3.     FODMAPs

We often hear that gluten is the bad guy when it comes to IBS. But FODMAPs may be more of a culprit. And studies back this up.

So what is a FODMAP diet? FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols.

According to FODMAP diet studies, foods that include FODMAPs are fructan in wheat (and garlic and artichokes), fructose (found in some fruit), lactose (found in some dairy products) and galactans (found in some legumes).

An Australian study researched 37 participants with non-celiac gluten sensitivity and IBS, who were put on a two-week diet with a reduction in FODMAPs and then given a high-gluten, low-gluten, or control diet for one week. The study concluded that just 8 percent of those involved had gluten sensitivity, yet all involved showed improvement when consuming a low-FODMAP diet.

Foods to avoid on a FODMAP diet include lactose, high-fructose fruits, cruciferous vegetables, legumes and beans, and sugar substitutes. Remember this the next time you grocery shop.

4.     Stress

Research shows that stress and IBS may go hand in hand -- even if stress started during childhood. Continued stress exacerbates the condition.

Clinical research published in the journal Gastroenterology found, “While both central and peripheral mechanisms are likely to play important roles in the initiation of maintenance of IBS symptoms, it is the interactions between brain and gut that appear to play a key role in the stress-induced changes of GI function, autonomic and neuroendocrine responses, and pain modulation.”