Better Nutrition April 2019

trendWATCH
In the Spotlight:
The Bloated Belly
Whisperer
How dietician Tamara Duker Freuman, MS,
RD, CDN, got to the root of a very common
digestive issue /// By Chris Mann
In her decade as a dietician at a New York-based gastroenterology clinic,
the most common complaint Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN, has
heard from “patient after patient after patient”—including her very first patient— is “I’m
bloated.” And again and again, despite medical confusion about bloating, she listened.
“Without understanding what bloating really is, what it feels like, what causes it, there’s
no way to know how to best remedy it,” she says.
In her new book, The Bloated Belly Whisperer, Duker Freuman help readers figure
out what is behind their digestive distress—and gives them specific diets, tasty recipes,
and other tools to beat the bloat.
Book
Giveaway!
Good news, readers! We have 15
copies of The Bloated Belly Whisperer
up for grabs. Enter to win a copy at
betternutritionfreebie@gmail.com.
Put “Bloated Belly” in the subject line.
How does the GI Gentle Diet remedy
bloat originating in the stomach?
It’s designed to empty your stomach quickly
without stretching it out too much. What
that entails, the number-one thing, is texture
modification. The analogy I always use
with my patients is that your stomach is a
blender. And it has two settings: squeezing
and acid. And then I ask them, how much
squeezing and churning and how much acid
does your stomach blender need to liquefy
a giant kale salad versus a kale smoothie?
Same ingredients, but the way you process
them will impact how you feel after you eat.
If kale’s a problem, have a kale smoothie. If
large amounts of salad are a problem, have
a soup. Also, because fat slows stomach
emptying, you don’t want the GI Gentle
Diet to be too high in fat. It can be moderate
fat—just not heavy-duty fatty stuff like a
burger and fries or heavy creamy foods.
Why do you recommend a low-FODMAP
Diet for lower abdominal bloat?
The goal of the low-FODMAP diet is to
reduce the intestinal gas burden. That works
for people with a variety of issues, mostly
carbohydrate intolerance, like if you’re lactose
intolerant or glucose intolerant, or if the type
of fiber in beans really hits you in particular.
It’s also for people who have bacterial
overgrowth, who have too much bacteria
in their small intestines. Any time those
bacteria encounter a really fermentable carb,
they’re going to create a ton of gas, so it
helps people with that. It also helps people
who are constipated. If you’re completely
backed up and then you’re eating a super
gassy diet, all of that gas gets trapped and
can be incredibly uncomfortable. Often I put
a patient who’s really constipated on that
diet temporarily until we can figure out the
constipation piece and get things moving.
What are some key low-FODMAP foods?
The classic low-FODMAP breakfast is oatmeal
with blueberries. Or sourdough toast with
peanut butter and a banana. Or eggs and
a fruit salad made with berries and melon.
As far as take-out lunches, most of your
basic salad vegetables are low-FODMAP,
as are the basic sushi combinations. Most
low-FODMAP dinners are like the blue-plate
special where there’s a protein, a carb, and a
veg. (This includes) pretty much all starches
like rice, potatoes, polenta, quinoa, certain
portions of sweet potato; a vegetable like
zucchini, green beans, or carrots; and a salad
with peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
And all animal proteins are low-FODMAP.
Which of your book’s recipes are your
favorite family staples?
The recipe I’ve been making the most is
low-FODMAP. It’s Pumpkin Seed Coconut
Granola. I make a double batch every week.
My husband has it for breakfast, and my
kids have it as a snack. It’s so delicious. A
lot of granola can have honey in it, which
for people who are fructose-intolerant can
be really gassy. And certain nuts can be
high-FODMAP, like cashews. So I made this
granola to be nut- and honey-free. It’s a
great way to get fiber on the low-FODMAP
Diet. In terms of weeknight dinners, there’s
one recipe on the GI Gentle Diet that’s so
easy and versatile. I love a one-skillet meal
because I work, and I have kids. The Turkey,
Bell Pepper, and Sweet Potato Hash is really
flavorful. I’d also crack an egg over the
leftovers and have it for breakfast.
Chris Mann is a wellness and fitness writer, natural health brand storyteller, entertainment author and journalist, and digital-content producer (ChrisMann.tv). Check out his blog, wellseeingtv.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTESY TAMARA DUKER FREUMAN
12 • APRIL 2019