So, yoursmall intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)test result is back, and it’s positive.
Not following a SIBO-appropriate diet and eating pattern.
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Avoid fiber early in the treatment.
Timing your meals is also important.
Not incorporating a motility agent.
And when food passes slowly, it feeds bacteria and promotes their growth.
That’s why you should always incorporate motility agents, especially if you have constipation.
There are several types of motility medications that you could ask your doctor about.
Herbal motility products may containginger, vitamin B6, 5-HTP, artichoke leaf extract, and other botanicals.
I usually use motility agents with all my SIBO patientsas long as they don’t have diarrhea.
What interferes with proper motility?
To top it off, stress triggers the fight-or-flight response that shuts down digestion.
Not retesting to see to it SIBO is gone.
Unfortunately, SIBO can be stubborn to treat, and it can come back.
When you confirm that the treatment was successful, you might confidently transition to a maintenance and prevention plan.
If you test positive, your practitioner can prescribe a different medication or herbal protocol.
If it turns out that your SIBO is stubborn, ask your provider about theelemental formula diet.
Not considering other possible causes for your symptoms.
Having SIBO doesn’t rule out other gut infections.
You may also have yeast, mold, viruses,parasites,H.
Pylori,clostridia, or other bacteria.
You may havesmall intestine fungal overgrowth5(SIFO).
My functional medicine mentors stress the importance of ruling outH.
Pyloriand obtaining a thorough assessment of the colon, whether SIBO is positive or not.
Not searching for your SIBO root causes.
Extra bacteria in your intestine?
Blast them with antibiotics and your job is done, right?
Treating SIBO by shooting just one arrow at the target doesn’t work.
Replacing antibiotics with herbals isn’t integrative enough.
To completely heal and prevent recurring SIBO, you must understand why it happened in the first place.
Maintain adequate stomach acid.
Include betaine HCL if tolerated.
If taking acid-lowering medications, discuss weaning off with your doctor.
Treating SIBO may reduce your heartburn and reflux.
Boost digestion with supplements and herbs.
Incorporate digestive enzymes, bile, and digestive bitters.
I use spore-based probiotics and find that my patients tolerate them even during the initial phases of the herbalprotocol1.
