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Is SIBO the cause of your Irritable bowel?

WHAT IS SIBO?

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth is otherwise known as SIBO and may be an underlying factor in many people suffering from irritable bowel symptoms. This condition is characterised by an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine which can interfere with the healthy structure and function of the small intestine.
The large colon has many bacteria inhabiting it but the small intestine has relatively few bacteria in comparison. An overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine means that bacteria can break down certain foods faster than they should resulting in excess bloating and abdominal discomfort.

The small intestine is responsible for the absorption of food and nutrients and also helps in part to regulate our immune system. It is no surprise then that an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine can cause malabsorption of nutrients such as B12 among others as well as deficiencies in the essential fat-soluble vitamins such as E, D, A and K.

An overgrowth in bacteria can damage the absorptive villi structures that line the small intestine which not only reduces the absorption of foods but also sets the stage for food allergies and intolerance’s. Long term issues may result in a ‘leaky gut’ whereby the intestinal barrier becomes permeable which then allows undigested food molecules to pass through the gut barrier into the blood stream causing further immune dysfunction and possibly autoimmune issues.

Most patients with SIBO have been told that they have IBS from their doctor. Probiotics or prebiotics will not provide relief for these patients.

The five most common symptoms patients with SIBO complain about are-
1/ Bloating and abdominal discomfort
2/ Diarrhoea (usually hydrogen-based SIBO)
3/ Constipation (methane-based SIBO)
4/ Reflux, gas and burping
5/ In more severe cases there may be fatigue, weight loss and symptoms related to vitamin deficiencies.

CAUSES OF SIBO?

Firstly, SIBO is a secondary condition which means it doesn’t occur naturally without certain factors being present.
One of the main issues causing SIBO is a dysfunctional migrating motor complex.
A healthy small intestine has a MMC (Migrating motor complex) which stimulates a peristaltic ‘wave’ every 1.5 hours in order to cleanse the small intestine from bacteria and food. Many people have issues with motility for a number of reasons and this peristaltic motion doesn’t happen as regularly which means bacteria can build up to unhealthy levels in the small intestine.

Bad food poisoning or severe gastro-enteritis can damage the MMC.

Many people have gallbladder issues which can also lead to an increase of bacteria in the small intestine. Bile naturally helps with motility and is in itself, a good anti-bacterial which can keep bacteria levels in check.

Low stomach acid is a another issue that SIBO sufferers often have. A good amount of acid is released from the stomach when we eat and this also kills off bacteria and parasites in our food before they reach the small intestine. Acid released from the stomach also kicks off a healthy digestive cascade which results in bile and pancreatic enzymes being released further down in the small intestine. These secretions are all essential for the proper breakdown and absorption of nutrients.

Certain bowel surgeries or repeated antibiotic courses are also risk factors for the development of SIBO .

There are multiple risk factors for SIBO but the above are the most common we see in clinical practice.

HOW TO TREAT SIBO?

Treating SIBO effectively means reducing the amount of bacteria living in the small intestine with the administration of specific anti-bacterials in conjunction with a specific diet. For long-term resolvement of SIBO, the practitioner needs to identify and correct the primary issues that were the catalyst for SIBO to occur in the first place. After SIBO has been treated, it is important for the patient to be monitored and educated to prevent relapse as it is likely that relapse will occur again if the patient is treated with anti-bacterials alone without addressing root causative factors. 

COPPER – THE TWO FACED MINERAL. A common imbalance which affects many.

Most people who use natural supplements know that zinc is an important mineral. Zinc is an essential mineral involved in most of the major biochemical pathways in the body including detoxification, hormone and neurotransmitter balance.

If zinc were a person she/he would be cool, calm, organised, protective and nurturing.

If zinc had a sister, it would be copper. Copper and zinc as minerals are antagonistic but need to maintain a good working balance with each other as well. If copper goes up, zinc will tend to go down and vice-versa.

If a person had too much copper they may be anxious, depressed, moody, hot- headed and find it hard to relax. A copper person is likely to be liverish with a decreasing ability to lose weight and detoxify well, especially as they progress in age. Menstrual problems, food intolerances, bloating, headaches, fungal infections (example is stubborn candida overgrowth), are just a few common issues that tend to correspond with too much copper.

Why is copper becoming a problem these days? We are exposed to many conditions over a lifetime that predispose us to copper issues. The soils just aren’t high in mineral content anymore- especially with zinc or selenium and there are a lot of chemicals such as those in plastics and pesticides that tend to build up in our bodies and favour a higher copper balance.

Unfortunately, our environment is not geared to support us anymore. Being proactive in your health is never more important than it is today.

142,000 IN EMERGENCY ROOMS DUE TO ANTIBIOTICS?

Ok. I am guilty at reading an American statistic but let’s face it, that is a large number of antibiotic- related emergencies. Also, how about those that may slip past and go unreported?

The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) in America is notoriously inefficient on studying and  reporting  antibiotic and drug-related side effects (including vaccine side effects) so chances are this figure has been underestimated.

No one denies that taking antibiotics can be absolutely life saving in certain situations but there is no doubt that this wonderful medicine is completely overused and abused. Children’s ear infections and upper respiratory infections which are usually viral are still medicated with antibiotics that will do absolutely nothing to combat a viral infection.

It takes close to two years to regain a normal bacterial balance in your gut after antibiotic use and even then, some antibiotics will permanently kill off some beneficial bacteria strains that assist your natural immune defences.. Considering your gut governs 80% of your immune system, why take antibiotics if you can get better through alternative therapies?

Next time you are sick, why not try some immune boosting herbs, use copious amounts of vitamin C orally -(you can absorb 20 plus times  more vitamin C when you are sick)! or even better, get some intravenous Vit C  to give your immune system a real boost. Get on top of your sickness fast- the faster the better as this will shorten the duration of the sickness and get you back on your feet sooner. Don’t wait till you feel like death warmed up before you do something about it.

As posted previously, it is good to get sick sometimes. This is one way our body can do it’s housekeeping.  How you manage your sickness however will make all the difference  ie/ whether your immune system stays strong or whether it is significantly weakened. Be judicious in how you treat your body and save the stronger alternatives such as antibiotics for when you really need them.

WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, YOU DO BETTER”

Our bodies are not adapting fast enough to cope with the growing burden of toxicity that everyday life on earth presents us. As long as we breath air, eat food and live a normal life, we are exposed to a multitude of toxins that were not present in the lives of people 50 years ago.

A scary example- Electromagnetic radiation is around us all the time in the form of wifi, and phones. A healthy cell in the body vibrates at a certain speed. Electromagnetic energy alone can change the speed at which a healthy cell vibrates hence causing dis-ease in the body. It’s everywhere and you cannot avoid it.

You cannot hide from life but you can learn how to best prevent getting sick from it. The good news is that we live in a time where we can learn so much about our body and its respective strengths and weaknesses.

If you cannot get a satisfactory diagnosis for a health problem, functional pathology testing is the way to go.

Many practitioners and patients are using functional pathology tests to investigate abnormalities in the function of a tissue or organ that are not picked up through conventional testing. The results provide essential information to assist the practitioner in the diagnosis, treatment and management of patients seeking a holistic approach to health.

One of the great advances in recent years is in the field of DNA. We are born and will die with the same genes and up until recently, the average person had no idea as to what their genes were doing and how they would later impact their health. Contrary to what you may think, DNA testing has become highly affordable.

Never before are patients so informed about health trends such as methylation, detoxification and the role of the gut microbiome. It is really great to see that people are starting to take responsibility for their health by investigating other possibilities other than the diagnosis they have already been given.

Knowledge is power- “When you know better, you do better!” That is so true when it comes to our health.fb saying

YOUR WEIGHT AND THE THYROID/ADRENAL CONNECTION

DO YOU HAVE EXPENSIVE POO?

Probiotics. Everyone knows that they help with good bacteria in the gut right? Most people I speak to currently are or have been on probiotics at one stage on their health journey. But how much of the good bacteria that we consume actually stick around and make our intestines their home?

Probiotics are undoubtedly beneficial in most instances but to get the real benefits from probiotics,we want to be sure they are actually adhering to the bowel wall, not just hitching a ride on the poop train only to be expelled with the next bowel motion.

I see many stool tests come back showing that the patient has low or NIL good bacteria despite sometimes years of probiotic supplementation. I am not saying that the probiotics didn’t help whilst ‘in transit’ but the idea is for them to stick around for a while.

Whether good bacteria stay in your gut or are pooped out depends upon how well your bowel does its housekeeping. If the bowel walls are relatively clean from old faeces and mucous, you will attract the good bacteria and they can proliferate in their correct balance.

If housekeeping is only partially done then the bad bacteria (or as we refer to them, ‘the squatters’ ) come along and thrive in the chaos of an unclean bowel .

Squatters can be broadened to include other opportunistic organisms such as parasites, yeasts and mycotoxins – basically any unwelcome guests that take up residence in our gut.

Most stool results I see reveal a combination of undesirable squatters that will slowly erode the health of the host and prevent the adhesion of good probiotics unless otherwise treated.

If you feel that all your probiotics and fermented foods aren’t giving you the results you expected, then perhaps it is time to do a little housekeeping and create the environment that the ‘goodies’ will thrive in.

Yours in health,

Natasha Martin, ND