FODMAP Dietitian
IBS Dietitian Melbourne
Step by step guidance to help you navigate IBS or IBD to live a better lifestyle.
Educating And Empowering Women Across
Nutrition Coaching For Managing Food Intolerances
Seeing an IBS dietitan can help you with:
Identifying the cause(s) and symptoms of your pain and discomfort
Personalised diet that suits your taste and preferences
Address any nutritional deficiencies
Reintroduce foods to your diet
Support your health and goals
Symptoms of IBS and IBD
- Cramping or pain in the abdominal area that is often relieved by passing wind or faeces
- alternating diarrhoea and constipation
- a sensation that the bowels are not fully emptied after passing a motion
- bloating in the abdominal area
- mucus present in the stools
- nausea
It is important to note that IBS and IBD are different conditions, even though they might share similar symptoms. If required, referrals can be written to GP’s/Health Specialists for further investigation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Management
Treatments for IBS from a dietetic perspective include changes in fibre and fluid intake, and by removing or eliminating certain foods or food groups that have been identified as triggers by yourself or or dietitian.
Aside from diet there are also other lifestyle factors that can determine one’s IBS or an increase in symptoms such as illness (gastrointestinal), use of medications (antibiotics) and emotional stress.
An IBS dietitian can assist you in working through these triggers and may even refer you to other health professionals so all areas of your health are addressed by the right person.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Management
The role of a dietitian in IBD can be varied. Sufferers may experience unintended and unexplained weight loss especially during active periods of IBD. This can be due to a lack of nutrient absorption. A dietitian can assist IBD sufferers with:
- Maintaining their weight, and focusing on including a mixture of key nutrients during inactive periods of IBD.
- Assist with changes to fibre type and content during IBD flare ups (active period)
- Assist in identifying trigger foods that may exacerbate symptoms and promote good hydration.
A dietitian can also advise you around what vitamins or supplements you may need to take if your nutrient absorption is impaired, if you have a diagnosed deficiency or if your diet is not quite meeting your requirements.
Manage Your Gut Health Today
Get the answers for assistance for IBS and IBD and find your path to wellness today at Big Sis Nutrition. Manage your intolerances and learn how to enjoy food again!
Bianca Woger
MDiet, BFood&NutrSc(Hons), BHealthSc
Frequently Asked Questions
It is often not known how it developed or what caused it initially.
IBS can vary in severity, and for some it can greatly impact their lives, taking them away from social events, holidays and decreasing their quality of life.
As we have access to so many different foods, which have so many different nutrient profiles and elements it can feel impossible to identify which foods are causing you trouble. Once you have been diagnosed with IBS by a gastroenterologist through a symptom checklist, and a colonoscopy to rule out any other causes, your next stop should be at a dietitians appointment.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) refers to a group of bowel illnesses that cause the gastrointestinal lining to become inflamed. The two most common are Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
This inflammation along the digestive tract can cause mild to extreme pain, altered bowel habits, bloody stools, and can affect your absorption of key nutrients. Ulcerative colitis generally affects the colon and the rectum.
Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. IBD is a chronic condition that will often go through periods of “flare ups” and periods where symptoms are inactive, however there is no cure for IBD.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by
- abdominal pain
- cramping
- wind
- bloating
- constipation
- diarrhoea
Although they share similar symptoms, the main difference between them is that IBS does not cause structural damage to the bowel. In IBS the bowel looks relatively normal. Long term IBD can cause damage to the bowel, and can result in recurrent bowel resections and in some, formation of a colostomy or ileostomy. More information on IBD can be found here and IBS here.
It is best to consult your GP or specialist for a more accurate diagnosis.
It is a progressive process. Each consultation you have, you will feel closer to reaching your goals. Dietitians offer individualised advice for each client. There is no “one size fits all” with treatment, so there is no timeline for when one might see results.
For IBS and IBD, it depends on each person. It could take weeks to months before you see results. It is best to consult a dietitian and work together with them for the best possible outcome.
The costs for seeing a dietitian in Melbourne may vary. An initial consultation can range from $100 – $350.
Follow up or review sessions will often cost a little less. If you have private health insurance, some of the costs of your consultation may be covered depending on your level of extras cover. Make sure you check your private health fund first to make sure you are covered.
Prices and packages for Big Sis Nutrition can be found here.
The short answer to this one: Maybe. It is important to note that a low FODMAP diet does not necessary help with all IBS cases or IBD. Depending on your situation, different dietary plans and suggestions may be made, but ideally we want to ensure that you can still enjoy a wide variety of foods.
As dietitians spend many years learning about the gastrointestinal system, food, nutrition, digestion and absorption of nutrients they are well equipped to help you to a life of less pain and inconvenience. You will need to have a team of health professionals to help you manage your IBS or IBD. These might include a GP, gastroenterologist, dietitian, psychologist and more.
