5 Root Causes of IBS

Do you think you should settle for a diagnosis of IBS and just deal with it?

🤦‍♀️ I don’t think so.

The only thing an IBS diagnosis tells you is that you have digestive issues that haven’t been explained yet.

📋 With testing and assessments that most conventionally trained doctors aren’t using, we can dig deep to uncover issues that may be contributing to the symptoms of IBS.

Here are 5 common root causes underlying IBS to consider:

1️⃣ Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

Statistics are all over the map on this one, but the most recent data showed that about 35% of people diagnosed with IBS test positive for SIBO. That’s more than 1 in 3. 

2️⃣ Gut Infections

Parasites, bacteria, or yeast infections can all disrupt gut health. A Mayo Clinic review found that 1 in 9 people who experience food poisoning go on to develop IBS.

3️⃣ Leaky Gut

‘Leaky gut’ (not a real medical term) means there’s a breakdown in the barrier of the intestinal lining. It’s linked with inflammation and gut issues.

4️⃣ Food Sensitivities

The most common foods to aggravate IBS are those high in fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs), but other foods can trigger problems in specific individuals.

5️⃣ Stress

The gut is undeniably linked to the brain (ever heard of the gut-brain axis?). IBS is commonly linked with anxiety, depression, and high stress.

Could more than one of these issues be going on at the same time?

Absolutely ✅

Do we have natural approaches to address each of these underlying causes specifically and uniquely?

Yes ✅

Functional nutrition excels when it comes to making sense of and improving gut health. Up next I’ll be sharing nutritional strategies to support digestion.

If you want to get to the root cause of IBS or gut symptoms, we are accepting new patients!