Living with SIBO

It was back in 2014 when I took my first Hydrogen breath test to see if I had SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or not. And sure enough I was positive for both Hydrogen & Methane gases.

I immediately started to treat and eradicate my SIBO by following Dr. Jacobi's Bi-Phasic diet. During my herbal treatment, I noticed instant results. My skin began to improve (SIBO and acne rosacea are linked- and the initial reason for testing), my bloating decreased and my bowel motion improved.

Looking back on the determination in following the diet and finally knowing the cause of my acne rosacea was the end of years of frustration and embarrassment.

If you have ever had to follow a restricted diet you will understand how difficult it is to live a 'normal' life that doesn't impact you and the ones you life with.

But considering my main problem had been eradicated, I began to slowly add the foods in that I was eating previously (It is also strongly advised that you should not follow any restricted diet long term).

Low and behold.....my skin didn't get effected!!!

Sure, the obvious items would cause a flare, such as alcohol and wheat. But I had never had an issue with onions or any other high FODMAP foods.

But slowly over time, even though my skin never returned back to its acne state (thank goodness!), my bloating returned and my bowels also decided to slow down too...….

Bring in test number 2 in 2017. And yep, I tested positive yet again for both Hydrogen and Methane gases. SIBO was back with even more bite!!

So what did I do???

Nothing.

I certainly felt disheartened with a capital D, but after treating so many others for SIBO in my practice I had noticed a trend...….

it comes back!

Knowing the cause of your SIBO is imperative!

The thing about SIBO is that you need to find the cause, and if you don't find the cause, it WILL come back.

What's my cause?

Most likely poor gut motility and a leaky gut to match.

But I didn't want to go in with the big guns (anti microbial herbs) to get rid of the unwanted bacteria and Archea. It didn't want to go on the super restricted diet for months on end.

Nup.

By this stage I had a fair idea of what would cause my bloating. I mentioned a couple of them previously- wheat and alcohol. You can add potatoes, rice and refined sugars onto that list too. But do I avoid them? No. I just know that I should keep potatoes down to once per week and if I am going to eat wheat, it will be with good quality sourdough stuff.

And what about legumes?

Yes, they can cause havoc with SIBO and make anyone look 6 months pregnant in seconds. But once again, I have identified the ones that cause more symptoms than others (for me it's kidney beans and chickpeas).

But I still eat them, because I know how beneficial they are for me and they provide fuel for all of the anti-inflammatory bacteria that live in your colon.

And I have also noticed that by keeping my fibre up that my bowel habits improve (it's not rocket science!).

So lets go back to the cause again.....

The cause of your SIBO is a big clue if you are going to get rid of SIBO once and for all. Unfortunately for some, the cause can be due to adhesions and scar tissue in the pelvic region due to past operations. Constant visceral manipulation is required to reduce the scar tissue within the area. With this comes a very long time frame of healing...….

I discovered that I also have umbilical hernia (another causative factor for SIBO). But after I had met with a surgeon and understood what was involved in the operation, I decided to not go ahead. I felt that the scar tissue post op was going to be far worse than my little sticky outy belly button.

So its not all doom and gloom, and I certainly don't want to put you off in treating your SIBO. For some, it can be a simple cause such as post infectious IBS (just a little bit of gut dysbiosis and a teeny bit of inflammation). But the main take home point is that EVERYONE is different. And yes, it's worth exploring what is causing your unwanted gut symptoms and take the necessary treatment from there.

I just felt that I wanted to share my journey with living with SIBO. I have accepted it (that doesn't mean you should have to too). But I do know that my overall gut microbiome is a lot happier and healthier by me including a high variety of foods into my daily diet.

I also keep my symptoms down by adding movement into my life (yoga) and by keeping on top of my stress levels by ensuring my nervous system is supported and making sure my cup is always full (well 3/4 anyway!)…..

If you would like to listen more about my SIBO story, you can on The GUT GURU podcast.

If you would like support in your gut journey, you can by joining the FB group- Happy gut, Happy you

Do you still have a question?

Send me a message below.....

What is a naturopath?

I often get a puzzled look when someone asks me what 'I do'. So I thought there must be a lot of people that don't know what a naturopath is. And it's kinda tricky to say too, isn't it?

What a naturopath studies...…

A naturopath student requires four years of studying to get their degree. And over this time we are taught many things such as:

• Herbal medicine- how to use herbs to treat common health conditions that will enable your body to regain balance, support and tonify any weakened systems.

• Nutrition- nutritional bio-chemistry was one of my favourite subjects when I was studying. I loved learning all about the vitamins and minerals (it doesn't just end there either) and what foods they are found in, how your body processes them and what functions they have within our body. Food and what you eat is such an integral part of what naturopaths do!

• Body systems- from the immune to reproductive, naturopaths learn all about the body and how the systems work together (and perhaps not work together).

• Diseases- yep, we know the basics AND the not so easy ones too. This is when you might come across a naturopath that 'specialises' in a particular area. Just like you find specialists like a gynaecologist in main stream health care.

• Diagnostic Testing- to help get a better picture on your health, a naturopath might ask you to go for extra testing. This can be from bloods to stool or even your hair! Naturopaths will have a general understanding of any previous tests that you may have had done in the past too.

 Naturopaths treat the whole person, not just the symptoms.

• Case taking- Your first consultation with a naturopath will be generally the longest. We take your full health history, talk about what is happening in your body systems and what has been working for you or not working for you. Some naturopaths might even do a little bit of 'in house' testing such as, take your blood pressure, weight or blood glucose.

• Iridology- Naturopaths have studied iridology as a student. this is where a microscope is used to look at your iris and see if there are any weakened areas within your body. Did you know your organs are represented in your eyes?

• Tongue and nail analysis- checking your tongue and nails give naturopaths extra clues on how your body is functioning. Every little bit of information helps.

• Emotions- How you are as a person is very important to us. Are you sensitive? Do you get stressed easily? Do you loose your temper? Sometimes this can take a little bit of time to work out, especially in the early days.

• Lifestyle- How do you live your life? Do you work full time? do you care for others? How do you destress? Your lifestyle plays a huge part in your current health status. Diet and lifestyle advice is always given.

• Evidence Based Research- Naturopaths use critical based research to support their treatment protocols.

• Treatment- Naturopaths will generally offer herbal and nutritional support to help with your healing. Diet advice is given and if this is not enough supplements are prescribed when needed. Short term and long term treatment plans are established, so you don't feel overwhelmed. After all, we just really want you to feel great again!

In a nut shell...…..

A naturopath offers support, education and treatment that you want to do. Our job is to empower you and take control of your health, so that you can achieve your health goals.If you would like to book an appointment to reach your health goals, check out what is available in the online booking system below. var initResizer = function() { iframes = iFrameResize({}, "#widget-inline-embed"); }

Why Short Chain Fatty Acids are the Key to Optimal Health

Short chain fatty acids (S.C.F.A's), sounds like something that you should be avoiding all together. But you couldn't be more further from the truth.https://www.facebook.com/Thenaturopathshop/videos/2196534210567444/?ref_page_id=1518149341739271&acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5C%22[]%5C%22%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

So what are SCFA's?

SCFA's are made in your colon. They are produced by your gut bacteria, when you consume carbohydrates and I'm not taking about refined carbs either- more on this later). SCFA's are a 6 carbon chain (hence the name short) and can either be of 3 metabolites- butyrate, propionate, acetate (there are a couple of others but they only make up 5% of total SCFA's).Butyrate can be used instantly by some cells in your colon; while the rest can transported to your liver and enter the rest of your system by your blood.

The benefits of SCFA's..............

Studies have shown that SCFA's reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity (basically metabolic syndrome) and some colon cancers.Research has also shown that SCFA's are anti-inflammatory, and that people who had ulcerative colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), had lower than normal levels of SCFA's.

How Do I Increase my SCFA's Levels?

SCFA's are influenced by diet. Yes, the food you eat. As I mentioned before; SCFA's are made by your bacteria when they digest certain carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are mostly found in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and legumes.All these foods also have one thing in common, they contain high amounts of fibre.

What FIBRE????

Yes! Here's the glitch.....you might be currently following a low FODMAP, SIBO, or a High FAT/Low Carb diet. All of these diets dramatically reduce your intake of natural fibre. You can avoid this by really focusing on the vegetables you can eat, so this doesn't happen. This is why long term Low FODMAP diets aren't recommended for long periods.This can be the hardest part when you are healing your gut. Especially if you have IBS/SIBO and feel like you bloat even from water. This is because your gut lining is hyper-sensitive and you need to go extremely slowly when you are starting to re-introduce regular foods.Legumes are a fantastic source of fibre, but many people just can't tolerate them. So after you have done adequate healing of your gut (can be different for everyone). You can start with brown lentils, drain the can, and freeze them into ice cube trays. This way you are just introducing a tiny amount daily.There are many types of fibre, but some fibres in food are also called 'prebiotics'. This term is used a lot more these days. The way I like to explain it is that prebiotics are 'feeding' your gut bacteria, which will make them grow big and strong. This method is excellent when you have low numbers in a beneficial bacteria (all you need to do is eat the right foods to build them up again). The end result will be that you have built up your gut ecosystem naturally with foods.

Foods That Feed Your Gut Microbiome

Listed below is a snap shot of foods that feed your healthy gut bugs - these foods contain either inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides.Jerusalem artichoke, yacon tubers burdock roots, chicory roots, dandelion roots, garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, globe artichoke.Legumes, Brassica-family, vegetables, fresh beans, rye sourdough, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, LSA mix.Polyphenols also feed your gut bugs. Polyphenol foods are:black elderberries, black currants, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, plums, raspberries, apples, black grapesFlaxseed meal, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, purple carrots, red carrots, purple potatoes, red cabbage, spinach, red onions, broccoli, carrots, red lettuceRed rice, black rice, red and white quinoa, whole grain, rye brad, olives and olive oil

How Do I Measure SCFA's?

This can be done only by stool testing. There are quite a few on the market that give you varying results. But you can easily find more about your SCFA's levels by completing a CDSA (Comprehensive Diagnostic Stool Analysis) or by a UBIOME test.If you would like to know more about SCFA's or specific stool tests; fill out the contact form below and I will get back to you.[contact_bank form_id="2" form_title="show" form_description="show"][/contact_bank]REFERENCESCheng et. al. (2017) Effects of Functional Oligosaccharides and ordinary dietary fibre on intestinal microbiota diversity, Frontiers in Microbiology, 1-11Edwards et. al. (2017) Polyphenols and Health- interactions between fibre, plant polyphenols and the gut microbiota, Nutrition Bulletin, 42, 356-360Ros-Covian et. al. (2016) Intestinal short chain fatty acids and their link with diet and human health, Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol.7, Article 185, pg.1-9Singh et. al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health, (2017), Journal of Translational Medicine, 15:73, 1-17      

Are you inflamed?

Inflammation is your bodies natural response to repair itself and to protect yourself from nasties!

It's also your body to say 'Hey! Stop! Slow down and take some rest!'

An inflammatory response involves a raise in body temperature (fever), fluid to the area (swelling), vasodilation (so you don't bleed to death) and unfortunately, sometimes pain. These processes are pretty standard and are needed to help you repair and heal. The down side of inflammation is that it can make you feel uncomfortable for the short term. When you have constant pain and inflammation, that's when it gets serious!

So what are some of the signs and symptoms of an inflammatory response?

• Headache is very common. This can happen for SO many reasons.....cold and flu, allergies, sinus, hay fever, food intolerance, environment, eye strain or hormones.
• Skin conditions- eczema, dermatitis, acne and rosacea are all inflamed conditions.
• Allergies- seasonal hay fever, sinusitis and even food allergies are caused by an over active immune system that causes an inflammatory response.
• Auto immune- Think celiac, Hashimoto's, Rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, are all based on an overactive immune response. Most of the time it is genetic, but can be stimulated by environment and stress.
• Digestive system- stomach pain, food intolerances, diarrhoea and reflux would be coming causes of high inflammation.
• Pain- All of the above conditions can have pain associated with it. This can lead to depression, immobility, discomfort and decreased joy in life if left long term.

What can be done?

Knowing the cause of your inflammatory response is a big part of the healing process. Sometimes the source can't be fixed or eliminated, but reducing inflammation can happen by diet, movement and anti-inflammatory sources (will get to this later on).

• When did it start?
• What makes it worse?
• What makes it better?
• What are the symptoms?

These are simple questions that you can ask yourself to narrow down on what the cause could be.

Diagnostic Testing

When you get your bloods taken from your doctor, there are some key markers that inflammation is present.

• White Cell Count - these guys are your defence system. If they are up, that means they are busy fighting something.
• ESR- An acute inflammatory response marker. If raised=inflammation
• CRP- more of a chronic inflammatory marker. If raised, your body ain't happy.
• GGT- This is from your liver profile. If raised, it is busy detoxing you.
• Secretory IgA- This protects your gut lining against pathogens! Stress can decrease secretory IgA.
• Antibodies- These are tested mostly for auto immune markers.
• Immunoglobulins- IgG, IgE are common ones to get tested for allergies. IgG is used a lot with food intolerance panels.
• Anion Gap- This is a calculation found in your General chemistry section of your bloods. It should be between 10-12. the calculation is as follows: Sodium + Potassium - Chloride - Bicarbonate = ?
• Cortisol- This is done by request only and should be taken between 7am - 9am in the morning for accuracy.

What you can do to reduce inflammation!

• Eat a more alkaline diet. Acidic foods create inflammation. Grab your alkaline food list acid-base-foods-pral
• Glutamine is great for reducing inflammation in the gut.
• N- Acetyl Glucosamine is also fabulous for gut repair and anti-inflammation
• Zinc- Wound healer and used for over 200 enzymatic reactions within the body (also immune booster), great for skin too!
• Bioflavonoids- found in the white part of citrus fruit and other fruit and vegetables (Quercetin, Rutin, Hesperidin and Bromelains).
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D (especially with auto immune conditions)
• Probiotics- Vivomixx VSL#3, Saccharomyces Boulardi, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG) and Lactobacillus Fermentum VRI-003
• Omega 3- fish oil
• Coconut oil- contains caprylic acid which is anti inflammatory
• Reishi mushrooms
• Turmeric- need I say more?
• Chamomile
• Calendula
• Ginger