The battle against irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) just got real, folks! If you’re sick of the bellyaches, it’s time we had a little chat about your lifestyle choices.

Let’s dive into the usual suspects: smoking, lack of sleep, low activity, unhealthy diet, and, yes, even your buddy Jack Daniels. The trick is, you need to keep Mr. Daniels on a leash – one drink a day, max. According to a lovely bunch of nerds with PhDs, managing these five behaviors can pretty much crush your IBS risk by up to 42 percent. Doesn't sound too shabby, does it?

Here's the not-so-shocking truth: researchers found that non-smokers, folks getting their beauty sleep and those living the sweat-life have a significantly lower risk of IBS. This giant study stomped its way through the health data of over 64,000 adults (mostly ladies) aged 37 to 73 in the United Kingdom. Over the course of a cool 12.5 years, they found that sticking to three to five healthy behaviors had a whacking great impact on IBS risk. But before you gulp down your wine in celebration, it’s not that simple.

Here's the twist: Moderate alcohol consumption coupled with the other healthy behaviors led to a lower risk of IBS compared to teetotalers. Bizarre, right? This doesn’t mean you should go on a bender, though. They’re still trying to figure out why the sauce potentially helps keep IBS at bay. Could be the warm, fuzzy social perks, because who doesn’t love a good chinwag over a drink?

Remember, not all guts are made the same. Some IBS-inflicted peeps can't handle alcohol at all without their belly throwing a tantrum.

The science nerds were quick to remind us that their study doesn't prove that these healthy habits kill off IBS. They're related, yeah, but correlation ain't causation, friends.

Janna Assar, MD, an IBS patient (and all-round awesome doc), revealed how these healthy habits make guts happy and how the naughty ones cause havoc. Spoiler alert: certain culprits, like spicy food, caffeine, and alcohol, can trigger some serious IBS symptoms.

Poor sleep, too, messes with the body’s repair job leading to more stress. And see if you can guess what that does to an IBS-gut? Yup, not pretty! Regular workouts and quitting the smokes, however, are the friends your belly needs right now.

As of now, there’s no magical cure for IBS (sad face), but there are ways to manage the naughty symptoms – think medication and lifestyle tango.

So, put on your brave undies, try yoga, go on post-dinner walks, ban processed foods from your life, limit day naps, and give Mr. Daniels a time-out. Moderation is your mantra, folks%s an IBS-gut? Yup, not pretty! Regular workouts and quitting the smokes, however, are the friends your belly needs right now.

As of now, there’s no magical cure for IBS (sad face), but there are ways to manage the naughty symptoms – think medication and lifestyle tango.

So, put on your brave undies, try yoga, go on post-dinner walks, ban processed foods from your life, limit day naps, and give Mr. Daniels a time-out. Moderation is your mantra, folks.