April is IBS Awareness Month.

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, often goes unrecognized and is sometimes considered a taboo topic. However, for the 10 to 20 per cent of the population who live with the condition, it can have a serious impact on their lives.

Irritable bowel syndrome can cause a number of uncomfortable issues including diarrhea, constipation and bloating.

Lyndin Kane was diagnosed with IBS in 2002. She says she is constantly mindful of her condition, and it affects her life daily.

“You kind of time things based on your symptoms and you change your eating habits,” says Kane. “Maybe if you have an important meeting, you might eat a little less that day until after that meeting, that sort of thing.”

After her diagnosis, Kane started to recognize what was causing her flare ups.

“The big thing was trying to identify any trigger foods and determining the right amount of fiber I should have each day, making sure I get enough sleep, water, exercise.”

Gastroenterologist Dr. Geoffrey Turnbull says certain foods are common triggers for IBS.

“Any food that's a stimulant can cause problems,” says Turnbill. “So for instance, caffeine is a very common one I see in my patients. Alcohol can sometimes be a factor, certain foods like milk may be a problem for some people.”

Fatty foods can trigger IBS since they are harder to digest and many people feel better when they eliminate wheat from their diet.

Stress is also major contributor.

“When you're stressed you don't recognize sometimes how stressed you are, so your bowel gets into all these complaints and then it's very frustrating because you're stressed but your bowel is making it very difficult to function, so you can't really figure out what to do and this can be very distressing for people,” says Turnbull.

Kane says the breathing techniques she has learned in yoga have been crucial for controlling her symptoms.

She also started a blog to start a conversation about a condition she says people often don't take seriously.

“Bowel issues are taboo in polite society. You can't talk about it, so you constantly have to hide it,” says Kane.

Dr. Turnbull says IBS is often misunderstood and ignored because it doesn't lead to serious medical complications, but that doesn't mean its effects go unfelt.

“It can seriously impact a person's life, so the quality of their life can be severely impacted by this.”