An article intended for practitioners of Chinese medicine:

A diet that is worth getting to know when treating sensitive bowels (the syndrome previously called irritable bowel syndrome) is the PODMAP diet.

FODMAP is a diet invented in Australia and has been shown in many studies to be effective in treating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (abdominal discomfort, bloating, gas, loose stools, etc.). It is a new "Western" diet, yet very similar to the Chinese diet recommended for digestive problems.

PODMAP recommends eliminating wheat, most dairy products, most fruits, artificial sweeteners, honey, and more from the diet.

On the other hand, it is permissible and desirable to eat white rice, cooked vegetables, spelled bread, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, hard cheeses, and more.

It's always interesting to see how the Chinese understood the properties of foods so many years ago and knew how to adapt them to medical problems.

In my opinion, spelt is truly an example of the wisdom of Chinese medicine.

Spelt is a type of wheat. And although wheat, according to Chinese medicine, is cool and may cause dampness (and therefore is not suitable for irritable bowel symptoms and is not recommended by the PODMAP or the Chinese diet), spelt warms, strengthens the spleen, and is suitable for digestive problems, and is therefore recommended for digestive problems - both by Chinese medicine and by the PODMAP.

When patients come to me with a PODMAP diet (there are many of them because PODMAP has become very well-known), I give them the refinements that the Chinese add - for example, avoiding sweet foods in general, not just honey, and a lot of emphasis on eating habits such as regular meals, avoiding hunger, and more.

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