IBS is not a disease in and of itself. It is a collection of symptoms that are caused by other health factors. Other factors that are often overlooked, or not looked into at all. Often leaving you with symptom relief, but without any solutions to address the cause of the digestive distress! But there is no need to live with the throws of IBS long-term, you can address Irritable Bowel Syndrome by testing your gut health to discover what’s causing the IBS symptoms, and then you can make a clear plan to fix the cause and heal your gut.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome… Don’t you just love the diagnoses of exclusion and the term ‘syndrome’?!

For millions of people who experience digestive distress on a daily basis – and I was one of these people at 17 years old – the story goes something like this:

• you have bloating when eating some meals (can be after the same foods or completely random);
• constipation or difficulty going to the toilet or loose stools or diarrhoea or (even more fun) both alternating;
• you get bad gas and pain in the general gut area when you are stressed (seemingly regardless of what you eat);
• emotionally you feel like you have zero control over your body and your gut is controlling you.

You get OCD about where the bathrooms are anywhere you go and over time start limiting social occasions in order to avoid feeling like you are spending half the time on the toilet and the embarrassment that goes with that.

When you go see your doctor, the best case scenario is: you get a test for coeliac disease (negative 99% of the time), possibly a test for lactose intolerance, if you are sick enough a colonoscopy/endoscopy to rule out Crohn’s or bowel cancer. You may even be told to see a dietitian and try a low Fodmap diet.

If all your tests are normal, you are told you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome – not a disease, a syndrome!

Which is basically a collection of symptoms that doesn’t match any actual defined ‘disease’.

To say that this is a frustrating diagnosis for many is an understatement (who thought of ‘Irritable’ in the first place?? The bowel is not Irritable, it’s not in a mood!).

Worst case scenario – you get prescriptions for laxatives and anti-depressants and get told ‘this is all in your head’ and you need to ‘just relax‘.

Been there, done that.

When I was diagnosed with IBS at 20 years old (after about 3 years of intermittent digestive symptoms which started when I was doing my high school exams) I knew nothing. There was zero advice given (actually I think the doctor did say peppermint tea helps!).

It took me years of dietary trial and error to figure out what foods and situations would set off my symptoms. Then I completed my nutrition qualification and the rest is history.

Photo by katemangostar

In this blog I will share with you why I believe there is no such thing as IBS – and why I know there is ALWAYS a cause (or several) of your digestive symptoms and why it’s so important to uncover what the causes are to avoid misery for life.

First of all, do NOT accept the vague diagnosis of ‘Irritable Bowel Syndrome’!

There is always a cause for IBS. It just needs to be uncovered with proper gut testing.

When I conduct a GI Map Gut Test with my clients, 99% of the time the reasons (there are usually multiple) for their IBS are blatantly clear.

And yes, sometimes a follow up endoscopy/colonoscopy is required if the issue has progressed enough to warrant further investigation.

Below I will discuss the most common reasons behind and how to fix Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms. However, your very first starting point should be a comprehensive gut test like GI Map which you can read all about HERE.

Common causes for Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

Gastro Episode

An episode of gastro (at any time in your life) triggered by pathogenic bacteria that actually change the way your gut operates. It doesn’t even need to be severe or ‘eventful’ gastro. The gastro bug may be long gone, but the fallout from that damage remains. How many times have I heard my clients say ‘Nothing has been the same since that trip to X place and the gastro I had there’.

The pioneering work of gastroenterologist and researcher Mark Pimentel, MD, indicates that IBS – at least in the case of some patients – may be an autoimmune disease triggered by food poisoning that damages the nerves of the small intestine.

Dr Pimentel has identified antibodies that are produced in the body in response to common bacterial infections such as Campylobacter jejuni, E. coli, Shigella, and Salmonella. When there is a case of severe food poisoning, the antibodies cross react with a protein in our gut nerve cells called Vinculin.

This cross-reactive attack triggers an immune response that culminates in the production of anti-vinculin antibodies. This leads to the destruction of the intestinal lining and tight junctions. This tight junction attack produces intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and changes the movement in the gut (dysmotility).

Faulty intestinal motility facilitates small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and triggers IBS symptoms.

Dr Pimentel’s research shows that this process is very common in people with IBS-D (diarrhoea dominant) and IBS-M (mixed).

However, the antibodies do not appear to be significantly elevated in people with IBS-C (constipation-predominant IBS), and therefore cannot be used to diagnose that particular form of IBS.

How can we address this?

Until the antibody test is widely available, we can use the GI Map Test to identify pathogenic bacteria infections and begin treatment as well as gut repair and autoimmune diet protocols.

Food Intolerances

Common food intolerances such as gluten, dairy, soy, corn (and most grains in fact) become a problem and can trigger all types of Irritable Bowel Syndrome – ranging from constipation to diarrhoea.

To distinguish between different types of food reactions, read my previous blog HERE.

The real reason why foods become a problem is the loss of our immune tolerance, our Secretory IgA layer.

Production of sIgA is important to the normal function of the gastrointestinal mucosa as an immune barrier. It represents the first line immune defense of the gastrointestinal tract. Elevated levels are associated with an unregulated immune response.

On the other hand, low sIgA levels which is the most common picture I see in clinic with the G.I Map tests demonstrate a very low defence system – a system that has been ‘worn out’ by reacting to food triggers, so low sIgA leads to increased sensitivity to foods. Several studies link stress and emotionality with levels of sIgA.

We know that stress is a major factor in IBS, so people who are experiencing higher than normal amounts of stress will have a weaker Secretory IgA defence system, thereby they will have much higher sensitivity to common foods, triggering painful IBS symptoms.

How can we address this?

Secretory IgA is one of the key markers that we can measure on the GI Map test and there are many strategies to improve this immune layer to reduce food intolerance reactions.

Inflammation

Inflammation can come from both the wrong foods (eg: casein from dairy is extremely inflammatory for many people) as well as parasites and pathogenic bacteria.

How can we address this?

Calprotectin is a well established inflammation marker and can be measured on the G.I Map gut test.  If there is inflammation in the bowel it’s important to eliminate as many sources of it as possible, usually involving a strict diet.

Bacterial Imbalance (or dysbiosis)

An overgrowth of opportunistic or pathogenic bacteria.

Usually, the most common reason for this is the overuse of antibiotics (at any time in your life, especially in childhood) that decimates the rich rainforest of beneficial bacteria in your gut. These imbalances can be corrected once identified with the G.I Map test and carefully addressed by a qualified an experienced health practitioner.

The reason why the Fodmap diet helps alleviate IBS symptoms is because overgrown bacteria in the small intestine and bowel feed on the easily fermentable gases from these foods, thereby triggering discomfort and pain.

Note that I said – alleviate symptoms. That is all the Fodmap diet does: reduce symptoms. Unlike commonly stated in the media, it is NOT a treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, removing these food groups simply reduces the pain, gas, sensitivity symptoms and yes, makes life more manageable.

I used to follow a strict Fodmap diet for my IBS for years, because I didn’t know the root causes of my Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Without identifying the root causes and treating them, people are left to be ‘Fodmap for life’ which is a very damaging approach in the long term.

Many Fodmap foods are actually extremely beneficial as prebiotic fibre to our gut flora and eliminating these foods eventually leads to worse dysbiosis!

This is a very important concept to understand if you are an IBS sufferer – the Fodmap diet is NOT a treatment, it is a symptom relief approach that works well in the short term for some people.

How can we address this?

The key approach to fix Irritable Bowel Syndrome is to do the full testing to identify YOUR root causes and address these so that you don’t have to eliminate healthy foods from your diet for the rest of your life. Working with a skilled practitioner is the best way to do this.

Bacterial overgrowth Sydney Nutritionist

Parasites

Parasites are extremely common and responsible for many digestive symptoms.

Many people carry parasites, however only some become symptomatic. The gut environment varies tremendously from person to person and is what determines whether parasite infections will lead to symptoms.

All parasites however drain our nutrient stores so this is a very important area to address.

Dientoemeba Fragilis and Blastocystis Hominis are the two most common parasites found in Australia. Regarding parasites, there are two schools of thought among both the traditional medical professionals such as GPs and gastroenterologists and complimentary therapists such as nutritionists and naturopaths.

One school’s view is: kill them. Kill them all and us the biggest guns we have – antibiotics (medical) or strong herbal antimicrobials (complimentary).

The second school’s view (which I tend to lean towards, depending on my client’s case) is: the parasite is not the problem. The terrain is the problem. In other words, the gut environment, the nutrient levels, the health conditions and the stress/emotional health is what are the key drivers of allowing the parasite to take hold and cause trouble.

This ‘terrain’ – meaning our whole gut environment and digestion – starting from the mouth and ending in the anus is what requires work and attempting to kill off a parasite may actually make the situation worse.

How can we address this?

The GI Map gut test tests for several common parasites and provides their quantities so that treatment success can be measured.

Undiagnosed Helicobacter Pylori infection

Until I started using the GI Map Stool Test, I assumed that if a client came in with a negative H.Pylori breath test from their doctor, that ruled out this infection of the stomach. This is far from reality it turns out.

Quite often the breath test will provide a false negative if the bacterial levels are fairly low or if the bacteria are inactive at the time of the test.

H.Pylori can be a big trigger for IBS as it changes the acidity of the stomach and thereby predisposes the person to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (SIBO) which is a very common cause of IBS. More on low hydrochloric acid and SIBO HERE.

How can we address this?

The G.I Map test identifies the DNA of H.Pylori as well as it’s virulence factors which is a far more accurate approach than just breath testing alone.

Identifying and treating H.Pylori infections naturally can make a huge difference to how you absorb nutrients and how your gut motility functions.

Poor stress management, past trauma, exhausted adrenals

Stress destroys our Secretory IgA immune layer which leaves us open to food sensitivity reactions.

Stress changes the hydrocholoric acid thereby altering the motility of the gut.

Stress reduces nutrient absorption, making everything more difficult.

In short, managing stress is a hugely important part of IBS resolution.

How can we address this?

To address stress levels in clinic my clients undergo a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis which identifies adrenal and thyroid under function. Also, sometimes it’s important to test the actual cortisol levels, this is done with a simple saliva test.

Once we have identified how stress is affecting your life, lifestyle strategies as well as targeted supplements can be used to reduce it’s impact.

One of the most effective and scientifically proven methods to manage stress and resolve Irritable Bowel Syndrome is gut directed hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy is used in our clinic both locally and via skype very successfully to drastically reduce stress levels and facilitate gut healing.

We will soon be launching a unique online IBS Healing program which will address both nutrition AND stress. This program will give you a step by step guide on how to address your digestive symptoms and a roadmap to resolve them for good. Contact me for more information.

To learn more about GI Map Gut Testing, click HERE.

To book a FREE 15 min call to discuss how your specific Irritable Bowel Syndrome needs can be addressed, click HERE.

Ready to take action and finally fix your Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Start today with my online HEALING IBS PROGRAM that guides you through a 5 week elimination and re-introduction diet as well as 10 modules of stress reduction, mindfulness and hypnotherapy. It’s the simplest way to start addressing your IBS for good.