SIBO is complicated, but not impossible to beat, if you know what you are doing.

There are some things that are not in our favor. Not a lot of doctors are familiar with SIBO. The ones that are prescribe antibiotics without testing for it don’t know the proper meds to give. Or they suggest the Low FODMAP diet without much guidance.

There’s also conflicting information on the Internet as well as fear about the frequency of relapse.

You can beat SIBO if you understand what to do, and prevent a relapse for the same reason. I beat SIBO quickly and successfully (no relapse) and have helped others do the same. If you address SIBO correctly and in the right order, your chances of success skyrocket.

I’ve learned about SIBO first hand and share what I’ve learned in the SIBO Rescue guide. The guide is written to help people avoid common pitfalls when addressing one of the most common root cause of IBS.

Below are a few of the mistakes that I cover in the guide. I also give you resources like an 8 week elimination diet and 17 SIBO-friendly recipes to boost digestion, promote motility and seal the gut lining.

Avoid these 12 common SIBO mistakes and more…

Mistake number 1: Skipping testing and retesting or testing for hydrogen only.

Many doctors don’t test for SIBO, I’m not sure why. Without testing you don’t know which gases are present and can’t prescribe the correct antibiotics. Different antibiotics are needed depending on if hydrogen gas, methane or both are present. There’s a third form of SIBO called sulfur hydrogen SIBO. A new test was developed for sulfide. I discuss it in depth in the guide.

Make sure also that if your doctor does test for SIBO he is not just testing for hydrogen only. And uses lactulose to test for it.

There are many things that can cause IBS symptoms besides SIBO. Overly prescribed antibiotics may why some people have SIBO in the first place. If your doctor won’t test you, that’s a red flag. I would find a doctor who will. They understand what they are doing. Naturopaths and health coaches, like me, can also order tests for their clients. The test is done through the mail.

Mistake number 2: Staying on the Low FODMAP diet forever or over restricting

There are several diets that can ease SIBO symptoms such as bloating, gut pain, inflammation and gas. There are several diets that can help ease SIBO symptoms such as bloating, gut pain, inflammation and gas. The Low FODMAP diet is the most popular one but not the only choice. Because many of the foods restricted on this diet feed beneficial bacteria in the colon, it’s not advised to stay Low FODMAP for the long term as it depletes beneficial bacteria, thus lowering gut immunity.

In my guide, I suggest a Low FODMAP elimination diet for 8 weeks only and a slow reintroduction of each higher FODMAP food every three days to gauge which ones are problematic. This is a way to create a personalized diet that is not too restrictive or damaging to the biome. I include a detailed list of what foods are safe, which to limit portions and which to avoid for 8 weeks.

I also give you info about a direct to consumer device that gives real time feedback about if the food you ate works for you or not (does it ferment in your gut or does it digest?) This is a great way to concretely customize your diet because everyone reacts differently to different foods.

Diet is not a necessary part of clearing SIBO. That is done with the antimicrobials mostly. The purpose of the diet is to decrease symptoms, which puts the mind and nervous system in a better place.

It is important also to note that methane SIBO does not respond to a Low FODMAP diet. It responds better to a lower fat and lower protein diet.

I discuss the different options for a SIBO diet in my guide.

Mistake number 3: Not addressing the nervous system

Slow or faulty motility in the small intestine is a root cause of SIBO. There is not a clear medical understanding of what disrupts motility. But since motility is a function of the autonomic nervous system, it’s likely nervous system disruption that affects motility.

A nervous system that is stuck in the fight, flight or freeze response from stress, past trauma or pushing too hard (overworking, overexercising, lack of sleep/rest) can be a root cause of poor motility. While people focus on food and antimicrobial protocols to address SIBO, few focus on the nervous system, which needs to be switched back into rest and digest mode.

My guide covers how to do that.

Mistake number 4: Following generic health advice for IBS

SIBO is a common cause of IBS, but following generic health advice can actually trigger more symptoms. Some examples are eating smaller, more frequent meals, adding high fiber veggies, fermented foods, or the wrong prebiotics/probiotcs.

IBS is an umbrella term to describe a collection of digestive symptoms. The root cause of those symptoms are different for everyone. So don’t get discouraged if the advice for IBS backfires for you. It may be a clue that you may have SIBO.

Mistake number 5: Not taking a prokinetic after finishing the protocol

Prokinetics are herbal or pharmaceutical interventions to support health motility. Motility describes the cleansing waves of the small intestine that happen between meals. They purpose is to sweep bacteria (also food particles or debris) out of the small intestine into the large intestine.

Disrupted motility is a known cause of SIBO, so taking a prokinetic after finishing a SIBO protocol is important to keep the small intestine free from building up more bacteria. Not taking a prokinetic is why some people relapse.

There are both herbal and pharmaceutical prokinetics that are effective. While both are safe, the advantage of the herbal prokinetics is that you don’t need a prescription from the doctor. I share my favorite prokinetics in the guide.

Mistake number 6: Not treating other infections first

H. pylori and parasites must be addressed before focusing on SIBO.

Motility is a major root cause of IBS, but so is low stomach acid. And the most common cause of low stomach acid is an h. pylori bacterial infection in the stomach.

If there are parasites, they can cause an inflammatory environment in the gut, stressing the immune system and making it hard to clear SIBO.

In order to successfully clear SIBO you need to take care of the large intestine and stomach first, or else you may be fighting a losing battle with SIBO.

I run the GI Map AND SIBO test with all my clients. The GI Map tests for parasites and h. pylori as well as digestive markers, inflammation, gluten intolerance and fat absorption. This test is the most sensitive on the market and catches things that other stool test often miss.

Mistake number 7: Not finding the root cause of SIBO

There is a reason you developed SIBO. And while it is important to clear it, figuring out the reason why you have it is an important part of solving the SIBO puzzle and the way to keep it from returning.

Some of the most common reasons for SIBO is antibiotics use, stress/trauma, a high carb/high sugar diet, a slow thyroid, low stomach acid and poor digestion and abdominal adhesions from surgery or an accident. Also, bacterial imbalance in the large intestine can be another root cause.

Fixing the root cause issue is an important part of rebalancing the body so it’s no longer a hospitable place for bacterial overgrowth.

I go over all the root causes and how to find and address them in the guide.

Mistake number 8: Not clearing detox/drainage pathways

Having clogged detox or drainage pathways can often make people reactive to supplement protocols, unable to complete them or take them at full dose.

If die off symptoms are causing a disruption during a protocol this is a sign that your body has a “clogged sink”. Taking time to address and support the liver and lymphatic system is how to unclog the sink.

I go over detox strategies in my guide. But it is also helpful to take short breaks with herbs for the body to catch up by lowering or slowing the protocol. Suffering with die off symptoms does speed healing and is often stressful for your body.

Mistake number 9: Not supporting digestion

There are three ways to support digestion. Adding enzymes (only if you need them), supporting bile flow (by addressing the liver) and raising stomach acid (by adding stomach acid support or calming down before eating).

Enzymes are like little scissors that cut food apart, stomach acid helps dissolve it into absorbable nutrients and bile not only cleanses the small intestine but helps digest fats in particular, but also protein and carbs.

Enzymes, bile and stomach acid can all be supplemented, and I explain how in my guide. And who should and shouldn’t do it.

Mistake number 10: Giving up after antibiotics or herbs don’t work.

There’s always the elemental diet or a combination of the three therapies.

SIBO can be stubborn and frustrating. That’s why this guide points out the problems that make it harder to clear. If you know what is not working, you can fix it.

It may take a few rounds of herbs to clear the infection or perhaps antibiotics, if herbs don’t work at all.

I have had several clients with both methane and hydrogen that did not respond to herbs at all. When we tried an elemental diet their symptoms went away. An elemental diet is a liquid diet that needs to be done under the supervision of a practitioner, but it is an effective way of clearing SIBO in 2 weeks (3 weeks for a bad case).

In my guide I go over, different options with the elemental diet such as full, partial, as a safe on the go snacks or for flare relief. I even have a recipe for an elemental shake in my guide.

Mistake number 11: You don’t need to make yourself miserable to heal.

This is a mindset tip. When SIBO becomes challenging to heal the reaction is try harder and suffer more. Cut out more food. Spend more money. Do more research. Try more herbs. Another reaction is to go the other way, giving up, eating sugar and drinking alcohol. “I mean why bother, if nothing is going to work?”

The tendency to become obsessive or hopeless and discouraged is not a good plan. This is where good coaching comes in. It helps guide and reconnect you to your faith of a good outcome. This matters. It is what drives your motivation and stability.

Mistake number 12: Grazing throughout the day

The small intestine cleanses when it is empty. So it is a good idea to leave 3 to 4 hours between meals. And also a good idea to eat your last meal 3 to 4 hours before bed.

If you have blood sugar issues, are severely underweight or get hangry, then eating small snacks is ok. But avoid grazing throughout the day.

An elemental diet snack is a good way to address hunger without disrupting motility because there is no digestion required, the elemental diet is absorbed directly into the small intestine, providing you with carbs, protein and fat while starving the small intestinal bacteria.

Next steps

I hope these tips helped, there are more in the book, along with 17 recipes to support motility, detox and stomach acid. And tame the sugar dragon when it comes. I also share how I beat SIBO in 6 weeks when it was supposed to take me 4 months to eradicate it.

By filling in the missing pieces and pointing out some mistakes I hope I can demystify SIBO as an issue that can be solved with the right step by steps and approach. If you need extra support please reach out.

Meanwhile, my guide a great place to start for educating and motivating yourself.

Hopefully you will be my next SIBO success story. I already have many.

Put your body, mind and soul into healing, do it right and don’t give up.

Download the guide below.