But there must be some sort of diet that can be followed! There is. What any IBS patient needs to be aware of is what effect certain foods have on the gut in general. There are foods that are known to cause diarrhea and cramping such as foods high in fat, alcohol, coffee (even decaf), fried foods, caffeine. These should be avoided as much as possible.

Foods that cause gas can also reek havoc with IBS. Some of these foods are beans, cabbage, legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, raisins, onions, brussell sprouts, even bagels. Over-eating can also cause gaseousness which is a problem for IBS sufferers as Irritable Bowel Syndrome is thought to cause retention of gas and bloating.

The best advice for obtaining a diet that agrees with IBS is to seek the counseling of a professional. A doctor could come up with a good diet by taking a diet history and thoroughly questioning you on your symptoms after eating certain foods. A registered dietician would be another choice. They would be able to assess your individual circumstances and then create a diet that is specific to your symptoms and your needs.

Basically there is a lot of work going into finding a diet that works with your IBS. As stated above this may come easier with the help of a professional. Good luck with that.