April is National IBS Awareness Month!

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We have been busy at katescarlata.com working on some new educational handouts, packaging up and mailing balanced boxes, working individually with clients with IBS, helping dietitians out in the field with numerous FODMAP questions, outlining a new book (Yay!), and interviewing some smart GI docs for upcoming topics for the blog and articles I hope to publish. …And of course, coming up with fun new recipes to try. Japanese Pumpkin or Kabocha squash is a low FODMAP option. I tried it for the first time this week!Japanese PumpkinI just cleaned out the seeds, sliced into pieces (leaving skin on), drizzled with sesame oil, thyme,sea salt and roasted it up in the oven for 1 hour at 400 F.!  YUM!  Enjoy the orange flesh (not the skin) which is rich in anti-oxidant rich carotenoids.  Squash is a great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, key nutrients for eye health.

While my work life is quite busy, I have been finding fun and balance outside of work.  It’s so important to find time for fun. Sweet Lucy helps me with work-life-balance as she loves to walk and I love to be outside walking with her! Don’t let those gray hairs on her chin fool you, she is going on 6 but acts like she’s 1!

Sweet LucyI have been minimizing my emails on the weekends and focusing more on downtime.  I hope you can do the same. Too much computer time can zap the life out of you! Russ and I are in the midst of having a very, very small cottage built in Maine. We have been enjoying our weekends of late by buying furniture and traveling up to Maine to see how the cottage is progressing. It’s been a life dream to have a place to go with our family to chill and relax close to the ocean. We are constantly pinching ourselves that our dream is close to reality. 🙂

The month of April is National IBS awareness month. I plan to write about a few IBS educational topics this month as my way of spreading the awareness of IBS for the millions of people impacted by this digestive disorder. The low FODMAP diet is an evidenced based first line therapy for IBS.  It has been shown in research studies to help manage symptoms in 75% of those who are challenged by IBS. For other resources on IBS, consider visiting The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders for information about IBS and other disorders related to the function of the gut. University of Michigan has a good low FODMAP diet overview sheet here.

For science-based and accurate nutrition topics about FODMAPs, of course, sign up here for my blog posts and follow Monash University’s blog here and my colleague, dietitian Patsy Catsos’ site here. King’s College London has low FODMAP info too, click here.

Be cautious what you read on the internet! Always check out the author’s credentials and be sure that the information provided is evidenced based research!

For a chance to win 21 Day Tummy, my latest book on gut health and weight management, check out my Instagram feed and comment on my most recent 21 Day Tummy picture post. Tag a friend and they too will be entered to win.

Oh and one last line item, for those following the low FODMAP diet in the Boston area, there is a wonderful opportunity to learn about low FODMAP cooking with 2 fabulous Boston based dietitians this June in Somerville!  Check out the event details here!

 

 

13 replies on “April is National IBS Awareness Month!“

  • Lisa

    Hi Kate,

    Thanks for bringing this food to our attention. It is listed on the MONASH app just as “Pumpkin, Jap” did not know it was a Kabocha. MONASH does give Green Light to only “1/2 cup diced”. So is that about a half of a squash?

    Thanks !

  • Sandy

    Kate,

    I can’t thank you enough for all your great recipes and blog posts:) They have helped me so much!
    I am so happy that your life long dream of having a small cottage near the ocean in Maine is becoming a reality for you. You certainly deserve it! You have helped so many! 🙂

  • maryann

    Just wanted to take a second to say thank you, and that I agree with another poster said: so happy that your dreams are coming true! You deserve them to! Thank you for all that you do the help others!!

  • Trish

    Hi Kate, thanks for this info re pumpkin. Living in Australia, it is something more commonly eaten here – when I lived in the US, pumpkin was regarded as being useful only for Halloween lanterns! By the way, this week I tried a low-FODMAP hot cross bun recipe, using mainly spelt, with some brown rice flour, white rice flour, and sorghum, with the ‘buns’ poured into paper cases. They are “edible”, kind of, but not that exciting. Do you have suggestions for better hot cross buns? Maybe even able to knead the dough a little?

  • Susan

    Thanks for the heads-up about the class in Somerville. I’m registered and am looking forward to it!

  • Diana Allen

    Thanks for letting us know it’s IBS Awareness Month! And thanks for all the amazing work you do, Kate. Very happy for your little cottage by the sea-to-be ~ May you and your family enjoy innumerable beautiful moments and memories there!

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