Meet Kirsten
Kirsten Jackson is a UK Registered Dietitian and consultant gastroenterology dietitian specializing in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). She is the founder of The IBS Dietitian, where she provides evidence-based IBS education and support to people around the world.
Kirsten has more than 14 years of experience in dietetics and digestive health. She began her career in the UK’s National Health Service, working across specialist gastroenterology services, before later becoming Lead Dietitian at King’s College Hospital Dubai.
She is a co-author of the British Dietetic Association’s updated evidence-based practice guidelines for the dietary management of IBS and serves on the Forbes Health Advisory Board. Kirsten is also an official media spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and an expert advisor to The IBS Network.
Kirsten is the author of Take Control of Your IBS: The Step-by-Step Guide That Actually Works, published by Bloomsbury, and co-founder of The Dietitian’s IBS Course, a specialist training program for dietitians working with people with IBS.
Today, Kirsten specialises exclusively in IBS and is known for helping people understand and manage their digestive symptoms without relying on unnecessarily restrictive diets. Her particular areas of expertise include IBS, the low FODMAP diet, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal distension, food intolerances, dietary fibre and the gut-brain interaction.
Kirsten’s interest in gastroenterology is also personal. She has experienced IBS herself and has coeliac disease. This combination of clinical experience, scientific evidence and first-hand understanding has shaped her practical approach to IBS management.
Rather than focusing solely on eliminating foods, Kirsten’s Take Control approach considers nutrition alongside sleep, movement, mental wellbeing and the gut-brain connection to help people understand their individual symptom triggers.
Qualifications & Professional Credentials
- BSc (Hons) Dietetics, University of Hertfordshire
- Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Dietetics, University of Nottingham
- Advanced FODMAP training, King’s College London
- HCPC Registered Dietitian
- Full Member of the British Dietetic Association
- Co-author of the British Dietetic Association’s evidence-based practice guidelines for the dietary management of IBS
- Forbes Health Advisory Board Member
- British Dietetic Association Media Spokesperson
- Expert Advisor to The IBS Network
- Former Lead Dietitian at King’s College Hospital Dubai
- Founder of The IBS Dietitian
- Author of Take Control of Your IBS
- Co-founder of The Dietitian’s IBS Course
Areas of Expertise
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Low FODMAP diets and FODMAP reintroduction
- Bloating and abdominal distension
- Constipation and diarrhoea
- Food intolerances and digestive symptoms
- Dietary fibre and gut health
- Gut-brain interaction
- Moving beyond unnecessary dietary restriction
- Evidence-based nutrition for digestive health
Kirsten’s Approach to the Low FODMAP Diet
The low FODMAP diet can be an extremely useful tool for some people with IBS, but it isn’t designed to be a restrictive diet for life.
One of the most important parts of the process is reintroduction. The aim is to identify which FODMAPs you personally tolerate, and in what amounts, before expanding your diet again as much as possible.
This is important because IBS management isn’t simply about creating a longer and longer list of foods to avoid. Restricting foods unnecessarily can make eating more difficult and may reduce the variety of foods and fibres in your diet.
I also encourage people to look beyond individual foods when trying to understand their symptoms. Meal size, fat intake, caffeine, fibre, bowel habits, stress, sleep and the gut-brain connection can all influence symptoms.
If you feel as though everything you eat triggers your IBS, removing another food isn’t necessarily the answer. Understanding why your symptoms are occurring is often much more useful.
You can find more evidence-based IBS advice from Kirsten at The IBS Dietitian.
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Follow Kirsten
Always have a plan for you next two meals. To be successful on the low FODMAP diet you need to practice meal planning. A low FODMAP meal can take a little extra work and recipe adaptations which are less likely to occur if you feel rushed or unprepared.
For example, it is 8am and you just finished breakfast, start thinking about what you will have for both lunch and dinner. Do you need to pack a lunch, will you be at home, or will you be dining out? Do you need to defrost a protein such as chicken or shrimp for dinner? Any last minute grocery ingredients?
Now let’s say you just finished dinner, can you start thinking tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch? One of my favorite breakfast options is overnight oats. To save time you can pack dinner leftovers for lunch tomorrow Planning a week’s worth of meal plan can be daunting for many. My best is advice is to just think of your next two meals.
I love hummus and unfortunately most store bought hummus contains too many high FODMAP ingredients. My favorite recipe is this low FODMAP hummus. Hummus packs a nutritional punch with fiber, protein, and healthy fats all while tasting delicious. My favorite ways to enjoy hummus is as a dip for raw vegetables such as carrots, jicama, bell peppers, and cucumbers. This is also one of my favorite spreads for sandwiches made with either a low FODMAP bread, coconut wrap, or lettuce wrap.
