Our bodies are a mass of bacteria that help our systems function, digest, absorb, promote immunity, create odours, influence fertility. Increasing amounts of research are establishing the importance of our natural biome and the balance of this is important to our health on many levels, our bacteria needs to be preserved.

SIBO or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is an example of when bacteria gets out of control, the wrong strain exists or is in the wrong area of the gut.

This a condition and symptoms associated with this need to be investigated by a medical doctor as SIBO is the type of condition where both orthodox medical treatments and natural therapies need to be embraced. The medical profession are QUALIFIED to diagnose and have access to the tests necessary to rule conditions in or out.

People with the following conditions or diseases are susceptible to SIBO: scleroderma, low stomach acid, ileo-caecal valve removal, use of medications such as proton pump inhibitors, scarring or obstruction due to surgery or Crohn’s disease, Coeliac disease, diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis or small bowel motility issues.

The symptoms associated with this are varied such as:

nausea
bloating
malabsorption
malnutrition
steatorrhea
anaemia
vomiting
chronic diarrhoea
flatulence
fatigue
B12 deficiency and other nutritional deficiencies especially fat soluble vitamins.

Orthodox medicine is brilliant at wiping out bacteria using antibiotics which is often what is called for in cases of severe SIBO however natural therapy practitioners prescribe remedies that compliment the action of the antibiotics, heal the lining of the gut, promote proper digestive secretions, inoculate the gut with specific prebiotics and probiotics as well as giving individualised dietary advice.

Natural therapies provide the body with fuels and nutrients that heal and strengthen the body and in turn the gut, placing it in the right environment so it is able to heal itself. Don’t put up with fatigue, bloating, diarrhoea and nausea.