The Phase blog
Living well with IBS, one phase at a time
Research-backed guides to the low-FODMAP diet, trigger foods, and flare-ups — written to be genuinely useful, with sources you can check.
October 14, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
IBS After Eating Out: Why Restaurants Flare Your Gut (and How to Enjoy Them Anyway)
Restaurants are genuinely harder on a sensitive gut. Here's why eating out flares IBS, plus a practical playbook to order confidently and keep your social life.
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October 10, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
IBS Symptoms in Women: Why They're Different — and How to Take Back Control
IBS affects women twice as often as men, and symptoms shift with your cycle. Learn why, how it overlaps with endometriosis, and how to track patterns and advocate for care.
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October 7, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
How to Calm an IBS Flare-Up: In-the-Moment Relief That Actually Helps
A calm, step-by-step guide to easing an IBS flare right now, with safe relief you can start in minutes, what to eat and avoid, and how to prevent the next one.
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October 3, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
How Long Does an IBS Flare Last? What to Expect and How to Feel Better Sooner
Most IBS flares last from a few hours to a few days. Here's what shortens a flare, what drags it out, what's happening in your gut, and the red flags that mean see a doctor.
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September 30, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
IBS and Anxiety: How the Gut-Brain Loop Works (and How to Calm It)
IBS and anxiety feed each other in a real, physical loop. Here's how the gut-brain axis works, why "it's all in your head" is wrong, and calming steps that help.
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September 26, 2026 · Symptoms & flares
Why Your IBS Flares at Night (and How to Get Calmer Evenings)
If your IBS symptoms peak in the evening, you're not imagining it. Here's why night flares happen and gentle, practical routines to calm your gut before bed.
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September 23, 2026 · Living with IBS
IBS Dismissed by Your Doctor? You're Not Imagining It
Being told your labs are normal while you feel awful is its own kind of pain. Here's why a clear scope doesn't mean nothing is wrong, and where hope begins.
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September 20, 2026 · Understanding IBS
What Does FODMAP Stand For? The Acronym, Explained Simply
What does FODMAP stand for? A plain-English breakdown of the acronym — letter by letter, with food examples and why these carbs trigger IBS symptoms.
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September 16, 2026 · Protocol
FODMAP Reintroduction: How Phase 2 Works (Regain Foods)
FODMAP reintroduction is Phase 2, where you regain foods. Learn the one-group, 3-day escalating-dose method, a sample schedule, and the mistakes to avoid.
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September 13, 2026 · Understanding IBS
IBS Subtypes Explained: IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M and IBS-U
IBS subtypes (IBS-C, IBS-D, IBS-M, IBS-U) are defined by your stool pattern. Here's how each one differs and why low-FODMAP helps across the board.
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September 9, 2026 · Understanding IBS
IBS vs IBD: Key Differences and When to Worry
IBS vs IBD: one is a functional gut disorder, the other causes real inflammation. Learn the key differences, the alarm signs, and when to get investigated.
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September 6, 2026 · Living with IBS
Is IBS a Disability? What Severe IBS Means for You
Is IBS a disability? A compassionate look at when severe IBS may qualify under the ADA, workplace accommodations you can request, and how to regain control.
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September 2, 2026 · Understanding IBS
Is IBS Hereditary? What Genetics Really Mean for Your Gut
Is IBS hereditary? Genes play a modest role, but family environment, habits, and gut microbes matter more, and your triggers are changeable. Here's what to know.
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August 30, 2026 · Understanding IBS
Is IBS Curable? The Honest Answer (And What Works)
Is IBS curable? No permanent cure exists, but IBS is highly manageable. Here's what actually works — low-FODMAP, gut-brain therapy, fiber, and meds.
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August 26, 2026 · Understanding IBS
Does IBS Go Away? What to Really Expect Long-Term
Does IBS go away? It's chronic but not a life sentence. Learn how symptoms go into remission and the diet, stress, and sleep levers you control.
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August 23, 2026 · Symptoms
Does IBS Cause Nausea? Why It Happens and How to Ease It
Does IBS cause nausea? Yes, it can. Learn why queasiness happens with IBS, the food and stress triggers behind it, and practical ways to feel better.
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August 19, 2026 · Symptoms
Can IBS Cause Back Pain? The Gut-Back Link Explained
Can IBS cause back pain? Yes, it often does. Here's why bloating, gut-brain nerves, and referred pain hit your lower back, plus red flags to watch for.
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August 16, 2026 · Food lists
Ten Worst Foods for IBS (and the FODMAP Behind Each)
The ten worst foods for IBS and the exact FODMAP behind each trigger, plus why dose and your personal threshold matter more than any blacklist.
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August 12, 2026 · Symptoms
How to Relieve IBS Pain Instantly: 6 Fast-Acting Tactics
Doubled over in a flare? Here's how to relieve IBS pain instantly with heat, peppermint, breathing and positioning, plus the red flags that mean call a doctor.
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August 9, 2026 · Living with IBS
IBS Flare Up: A First-Hour Plan to Calm Your Gut
Mid-IBS flare up? Here's a calm, practical first-hour plan: what to eat, what to skip, heat, gentle movement, and how to settle the gut-brain axis.
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August 5, 2026 · Food lists
Low-FODMAP Bread: Which Loaves Are Safe for IBS
Which breads are low-FODMAP and which aren't — from sourdough spelt to gluten-free — plus why fermentation lowers fructans and how to read a bread label.
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August 2, 2026 · Food lists
High-FODMAP Foods to Avoid: The Elimination List
The high-FODMAP foods to limit during elimination, grouped by type — fructans, GOS, lactose, fructose, and polyols — plus the hidden sources most people miss.
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July 29, 2026 · Protocol
7-Day Low-FODMAP Meal Plan for the Elimination Phase
A practical 7-day low-FODMAP meal plan for the elimination phase, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks mapped out. Use it as a starting template.
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July 25, 2026 · Food lists
Low-FODMAP Fruits: The List, Plus What to Avoid
Your complete low-FODMAP fruits list, plus the high-FODMAP fruits to watch. Learn why fructose and polyols trigger IBS, and how ripeness and serving size change everything.
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July 22, 2026 · Food lists
Low-FODMAP Vegetables: The Definitive List (and Servings)
The definitive list of low-FODMAP vegetables vs the high ones to limit — plus why serving size decides whether broccoli, celery and corn are safe for IBS.
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July 18, 2026 · Food lists
Low-FODMAP Breakfast Ideas Beyond Plain Toast
Easy low-FODMAP breakfast ideas beyond toast: oats done right, eggs, smoothies, and yogurt swaps — plus the honey, apple, and wheat traps to skip.
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July 16, 2026 · Cooking for IBS
What Can I Cook for Someone With IBS? A Partner's Guide
A calm, practical guide for the partner or parent cooking for someone with IBS: safe default dinners, the sneaky ingredients to skip, and how to ask about it without making them feel like a burden.
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July 15, 2026 · Cooking for IBS
Low-FODMAP Family Dinners Everyone Will Eat
One-pot and sheet-pan low-FODMAP dinners the whole family eats — no separate “sick person” meal, no cooking two dinners a night. Safe by design, normal on the table.
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July 15, 2026 · Food lists
Low-FODMAP Snacks: 25+ Easy Sweet & Savory Ideas
Low-FODMAP snacks aren't off-limits on elimination. Sweet, savory, on-the-go and store-bought ideas, plus why serving size is the rule that matters most.
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July 14, 2026 · Cooking for IBS
Hosting Someone on the Low-FODMAP Diet
How to host a dinner party or holiday meal when a guest has IBS: a menu that happens to be safe, the one question to ask beforehand, and what not to say at the table.
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July 12, 2026 · Protocol
What Is the Low-FODMAP Diet? The 3 Phases, Explained Simply
The low-FODMAP diet is the best-researched dietary approach for IBS — but most people are handed the food list and nothing else. Here's how the full three-phase protocol actually works, and why the elimination list was never meant to be forever.
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