Many gastrointestinal diseases can be triggered by one or several factors, whether the factors are diet or lifestyle-related. Simply not consuming a sufficient amount of fiber can be enough to trigger discomfort or pain. Other dietary factors that could be triggers include excess dairy products, the overusing of anti-diarrheal medications (they lead to the weakening of bowel muscle movements), antacid medications that contain calcium or aluminum, and other medications such as antidepressants, iron supplements, and narcotics. Some examples of lifestyle factors that could trigger gastrointestinal diseases include insufficient exercise, stress, becoming pregnant, and resisting bowel movements (due to hemorrhoids or some other discomfort). There are many different possible triggers for gastrointestinal diseases, so it is important to make sure that you try your best to keep track of potential triggers if you do ever have a flare-up or reaction to ensure that you receive any necessary treatments.