One of the most common myths about irritable bowel syndrome is that it's caused by stress. Let's set the record straight once and for all: stress doesn't cause irritable bowel syndrome or any other chronic functional digestive disorder. However, stress can affect almost anyone's mental and physical well-being, and it can certainly exacerbate ongoing IBS symptoms or trigger a flare-up. But in today's modern world, stress is a constant companion. Is there anything we can do to control or minimize it?

I've been having a rough time of it lately -- more bad days then good this past year -- in terms of my IBS. In fact, I clearly remember the last long stretch of relief I had because it's been such a rarity. It lasted for two blissful weeks. During that time, I felt certain that everything I was trying had finally started to come together. I was positive I had hit upon that elusive cure for IBS. And I felt spectacularly brilliant!​

​"May your troubles be as brief as your New Year's resolutions." I love this slogan because of its unabashed honesty. The majority of resolutions people tend to make are short-lived and never get beyond their wish list.

​In addition to fun and fellowship, most holidays, regardless of which ones are celebrated, involve feasting on rich food that can wreak havoc on delicate digestive systems. Holidays can be hard enough when you're vegan and have nonvegan family, friends, and coworkers, but throw IBS into the mix and navigating these events can seem impossible.

While irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which encompasses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, differ in very significant ways, there's nevertheless a bit of overlap in terms of certain symptoms, pain, and general quality of life, especially when comparing severe cases of IBS with milder cases of IBD. ​

While an ethic of compassion is the underpinning of a vegan lifestyle, many people adopt a plant-based diet for a wide variety of other reasons. First and foremost among those is health. ​