Gas, bloating, irritable bowel: A gut feeling that something is not right

Those with Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) know not all foods can be digested equally.

IBS affects up to one in five people living in this country. The syndrome’s symptoms include abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and change in bowel habits either through constipation, diarrhea or both alternating.

The average diet frequently contains sugars that are difficult to digest for some people. These sugars are called short-chain carbohydrates named FODMAPs (short for Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides And Polyols).

FODMAP foods are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and get fermented in the gut to produce gas, bloating and pain.

Check out the food guidelines below for foods to avoid or to add to your diet.

IBS symptoms can lead to a reduced quality of life. Your physician or gastroenterologist would be able to confirm IBS diagnosis.

By Dr. Waqar Qureshi, professor of medicine and clinical director, gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine and also a member of the NCI designated Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center.