliminate:

  • All wheat based pasta
  • Gnocchi
  • Chickpea or lentil pasta
  • Ramen, udon or egg noodles

Alternatives that are OK:
Wheat free and gluten free pasta that isn’t made from lentils or other beans. Buckwheat pasta is OK but check ingredients because most buckwheat pasta contains at least 30% to 40% wheat. Rice noodles and kelp noodles are OK.

Fruits to Eliminate:

  • Apples
  • Apricots
  • Avocado
  • Squash
  • Blackberries
  • Cherries
  • Dates
  • Figs
  • Mango
  • Nectarine
  • Peach
  • Pears
  • Plums
  • Watermelon
  • Bell peppers
  • Cucumbers
  • Tomato
  • Olives
  • Pumpkin
  • Any juices or jams that contain the above

Alternatives that are OK:
Bananas, blueberries, cantaloupe, cleminte, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemon, lime, oranges, pineapples, papaya, pomegranate, raspberry, and strawberry. Keep fruit portion sizes small.

Vegetables to Eliminate:

  • Artichoke
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Fennel
  • Garlic
  • Beets
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Okra
  • Peas
  • Sweet potato
  • Yellow and other sweet corns
  • All beans and pulses (lentils, etc)

Alternatives that are OK:
Alfalfa, asparagus, sugar snap peas, bamboo shoots, beansprouts, carrots, chard, chives, lettuce. bok choy, parsnip, potatoes, raddish, seaweeds, spinach, turnip, red or white cabbage.

Nuts to Eliminate:

  • Pistachio
  • Cashew
  • Coconut (dried) in large amounts

Alternatives that are OK:

All other nuts are OK except peanuts which are best avoided even though they’re FODMAP friendly as our team have observed they tend to cause inflammation in patients with IBS.

Milk Products to Eliminate:

  • Whole milk
  • Skim milk
  • Milk from other animals like goats & sheeps
  • Milk powder
  • Evaporated milk
  • Condensed milk
  • Yogurt, including greek and low fat

Alternatives that are OK:

Lactose free milk, almond or hazelnut milk. rice milk, oat milk. Lactose free milk yogurt is OK. Coconut yogurt is OK. Butter and sour cream are ok. Cream is usually OK in small amounts.

Cheeses:

  • Any processed cheeses (the ones with individual slices wrapped in plastic)

Alternatives that are OK:

Cheddar, feta, mozzarella, blue cheese, cream cheese, goats cheese.

Sweeteners:

  • Honey
  • Agave
  • Fructose syrup (FSCA & others)
  • Sugar free chocolate and other sugar free candy
  • Sorbitol
  • Mannitol
  • Xylitol
  • Isomalt
  • Malt

Alternatives that are OK:

Maple syrup in small amounts is OK. Splenda and aspartame are technically FODMAP friendly sweeteners but you shouldn’t be consuming those if you care about your health.



How Long Should You Stay In Phase 1?

The general advice is 2 to 6 weeks. But most patients will really want to aim for 4 to 6 weeks. Whether you choose to follow it for 4, 5 or 6 weeks should depend on the current health of your gut and the severity of your symptoms.

If you’ve only got mild IBS or SIBO or you consider your symptoms to just be a minor inconvenience, aim for 4 weeks or less.

If you’ve got moderate IBS symptoms or you get flare-ups multiple times a week, aim for 4 to 5 weeks.

If your IBS is severe, aim for the whole 6 weeks.

No matter how severe your IBS or SIBO symptoms currently are or how much relief you get while following the low-FODMAP diet, do NOT go over 6 weeks.

Remember, this is a symptom management diet. It was created to help you identify which specific foods are triggering your symptoms. That way you can remove those specific foods from your diet and add the other foods back in.

You don’t want to be stuck in “symptom reduction mode forever.” You want to heal your IBS so you can live & eat like a normal person again and not worry about FODMAPs at all.

Remember, high FODMAP foods are not bad for you.

Most of the foods listed above contain prebiotics. Prebiotics are complex sugars that feed the good bacteria in your digestive system and make them grow.

These sugars are often locked in plant fiber, which only bacteria is able to break down and access.

They’re necessary for long-term gut health.


Phase 2: The Re-Challenge Phase:

The purpose of this stage is to test which FODMAP foods can be reintroduced into the diet without triggering flare-ups.

There is no rule for how long you need to stay in this phase.

Some patients can quickly figure out which foods they react the most to and be done with the Re-Challenge phase in 4 weeks. Others may take 8 or 10 weeks to fully figure everything out.

The easiest way to go about this is to print out or write down all the foods you used to eat but eliminated because they were listed above in the high FODMAP foods section.

You then want to reintroduce one or two of them a time, over a period of 2 to 5 days. For example if you want to add mangos, add fresh or frozen mango to your diet for 2 to 5 days. Start with 1/4th of a mango or half a mango. Then increase the quantity to half a mango or even a whole mango on day 2.

If you don’t get a reaction, it means mango is OK to reintroduce into your diet in phase 3.

Do not continue to eat the mango on a daily basis after you’ve finished your test. Remove the mango from your diet again and move onto the next food.

Take your time and test each food for at least 2 days. Don’t test 10 different foods in 1 day just because your gut has finally calmed down and you haven’t had a flare up in a few weeks.

Be patient. Always start with a small amount and then increase it on the 2nd and 3rd day. Certain foods can take more then 1 day to get to your large intestine. So just because you didn’t react to a food on the first day, it doesn’t mean you won’t react on the 2nd or 3rd.

It’s good to keep a journal during this phase as it can be difficult to track all your results otherwise.

One trick that can speed up this process is to focus on 1 food group at a time. Spend the first week just focusing on fruits, then move onto vegetables and then grains, flours or pasta.



Phase 3: The Adapted FODMAP Diet Phase


Phase 3 is basically the food reintroduction phase.

It’s when you finally reintroduce all the FODMAP foods that you discovered you could tolerate during Phase 2. You should continue to limit the high FODMAP foods you did react to however.


Experiment and see what works for you.


Remember that the microbiome is very fluid. It’s always changing in response to the foods you eat and the supplements you take. So just because you can’t tolerate a particular food today, it doesn’t mean you’ll still have that intolerance a month or two from now.

Especially if you take probiotics, as they will amplify your results.


Is the Low FODMAP Diet Enough to Fully Eliminate IBS Symptoms?

The low FODMAP diet can lower IBS symptoms though it requires the patient to stay off the high FODMAP foods they reacted to in Phase 2 (potentially indefinitely).

So it’s more of a symptom management diet vs a diet that eliminates IBS entirely so you can eat high FODMAP foods again.

This is where supplements come in, because while there’s no diet that’s going to eliminate severe IBS on its own, it is possible to achieve this when you combine the right diet and a few high quality supplements such as CanXida Remove (RMV) and CanXIda Restore (RST).



Dietary Supplements to Take During a Low FODMAP Diet

If you're looking for a dietary supplement that speeds up your results while on a Low-FODMAP diet, check out the CanXida line at www.canxida.com


CanXida formulas are 3rd party lab tested to be free of contaminants, heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins, GMO’s, allergens & more.
While other brands may cause irritation & die-off reactions, RMV is gentle & safe for seniors & patients with sensitive digestive systems, and has a lower risk of drug interactions.


CanXida is equally effective against candida yeast infections, SIBO, IBS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, leaky gut, skin issues like eczema & more.
That’s why we have a reputation online for getting results after YEARS of diets & drug therapies did nothing.



Click the links below for more information about the CanXida line.


  • CanXida Remove (RMV): an advanced 12 ingredient antifungal, antibacterial & anti-parasitic formula based on three decades of experience. It’s the only formula that targets the BIG PICTURE of gut disorders & is in our opinion the most premium natural antimicrobial formula on the market.

    This is a "heavy duty" formula designed to work even for VERY SEVERE cases where the patient has been sick for YEARS & every supplement & drug they tried in the past either failed them or the gut problem came back.

    We've designed it to tackle almost every kind of chronic gut disorder – including IBS.

    Don't think this is just a candida product. It's NOT. CanXida is equally suited for candida yeast infections, SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease, skin issues like eczema, persistent diarrhea or constipation, chronic fatigue, leaky gut, the list goes on and on. . .

    CanXida is non-toxic, has no side effects & is safe even for children.
  • CanXida Restore (RST): our time-released probiotic + digestive enzyme formula designed to recolonize your gut with the EXACT good bacteria strains shown to most inhibit yeast, bad bacteria, & parasites and restore digestive function. It is designed to TRANSFORM your gut from a place where bad bacteria, yeast & parasites thrive unchallenged – into a place that’s hostile to them & instead encourages friendly bacteria.


    Unlike other probiotics, RST uses a time-release capsule by Capsugel™ that only opens up in the small intestine so no good bacteria is lost to stomach acid.

    RST uses 7 digestive enzymes. Research in the past 10 years has shown that when you take enzymes & probiotics at the same time, you get an AMPLIFIED EFFECT.
Enzymes are especially useful in the first & second month of recovery because they’re going to break down all the starches your new good bacteria are going to feed on.


Click Here Now to Visit www.CanXida.com

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Click Here Now to Visit www.CanXida.com

About CanXida:

About CanXida Health:

We launched CanXida in 2013 with one goal – to provide people like you with all the tools needed to finally heal your gut from Candida, Leaky Gut, IBS, SIBO & (almost) any other gut issue.


In addition to making premium supplements to target a wide range of gut disorders, we also run the CanXida YouTube channel where you'll find over 2,000 educational videos (along with several ebooks) on how to get your gut working normal again. Visit our website to learn more.

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