What's New?

4Jan, 2016
0

What Does SIBO Cause?

By: | Tags:

Once the terrain is established to promote the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, as discussed in the “What Causes SIBO?” series, along with a diet that can promote the overgrowth of bacteria, SIBO can result in, or has an association with, many different health conditions. Some of the most common things to look out for are the obvious irritable bowel symptoms, such as bloating, burping, stomach cramps, constipation, heartburn, nausea, flatulence and stomach pain! This really starts to sound like a Peptobismol commercial, but unfortunately Pepto will not […]
READ MORE

21Dec, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – High Fat and Protein

By: | Tags:

Fat and Protein As with everything, there is always “too much of a good thing” and there is no exception with a diet rich in fats and animal protein. High fat diets, contrary to popular belief are also detrimental to the onset of SIBO. Numerous research studies have outlined that the standard American diet, (which can be very high in fats, animal proteins, along with refined starches) can result in alterations in the gut microbiome. In fact, it has been shown that a diet high in fat (60%) alters the […]
READ MORE

3Dec, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Fiber

By: | Tags:

Fiber Complex carbs, or vegetables, whole grains, nuts and whole fruits are often no better, when it comes to people battling SIBO. This is because complex carbs contain fiber, which is actually made of sugars that are NOT digestible by our bodies. The cellulose fibers that give plants structure are actually pure sugar, but the bonds that hold these sugars together cannot to broken down by our enzymes. This makes them insoluble fibers … which simply means that they are not very soluble in water. Insoluble fiber is crucial in […]
READ MORE

26Nov, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Carbohydrates

By: | Tags:

The dietary connections to dysbiosis and SIBO could be a large topic all on its own. I have entire books on the subject which are fascinating but for the purpose of this work once again we want to keep things fairly simple. Sugar is the cause of SIBO! Done … Although this is partially true, there is a little more to it than that because sugar is actually a complex topic all on its own. You see not all sugars are created equal and when I mention sugar being the […]
READ MORE

23Nov, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Bile and Enzymes

By: | Tags:

As the small intestine is actually an alkaline environment or “terrain” this another part of how our bodies reduce the growth of bacteria. All bacteria, just like all enzymes in our bodies, require a certain pH (acid base balance) in order to grow or work. Altering the pH of the intestinal environment can favour certain bacteria to grow, and those bacteria actually produce more acid, which favours even more growth. This is why hydrogen (a measure of acidity) is actually a part of SIBO testing. High hydrogen levels are actually […]
READ MORE

19Nov, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Stomach Acid

By: | Tags:

Stomach Acid As outlined in the “psychiatry” associated causes of SIBO article, digestive deficiencies are strongly correlated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. In fact, it is highly unlikely that bacteria would be able to grow in the harsh environment of the upper small intestine (duodenum), as seen in some people, without significant digestive dysfunction. Stomach acid and bile are strong opposing substances that help to sterilize the intestines from bacteria on our food, as well as provide digestive support for both proteins and fats, respectively. The most common cause of […]
READ MORE

16Nov, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Genetics

By: | Tags:

Genetics is an area of medicine that fascinates me. As a biochemistry student we are taught that our bodies operate at 100% efficiency. This is simply not the case, but for educational purposes you are not exposed to the truth when learning the many hundreds of cool enzymatic reactions that are occurring in our bodies at any given time. Genetics in undergraduate studies is similar. Sure there are a few genetic complications that are taught in pre-medicine but nothing remotely like what occurs in really life! Although this area fascinates […]
READ MORE

12Nov, 2015
0

What Causes SIBO? – Psychiatry

By: | Tags:

Further causes of SIBO, beyond the most established theory of post-infectious gastroenteritis, vary significantly. Clinically I have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of dysbiosis and have correlated many associated causes which are supported by research. All of these associated causes have an effect on the “terrain” in the digestive system, which as discussed in my last article is critical in setting up the environment for SIBO. Before getting into the details, I think a definition of Dysbiosis is important. Dysbiosis simply refers to a microbial imbalance inside the […]
READ MORE

9Nov, 2015
0

What causes SIBO?

By: | Tags:

SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and is an emerging cause of many different health conditions. Estimated to affect (or infect as the case may be) 3 to 30% of the population, SIBO is an area of medicine that I have believed for many years will be considered the “missing link” in the causes of many diseases. Bacteria in the small intestine can over grow for a number of reasons however once the bacteria have established themselves it is quite difficult to get rid of them, which is inevitably […]
READ MORE

2Nov, 2015
0

Hello World! The SIBO Clinic

By: | Tags:

I am excited to announce the start of the SIBO Testing and Treatment Clinic in the greater Vancouver area. Please visit our new website, like us on facebook or follow us on twitter. Our mission, as always, is to provide “great health through good digestion” and my goal is to be the most comprehensive clinical source of information for testing and treatment of SIBO in North America. Once again, SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and has clinical significance in a host of health conditions outlined below. Westcoast Integrative […]
READ MORE