The paradox of holding an IBS awareness month (though an undoubtedly important recognition of a common ailment) is that despite years of research, medicine still has very little understanding of what causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or how to treat it. You see, IBS is what we call a “diagnosis of exclusion,” meaning if you meet certain standard symptomatic criteria and your doctor can find no other cause, you may be diagnosed with IBS. In essence, it is nothing more than a complex of symptoms without a known cause. This leaves the estimated 10-20% of US sufferers (20-50% of gastroenterology referrals relate to this symptom complex) with more questions than answers, which can be incredibly frustrating.[i]While many things can cause the symptoms of IBS, one diet stands out in limiting the discomfort patients experience and in allowing an opportunity to find those causes. This diet is called the FODMAPs diet, and we will discuss it shortly.
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