What is IBS? What caused my IBS?
For years, people living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) were told it was a “diagnosis of exclusion”—a label given when doctors couldn’t find anything else “wrong.” Many patients walked away feeling dismissed, as if their very real symptoms were “just stress” or “all in their head.”
But thankfully, science has moved on. IBS is now recognised as a symptom-based disorder, diagnosed using the Rome IV criteria, and is classified as a Disorder of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI).
This means IBS is a real condition with identifiable mechanisms—and even more importantly, it means we have real strategies to help.
The Four Pillars of IBS
IBS is complex, but research has shown it tends to rest on four main pillars. Understanding these gives us a roadmap for how to heal.
1. Genetics & Environment
Some people are born with more sensitive stomachs, reacting strongly to things that others might tolerate easily. Family history, early life exposures, and environmental factors can all set the stage for IBS.
2. Dysbiosis (Gut Bacteria Imbalance)
Sometimes IBS starts after a big change in the gut bacteria—like after Bali Belly, a stomach bug, food poisoning, or even a course of antibiotics. Sometimes a drastic change in diet, perhaps going vegan or keto for a time and your gut hasn’t fully recovered. Sometimes it can be a particularly stressful event, a death or divorce, or HSC exams etc.
For others, dysbiosis can worsen an already sensitive gut. When the microbial balance is out, symptoms often flare.
3. The Gut-Brain Connection: When Messages Get Mixed
Just like all systems in the body, your gut and brain are in constant conversation, sending signals back and forth every moment of the day. The gut sends information about digestion, bacteria, and sensations to the brain. The brain responds by sending signals that influence movement of the gut, sensitivity, and even the release of digestive enzymes.
The problem? Sometimes these signals get miscommunicated or don’t line up properly.
For example:
The brain may interpret normal gut activity as pain or urgency.
Stress or worry can make the brain send “alert” signals to the gut, which can speed things up—or slow things down.
When symptoms flare, the gut sends distress messages back to the brain, which increases worry, creating a loop.
This creates a vicious cycle—the more the brain and gut miscommunicate, the worse the symptoms feel, and the more the symptoms feed back into stress. This doesn’t mean IBS is “in your head”—it means the brain-gut communication system is out of balance, and that balance can be restored.
4. Food Triggers
Food can absolutely be a player in IBS—though it’s not the whole story. For some, certain foods act as powerful symptom triggers. For others, long-standing food sensitivities may have led to unnecessary restriction or even disordered eating patterns.
The good news? With the right guidance, we can identify triggers without falling into fear of food.
Why “Fibre and Yoga” Aren’t Always Enough
If IBS could be fixed simply by eating more fibre or rolling out a yoga mat, none of us would still be dealing with it.
While lifestyle strategies can certainly help, IBS needs a more tailored approach—one that respects its complexity across genetics, the microbiome, the brain-gut connection, and food sensitivities.
The Takeaway: You Don’t Have to Live Like This
IBS is a real thing. It’s not “all in your head.” And most importantly—it’s something we can actively work on. With the right strategies, from gut bacteria support to nervous system regulation and personalised nutrition, the gut can be healed, the bacteria balanced, symptoms can be managed, and quality of life can improve.
If you’ve been told “there’s nothing you can do,” know this: there are definitely real things we can do about IBS. You don’t have to keep suffering in silence.
Book a free strategy call to have a chat HERE.