MONASH UNIVERSITY UPDATES

Monash University is regularly adding new food items to the app and certifying newly released Low FODMAP products. With constant changes it can be difficult to keep up, but our team is working hard to highlight the latest updates to the app as they happen so you can continue eating well for your health and your gut, without all the confusion and guesswork.

If you are following the Low FODMAP diet and haven’t already downloaded the app, we recommend you do. This is the best tool to provide you with an up-to-date list of low, moderate, and high FODMAP foods. New foods are regularly added in addition to updates for existing items based on the latest testing and research.

The first step if you’re looking to improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or another digestive disorder or disease, is to understand more about the Low FODMAP diet and if it can help. Download my free eBook to help you better understand this diet and get started implementing simple steps to get rid of symptoms like gas, bloating, pain, diarrhea or constipation related to IBS. Click here to get a copy emailed to you right away.

Fermented Drinks Tested for FODMAPs

Monash has added fermented drinks to the app this week! Kombucha and kvass have now both been tested, with kombucha coming up as high in fructans and kvass being considered low FODMAP. Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage, may not be suitable for those in the elimination phase of the Low FODMAP diet, however, those challenging fructans may want to include small servings to see how their body responds. On the other hand, Kvass, a rye based fermented beverage, should be well tolerated on the Low FODMAP diet. Be sure to check the Monash app for specific serving sizes.

 

 

MEDIA UPDATES

Canadian Dietitians Speak Up About IBS

The month of March marks Nutrition Month! This national campaign serves to raise awareness about the role of Registered Dietitians within our communities, and highlight how they can help us overcome our health obstacles and develop a healthy relationship with food. In line with the theme of this year’s campaign – Take the Fight out of Food – CTV covered a story highlighting some common questions and concerns received by Canadian Dietitians about IBS and digestive health.

Global Report on IBS Drugs

WhaTech shared the Global Report on IBS Drugs, which covers new developments in the world of medications developed to manage IBS symptoms. The complete report can be found here.  Drug companies covered in the report include Actavis, Astellas Pharma, Nestle, Bayer, Astrazeneca, and Pfizer, who are all continuing to make drugs that will either limit symptoms or help to prevent them occurring in the first place. The report showed the drugs that are expected to be released in the next few years, and where they will be available.

Market Trends for Digestive Health Foods

The Global Digestive Health Food Market 2016 Research Report describes the direction the market will take in the next few years. The report notes that the market for digestive health related foods will become increasingly competitive, with the number of products available continuing to grow. This report predicts some of the new products coming to the digestive health market and which regions these products will be available in. The report also describes how the number of products for a variety of digestive disorders will continue to grow.

New Book for IBS & Digestive Disorders

Giulia Enders, MD has published a book on the gut and how it is related to anxiety, stress and other daily struggles. This book is a great resource for those looking for more information about the gut and how it is related to many other body functions and processed. She answers questions about acid reflux, gluten and lactose intolerances, obesity, and mood to mention just a few! Enders also touches on the growing body of research around the mind-gut connection.

RESEARCH UPDATES

Acupuncture and IBS

MacPherson and colleagues conducted a study looking at the benefits of acupuncture for patients with IBS. The researchers found through a randomized control trial that “acupuncture improved symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome that were statistically superior to standard of care through one year, but ceased to be significantly superior at two years.”

Diagnosing IBS Subtypes

Gastroenterologists in Florida agree that diagnosing IBS-M (combination of IBS-C and IBS-D) is more difficult than diagnosing each kind individually. The article defines IBS-M as its own sub-type of IBS, which has been included in a recent drug trial by IBSREST™.

 

Written by Tory Ambrose, News and Culture Editor

 

References

1. Ernst E. Kombucha: A systematic review of the clinical evidence. Forsch Komplementärmed Klass Naturheilkd. 2003;10:85-87.
2. Baschali A, Tsakalidou E, Kyriacou A, Karavasiloglou N, Matalas AL. Tranditional low-alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented beverages consumed in European coutries: a neglected food group. Nutr Res Rev. 2017: 1-24.
3. Vina I, Semjonovs P, Linde R, Denina I. Current evidence on physiological avtivity and expected health effects of kombucha fermented beverage. J Med Food. 2013 Sep 2;17(2):179-188.
4. Srinivasan R, Smolinske S, Greenbaum D. Probable gastrointestinal toxicity of Kombucha Tea. J Gen Intern Med 1997; 12:643-644.
5. http://www.medgadget.com/2017/02/global-digestive-health-food-market-research-and-analysis-2021.html
6. https://www.whatech.com/market-research/medical/265117-research-report-explores-the-global-irritable-bowel-syndrome-drugs-industry
7. http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/canadian-dietitians-say-gas-bloat-among-most-common-digestive-woes-1.3294977
8. MacPhersonH, Tilbrook H, Agbedjro D, et al.  Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: 2-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial Acupuncture in Medicine 2017;35:17-23 http://www.healio.com/gastroenterology/irritable-bowel-syndrome/news/online/%7B3cc6d277-2a7d-421b-badc-0a98686af290%7D/acupuncture-significantly-benefits-ibs-patients-through-1-year-benefits-minimized-at-2-years