IBS - All Articles

Common Questions & Answers
Diagnosing IBS is often a matter of ruling out other potential health issues. Your doctor will take your complete medical history, conduct a physical exam, run blood or stool tests, and evaluate your symptoms to determine whether you have IBS.
Conditions with similar symptoms, such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and lactose intolerance may be mistaken for IBS. Ovarian cancer can also be misdiagnosed as IBS because the two conditions share many symptoms.
Most people with IBS experience flare-ups especially after eating certain foods and ingredients. While responses vary from person to person, common dietary triggers include FODMAPS, short-chain carbohydrates found in dairy products, legumes, and produce like apples and asparagus.
It depends on your symptoms. If you have IBS with diarrhea, try unsweetened oatmeal, grilled or baked fish, and sweet potatoes. Oatmeal is also a helpful choice for IBS with constipation, as are cooked low-FODMAP vegetables like carrots and zucchini.
IBS is a chronic disorder, but it does tend to improve with age. By identifying your triggers, making lifestyle changes, and exploring appropriate medications with your doctor, you can prevent symptoms and protect your quality of life.

Ira Daniel Breite, MD
Medical Reviewer
Ira Daniel Breite, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he also sees patients and helps run an ambulatory surgery center.
Dr. Breite divides his time between technical procedures, reading about new topics, and helping patients with some of their most intimate problems. He finds the deepest fulfillment in the long-term relationships he develops and is thrilled when a patient with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease improves on the regimen he worked with them to create.
Breite went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine for medical school, followed by a residency at NYU and Bellevue Hospital and a gastroenterology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Working in city hospitals helped him become resourceful and taught him how to interact with people from different backgrounds.

Justin Laube, MD
Medical Reviewer
Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing.
He graduated with a bachelor's in biology from the University of Wisconsin and a medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. During medical school, he completed a graduate certificate in integrative therapies and healing practices through the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He completed his three-year residency training in internal medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles on the primary care track and a two-year fellowship in integrative East-West primary care at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine.
He is currently taking a multiyear personal and professional sabbatical to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, disease, and the processes of healing. He is developing a clinical practice for patients with complex trauma, as well as for others going through significant life transitions. He is working on a book distilling the insights from his sabbatical, teaching, and leading retreats on trauma, integrative health, mindfulness, and well-being for health professionals, students, and the community.
Previously, Dr. Laube was an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Health Center for East-West Medicine and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he provided primary care and integrative East-West medical consultations. As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students.

Akash Goel, MD
Medical Reviewer
Akash Goel, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and a clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. He practices integrative internal medicine and gastroenterology with a focus on nutrition, metabolic health, mindfulness, evidence-based screenings, and exercise science.
Dr. Goel is published in peer-reviewed journals on gastroenterology and nutrition, and his work has appeared in networks and publications such as CNN, The New York Times, Time magazine, the Financial Times, and the BBC.
Goel has received two Cannes Lions Awards and has been recognized by the United Nations for his work in human rights advocacy. He is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN
Medical Reviewer
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.
She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.
Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Kareem Sassi, MD
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Sassi completed medical school at the University of California in San Francisco in 2010 and his internal medicine residency at the UCLA School of Medicine in 2013. He then completed a fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of California in Irvine in 2016.
Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Pat Bass is a board certified general internist and pediatrician at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, and the chief medical information officer at LSU Health-Shreveport. He is an active clinician, teacher, and researcher.

Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Medical Reviewer
Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988.
Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

Waseem Ahmed, MD
Medical Reviewer
Waseem Ahmed, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and serves as Director, Advanced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fellowship and Education within the F. Widjaja Inflammatory Bowel Disease Institute.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and attended medical school at Indiana University. He then completed an internal medicine residency at New York University, followed by a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Indiana University, and an advanced fellowship in inflammatory bowel disease at the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine. Prior to his current role, Dr. Ahmed served as an assistant professor of medicine within the Crohn’s and Colitis Center at the University of Colorado from 2021-2024.
Dr. Ahmed is passionate about providing innovative, comprehensive, and compassionate care for all patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). His research interests include IBD medical education for patients, providers, and trainees; clinical trials; acute severe ulcerative colitis; and the use of combined advanced targeted therapy in high-risk IBD.
He enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, is an avid follower of professional tennis, and enjoys fine dining.

Nam Tran, PharmD
Medical Reviewer

Sanjai Sinha, MD
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Sinha did his undergraduate training at the University of California in Berkeley, where he graduated magna cum laude. He earned his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1998 and completed his internship and residency training at the New York University School of Medicine in 2001. Subsequently, he worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2012 and held faculty appointments at both the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
In 2006, he won the VISN3 Network Director Award for Public Service and a commendation from the secretary of Veterans Affairs for his relief work after Hurricane Katrina. He joined Weill Cornell Medical College in 2012, where he is an assistant professor of clinical medicine and the director of the care management program, as well as a practicing physician.
In addition to his work for Everyday Health, Sinha has written for various publications, including Sharecare and Drugs.com; published numerous papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, such as the Journal of General Internal Medicine; and presented at national conferences on many healthcare delivery topics. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, is a board-certified internal medicine and palliative care physician practicing at City of Hope in Atlanta.
She received a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's of public health in nutrition from Tulane University. She received her medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine and completed her residency in internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine.
Dr. Martin previously worked as a medical editor for WebMD and received a Sigma Delta Chi award for online reporting in 2010 and 2011. She is a co-editor of the Ambulatory Medicine Case Book. She is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and American Society of Clinical Oncology.
She is married with two adult daughters, a dog, and two cats. She enjoys hiking and playing classical and jazz piano.

Claudia Thompson, PhD, RD
Medical Reviewer
Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Wilmsen Craig is a board-certified physician in internal medicine. She earned her medical degree and postdoctoral training from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she also served as chief resident. Currently, Dr. Craig is an internist in St. Louis. She has been in both private and academic practice, most recently at Washington University, St. Louis. Her interests include women's health and wellness, inpatient medicine, and dermatology.

Pritesh R. Mutha, MD
Medical Reviewer
Throughout his 10 years of practice, Dr. Mutha has focused on offering personalized care that is tailored to his patients’ needs. He takes the time to thoroughly explain every procedure to his patients to enable them to make informed decisions. He uses the latest technology to diagnose and treat various types of gastrointestinal diseases including cancers and performs complex endoscopic procedures. Mutha is also board-certified in lifestyle medicine and supports plant-based nutrition. While providing state-of-the-art treatment to his patients, he also recommends diet and lifestyle changes for potential treatment and prevention of GI diseases. In addition to his clinical experience, he also conducts research. His peer-reviewed research work has been presented at national and international conferences and published in prestigious academic journals.
Mutha specializes in many acute and chronic conditions, such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, pancreatic cancer, other GI cancers, gallstones, bile duct diseases, colon polyps, colon cancer, swallowing disorders, GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, achalasia, gastroparesis, small intestinal diseases, and other digestive disorders. Besides upper endoscopy and colonoscopy, he performs endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), gastric-per-oral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic ablation therapy, endoscopic stenting, and endoscopic anti-reflux therapy. Mutha works closely with the oncology and surgery teams to help with the timely diagnosis, staging, and management of gastrointestinal tract cancers.
Following his graduation from the Grant Medical College and Sir J.J. Group of Hospitals in Mumbai, India, Dr. Mutha pursued a master’s degree in public health at UTHealth School of Public Health and simultaneously conducted research studies at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). His passion for understanding and healing digestive disorders led him to pursue a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at the Virginia Commonwealth University of Health Sciences (VCUHS). He was elected as the chief fellow and then transitioned to a faculty role at VCUHS. Dr. Mutha practiced gastroenterology as an advanced endoscopist and GI motility specialist at the McGuire VA Medical Center and simultaneously trained medical students, residents, and fellows as a teaching faculty at VCU Medical School for seven years before moving back to Houston. He cofounded the nonprofit organization Stress Academy to help people achieve a stress-free and healthy life.

Reyna Franco, RDN
Medical Reviewer
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

Emily Weber, MD
Medical Reviewer
Farrokh Sohrabi, MD
Medical Reviewer
Farrokh Sohrabi, MD, is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Viriginia Hospital, and is board-certified in internal medicine. Dr. Sohrabi has been involved in both basic science and clinical research, and has a broad background in medical writing and editing. He has authored publications in academic medical journals, medical websites, and peer-reviewed scientific publications. Sohrabi sees patients in the Washington, D.C. area.

Yuying Luo, MD
Medical Reviewer
Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.
Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.
She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

Kayli Anderson, RDN
Medical Reviewer
Kayli Anderson has over a decade of experience in nutrition, culinary education, and lifestyle medicine. She believes that eating well should be simple, pleasurable, and sustainable. Anderson has worked with clients from all walks of life, but she currently specializes in nutrition therapy and lifestyle medicine for women. She’s the founder of PlantBasedMavens.com, a hub for women to get evidence-based, practical, and woman-centered guidance on nutrition and cooking, hormone health, fertility, pregnancy, movement, mental well-being, nontoxic living, and more.
Anderson is board-certified in lifestyle medicine and serves as lead faculty of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s (ACLM) "Food as Medicine" course. She is past chair of the ACLM's registered dietitian member interest group, secretary of the women's health member interest group, and nutrition faculty for many of ACLM's other course offerings. She is the coauthor of the Plant-Based Nutrition Quick Start Guide and works with many of the leading organizations in nutrition and lifestyle medicine to develop nutrition content, recipes, and educational programs.
Anderson frequently speaks on the topics of women’s health and plant-based nutrition and has coauthored two lifestyle medicine textbooks, including the first one on women’s health, Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan.
She received a master's degree in nutrition and physical performance and is certified as an exercise physiologist and intuitive eating counselor. She's a student of herbal medicine and women's integrative and functional medicine. She lives with her husband in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where you’ll find her out on a trail or in her garden.
- Definition and Facts for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Cleveland Clinic. November 16, 2023.
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