SIBO Guide

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KATIE’S OFFICIAL SIBO GUIDE

Now, onto the (other) good stuff…

Many, MANY people have asked what things I feel have helped and aided me in my healing journey, so I thought I would outline some of that stuff on this page. FULL DISCLOSURE: I am not a doctor. I am not a certified nutritionist. I am not a Naturopath.  I am just an average chick that got screwed over by the SIBO bastard and decided to take control and learn everything I could to beat it into submission. I am not working with these companies (except for Pleasant Hill Grain which I fully disclose the arrangements of) so they are not paying me to advertise their products. I wish they would, but they are not!  😛 I just want to share what helped.

*MOST IMPORTANTLY* What works for me may not work for you. You are in control of your healing, so take everything I say with a grain of (sea) salt.  I’m no expert, but I want to help if I can. (In other words, don’t come at me all angry if something I recommend doesn’t work for you.  My body is my body, and your body is your body.)

I’m gonna break it down into categories for you, and when I can, I’ll provide links. Sometimes I won’t be able to because it’s something I purchased here in the islands, but when I can I’ll try to point you in the right direction. I recently got accused of getting commission off of the book that has brought me success in my diet. Let me address this clearly right now: I am not in cahoots (good god I don’t think I’ve ever written or uttered the word “cahoots” before) with the author to sell you some weird SIBO snake oil. I talk about it because it helped me and brought me some relief. If you are having success on another diet, by ALL means, keep it up! Never deny or change what is already working for you. I simply want to share my good fortune and you can decide for yourself what is best for you. You and you alone are the conductor of this health train.

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SHIT I LOVE!

Over the course of 6 months, I’ve found some great shit I just cannot live without. Cooking shit, food shit, drink shit, website shit, book shit. Shit that has helped me and made me happy in different ways. And I want to share that shit with you. Plus, I wanted to say shit a few more times. Shit.

Pleasant Hill Grain:

PHG gets TOP BILLING on my blog, because they ARE the shit. This lil’ company has so much fun stuff that I find myself on their website daily, pretending I am a top SIBO chef. They have agreed to partner with me (and you!) by sending me cool items to review. I, in turn, will then host a giveaway for my readers so one of you can win said cool item!  I am NOT (I repeat NOT) receiving money from this company, so the reviews will be honest and true. They’ve simply agreed to work with me so that we all have a chance to get a lil’ somethin’-somethin’ outta this. So stay tuned for those giveaways and reviews!  If you purchase something from their website, please indicate in the notes that you heard of them through my blog.

The husband said, ‘You don’t look excited enough about your chopper.” So this is what you get.

Fruit and Vegetable Chopper ($43.99): This is the first item I purchased from PHG over 3 years ago. I use it constantly. While it at first looks sort of “As seen on TV!” it’s actually crazy useful. I hate chopping, and I’m not great at it. Meaning, if I need to chop things to be pretty, forget it, it will look like a toddler did it. But with this, it comes out in perfect little squares like I’m some sorta kitchen wunderkind. If I want to chop a bunch of stuff really quickly (like tomatoes for example), this is my #1 guy. I used to (before I knew that eggs were trying to kill me) use it for egg salad, which worked great.  It’s wonderful for soups and stews, salsa, pizza toppings, salads, juicing, desserts, etc. If you do a lot of chopping/ mincing/ slicing then this chopper is your new best bud. It is very durable but it does require a fairly strong push. You have to learn to place items on the pressing guard the right way, otherwise (like when I first purchased it) you end up putting it on the ground to step onto it to slice through your raw carrots (true story, and it held up nicely under my abuse). My favorite part about it – the clean up.  It comes apart with zero effort and there is a little cleaning “comb” that works quickly and easily. Will this product make you happy? YES. Will it still take some effort and work?  YES.

Norpro Herb Snips – I was WAY too excited about these first two gadgets! When you have SIBO, you are sometimes limited in the flavor department…no garlic, no onions, even several spices are off the table. But most SIBOers do ok with fresh herbs. Therefore, I spend lots of time cutting herbs in my lil’ kitchen. Like, a LOT of time. And anything that makes my time shorter in the kitchen makes for a happy Katie. Dis’ puppy slices through my herbs no problem. I was done in mere seconds. Since I spent about 10 minutes straight chopping herbs last night for a dish, this made me really happy. These are dishwasher safe, easy to clean, and made of stainless steel. I’m super happy about these. No problems so far.

Check out the vid of me trying them!  🙂

Norpro Herb Saver: Since I live in the city and have no outdoor space (sob…I dream of my own garden one day!) I must purchase my herbs. As such, my herbies often go bad before I get to use them. This saver is supposed to prevent that. When I first pulled it out of the box, I was a little disappointed…it was a kinda large. I thought, “Am I supposed to have like 6 of these for all of the herbs I use!?!  They’ll never fit in my fridge! Then I figured out you could put up to 4 kinds of herbs in them!  I promptly combined my rosemary and Thyme (obligatory thyme joke that all bloggers seem to think is funny inserted here _____.  Just an FYI bloggers…it’s not funny). They’ve been in my fridge for over 2 weeks and don’t look the slightest bit wilty! You just add a little water to the bottom and they flourish!  So far, I’m really happy with this guy, too!

Canning Funnel and the Plastic Jar Funnel: So, I don’t really do any “canning” actually…but my husband and I always keep jars (coconut oil jars, jam jars, almond butter jars, etc.) and use them as drinking glasses and to store food. Yes, we’re cheap and we like to reuse. I hate, hate, HATE making a mess trying to put things in said jars, however. I also store my meat broth and tea in glass jars and get oh-so-pissed when half of it slides down the sink. These things are designed to keep mouths and counter spill-free. I prefer the Canning Funnel to the plastic funnel so far, mostly because it fits both wide-mouthed AND small-mouthed vessels. It also has headspace measurements so you can fill jars evenly (if you’re weird and OCD like I am). The Plastic Funnel works just fine, but if you want to use different sized mouth-openings (this is sounding dirty again), go for the canning funnel.

Wellbee’s: 

Cocoa Butter!

Wellbee’s is an SCD-only company, so much of their stuff is SIBO-safe. They have great customer service, good food that is clean and safe, and fast delivery. The downside to their company? Pricey shipping.

Also, about 90% of their products are made with eggs, which I am allergic to.  Even still, there are certain things that I love that have become staples of my diet.  My favorite items are the Kiwa Beet Chips (JUST beets and salt, ya’ll!), Cocoa Butter (you can make things chocolate-y without using chocolate! Whaaaaa?) and the Marinara sauce (one thing I LOATHE making is homemade marinara, so to be able to straight up buy it is glorious). You CAN get a few of their items on amazon, which I highly recommend since the shipping is much cheaper.  Items I like from Wellbee’s on Amazon are:

Blanched Almond Flour: This stuff is the BEST.  The finest almond flour I’ve ever used.  Are you using Bob’s Red Mill?  Stop.  That stuff is junk.  This is the shit. You’ll see a real difference if you bake.

Gluten Free Fudge Bites: Okay so I haven’t personally eaten these because they contain egg. But a friend of mine with SIBO LOVES them (and btw, she’s now sibo-free) and swears by them, so she told me to include them.  🙂

Honey BBQ Sauce and Honey Ketchup: Again, I haven’t tried these two items, but the same friend recommends them, so here they are. And I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to make my own bbq or ketchup sauce. I just have better things to do with my life!

Thrive Market:

A friend turned me onto Thrive Market online supermarket and I occasionally spend some dough there. They have great sales and specials and offer discount codes regularly. They’re still growing though. I look forward to when they have even more items to offer, as I think I will be utilizing them more and more as they continue to grow and expand. On here, you’ll find many recognizable brands like Weleda, Dr. Bronner’s, Spectrum Naturals, Garden of Eatin’, Nature’s Path, Eden Foods, Earth’s Best, Seventh Generation, Garden of Life, Jason Naturals, and many many more.

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KITCHEN TOOLS!

I have soooo many things I wanna tell you about here, but I’ll just stick to my favs. I’ve become a kitchen-a-holic as I now feel like I spend my life in there. I know all my SIBOers relate. I’m an impatient cook, so anything that saves me time cooking OR cleaning, gets major points.

Omega J8006 Juicer: I. LOVE. THIS. THING. It is my single favorite appliance that I own. It eats through everything, never gets clogged, and is multi-functional. I use it for juicing and for nut milks and nut butters. YOU CAN EVEN MAKE NOODLES WITH IT. Okay, I’ve never gone that far…but I want to. I owned a few juicers before this guy, but they could never compare. I have a love affair with this juicer. In case you couldn’t tell.

Nut Milk Bag: Speaking of nut milk, this is my fav nut milk bag.  It’s huge which makes it less messy. I know it seems like a weird thing to put here, but I’m picky, ok?  I have high standards for my nut milk bags. LOL, it sounds dirty every time I read that. Anyway, can’t get much better than this guy, and I love that the opening is really large because that means it’s far less messy and makes the clean up easier, also.

Ninja Express Chop: So. Here is the deal. For the price, this thing is great. It does its job, which for me is pureeing carrots and squash. But, if I could go back in time, I would go for a nicer one. Most likely the Cuisinart Pro (because my cooking-idol friend raves about it). I would do this because the ninja is tiny and because it’s not strong enough to make my nut butters properly. But for now, the ninja will do. (NOTE: I have since upgraded to the Cuisinart (below) as my ninja couldn’t handle the harder jobs. Now I use the ninja for easy stuff, the big mama cuisinart for the toughies). Love them both!

Popze IcePopIt Popsicle Molds: I know this is probably another weird one, but these were SUCH a good buy! This diet is hard because we don’t get a whole lot of sweet treats. I cannot handle that. So, I decided to make my own popsicles. I searched high and low for the perfect mold (yes, I realize that I am weird). I loved the idea of push-pops, but none of them came with a stand and I feared they would spill in my freezer and make a mess. When voila! I came across these puppies. I heart them, and highly recommend. 🙂

Anolon Bronze Nonstick Crepe Pan: My new favorite toy! I just purchased this recently and lurrrrrve it! I make tortillas quite a bit and was always so frustrated that they would break apart and turn into a mess because I couldn’t get around the lip of a regular skillet to flip them. So I came across this in a kitchen store and made an impulsive purchase. It works perfectly and my tortillas have never been better! It would also be good for crepes (duh), pancakes, and omelets.

Cuisinart Food Processor: OMG ya’ll. I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about an appliance before.  And by reading above, you can see that I get ridiculously excited about them.  😛  This thing is BOMB, yo! It will seriously tear through ANYTHING. Mainly, I bought it because my little ninja and mini cuisinart could not handle my tapioca dough. I make my own pizza dough and wrap dough, and my processor has to be able to handle it without burning up. This baby is KING. I swear it would process nails and screws. It’s expensive, so beware, but if you do a ton of cooking like I do and want the best…look no further. I tried 3 other brands before settling on this one. This was also voted the best my The Sweet Home website, which I use constantly for reviews of household items. Imma telling ya…just go for it. You will fall in love.  With an appliance. This is a beauty and the Appliance kinda moment.

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DOCTOR/PRACTITIONER SUGGESTIONS

Over and over in the forums, I see people struggling to find caring, intelligent, educated-about-SIBO (or other gut issue) practitioners. It seems to be a source of endless and understandable frustration for us. I got massively lucky and found an amazing ND that immediately diagnosed me with SIBO after my first complaint of bloating and stomach pain. This list is me trying to share the doctorly love. I asked people who had good relationships and positive experiences with their practitioners to please share with others. So, I’ve put together this short little list of recommendations from other SIBO sufferers. Hopefully, we can add to it as time marches on, spanning more cities/states/countries. As SIBO becomes more and more diagnosed and more common (as I predict it will), finding someone to help navigate these endlessly tricky waters becomes crucial to healing. DISCLAIMER: These are recs from OTHER people, so I do not in any way stand by these suggestions OR personally endorse these practitioners. Try them at your own risk. This is a free service I’m providing so coming back to holler at me about “what an ass that doc you recommended was!” is not gonna fly.  😛 So here is our list as-is. PULEASE message me or leave a comment if you have a practitioner to add!

ALABAMA:
Fairhope: Dr. Robert Meichner – Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, Gastroenterologist
Mobile: Dr. Brooks Cash – Providence Hospital, Gastroenterologist

ARIZONA:
Anthem: Dr. Jennifer Gentry – Private Practice, Naturopath
Mesa: Dr. Charles Saperstein – Desert Endoscopy Center, Gastroenterologist
Phoenix: Dr. Danielle Lewis – Revolution Health Medical Center, Naturopath
Scottsdale: Dr. Michael Shapiro – Arizona Gastrointestinal Associates, Gastroenterologist
Tuscan: Dr. Charles Krone – Medical Group Practice, MD
Tempe: Dr. Mona Morstein – AZIM Solutions,  Naturopath

CALIFORNIA:
Berkeley: Dr. Sunjya Schweig – Hillpark Medical Center, MD
Beverly Hills: Dr. Maryanna Fayman – Cedar Sinai, Gastroenterologist
Los Angelos: Dr. Sam Rahbar – LA Integrative Gastro and Nutrition, Integrative GI
Mill Valley: Dr. John Jolley – Marin General Hospital, Gastroenterologist
Pleasanton / Livermore: Dr. Christopher Entwisel – Valley Care Med Center, Gastroenterologist
San Diego: Dr. Reza Khoshini – Sharp Community Medical Group, Gastroenterologist
San Rafael: Dr. John Jolley – Marin General Hospital, Gastroenterologist
Walnut Creek: Dr. Michael Ruscio – Does Skype consultations, Functional Med Doctor

COLORADO:
Aurora: Dr. Gerard Guillory – The Care Group, Functional Med Doc
Aurora: Sheila Gannon – The Care Group, Nutritionist

CONNECTICUT:
Manchester: Robert Schwartz, MD
Stamford: Dr. Laura Futterman – Stamford Center for Natural Health, Naturopath
West Hartford: Dr. Sharon Hunter – Connecticut Center for Health, Naturopath

FLORIDA:
Ft. Meyers: Dr. James O’Mailia – Lee Memorial Hospital, Gastroenterologist
Miami: Dr. Jamie Barkin – Mount Sinai Medical Center, Gastroenterologist
Tampa: Dr. Heidi Goldberg, Gastroenterologist
West Palm Beach: Dr. Gregory Bonner – Gastroenterology Institute, Gastroenterologist

HAWAI’I:
Honolulu: Dr. Kristin Coles and Dr. Laurie Steelesmith – Steelesmith Natural Health, Naturopaths (Skype Consults)
Honolulu: Dr. Richard Poldony, Prviate Practice, MD *Great practitioner that combines natural medicine with western medicine, but does not have good knowledge of SIBO (willing to learn, however).
Kailua: Dr. Robert Jao – Castle Hospital. Gastroenterologist *Not the best doc, but ONLY breath test on the island and he at least believes in SIBO*

 

ILLINOIS:
Elk Grove Village: Dr. Brian Muska – St. Alexius Medical Center, Gastroenterologist
Highland Park: Dr. Jeffrey Glass – Highland Park Hospital. MD

INDIANA:
Indianapolis: Dr. Micheal Elmore – Indianapolis Gastro/Hepatology, Gastroenterologist

IOWA:
Cedar Rapids: Dr. Stephanie Gray – Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic, DNP

KANSAS:
Kansas City: Dr. Richard McCallum – Univ Of Kansas Medical Center, Gastroenterologist

KENTUCKY:
Lexington: Dr. Earl Robbins – Lexington Clinic, MD
Louisville: Dr. Martin Mark – Norton Gastroenterology, Gastroenterologist

LOUISIANA:
New Orleans: Dr. Dr. Arnab Ray – Ochsner Medical Center, Gastroenterologist

MASSACHUSETTS:
Boston: Dr. Susan Kelly – Beth Israel Deacones, Gastroenterologist
Boston: Dr. Tony Lembo – Beth Israel Deaconess, Gastroenterologist
Boston:  Dr. George Barrett – Beth Israel Deaconess, Gastroenterologist
Medway: Kate Scarlata, Registered Nurse/Dietitian

MICHIGAN:
Ann Harbor: Dr. Diana Quinn – Naturopath
Ann Harbor: Dr. William Chey – Univ. of Michigan Health System, MD
Detroit: Dr. David Benkoff – Sinai-Grace Hospital, Gastroenterologist
Farmington Hills: Dr. Randall Jacobs, MD
Kalamazoo: Dr. Christopher Radawski – Bronson Healthcare, Gastroenterologist

MINNESOTA:
Minneapolis: Dr. Lori Hulsing and Dr.Sydney Pharis – Wellness Minneapolis, Naturopaths

MISSOURI:
St. Louis: Dr. Varsha Rathod – Preventive Medicine, Naturopath.
St. Louis: Dr. Leonard Weinstock – GI Specialists, Gastroenterologist *NOTE: In effort to provide good information, I wanted to disclose that though this Dr. was recommended by several people, 2 others have reported that he told them their case was “too complicated” and refused to treat them. One person even flew to see him and was turned away.  So be cautious about your Doctor selection.*

MONTANA:
Billings: Dr. Margaret Beeson – Mt. Yellowstone Naturopathic Center, Naturopath
Billings: Tracy Konoske – Virtual Private Practice, Nutritionist

NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Portsmouth: Dr. Leon Hecht, Naturopath
Bedford: Dr. Meredith Murray – New Hampshire Natural Health, Naturopath

NEW JERSEY:
Ridgewood: Dr.Jeffrey Danzig – Valley Hospital, Gastroenterologist
West Orange: Dr.Vitaly Fishbein – West Essex Medical Center, Gastroenterologist

NEW YORK:
New York: Dr. Christine Frissora – Sloan Kettering, Gastroenterologist
New York: Dr. Scott Tenner – Brooklyn Gastro and Endoscopy, Gastroenterologist
New York: Dr. Susan L. Lucak – Weill Cornell Physicians, Gastroenterologist

NORTH CAROLINA:
Chapel Hill: Dr. Yehuda Ringel – University of North Carolina, Gastroenterologist
Charlotte: Dr. Richard Sigmon – Charlotte Medical Clinic, Gastroenterologist
Pinehurst: Dr. David Martin – Pinehurst Medical Center, MD
Raleigh: Dr. Rig Patel – Raleigh Endoscopy Center, Gastroenterologist

OHIO:
Cincinnati: The Living Proof Institute
Columbus: Dr.Matthew Marcotte – Lewis Center, Functional Medicine Doctor
Columbus: Dr. Bill Salt – IBS and Microbiome Solutions Center, MD, Gastroenterologist
Columbus: Dr.Rick Edgin – Mount Carmel East, Gastroenterologist
Dayton: Dr.Ali Syed Ahsan – Dayton Gastroenterology, MD

OKLAHOMA:
Oklahoma City: Dr.Joe Zuerker – Mercy Clinic Gastro, Gastroenterologist

OREGON:
Albany: Danette Giboney – Samaritan Heartspring Wellness Center, FNP
Bend: Jennifer Paulson FNP @ Functional Medicine of Bend, FNP
Portland: Dr. Steven Sandberg- Lewis – SIBO CENTER, Naturopath
Portland: Dr Melanie Keller – SIBO Center, Naturopath
Salem: Dr. Evelyn Dacker – VIDA Family Medicine, Naturopath

PENNSYLVANIA:
Philadelphia: Dr. Anthony Infantolino – Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital, Gastroenterologist

TENNESSEE:
Nashville: Dr. Howard Mertz – Nashville Gastro Specialists, Gastroenterologist

TEXAS:
Dallas: Dr. Kenneth Brown – Preston Crossing Endoscopy Center, Gastroenterologist
Dallas/Ft. Worth – Dr. Jennifer Trejo – Abundant Life Wellness Center, Naturopath
Grapevine: Dr. Kharrazian – Southlake Family Medicine, ENT
Houston: Dr. Andrew DuPont – Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology/Nutrition, MD
Plano: Digestive Health Associates of Texas – Medical Center of Plano

VIRGINIA:
Alexandria: Dr. Marie Steinmetz – Steinmetz Center for Integrated Medicine, MD
Chantilly: Dr. Donna Stephens – Pure Nutrition + Wellness, Naturopath

WASHINGTON:
Olympia: Hirsch Center for Integrative Medicine
Richland: Dr. Judith Caporiccio – Integrative Family Medicine, Naturopath
Seattle: Dr. Mandy Risley – Institute of Complementary Medicine, Naturopath
Seattle: Dr. Janci Karp, Naturopath
Seattle: Dr. Kim Celmer, Naturopath
Seattle: Angela Pfeffer. Nutritionist

WISCONSIN:
Milwaukee: Dr. Sarah Axtell – Lakeside Natural Medicine, Naturopath

OTHER COUNTRIES:

AUSTRALIA
Ashburton VIC: Natalie Cruttenden – Resonance Therapy Ashburton VIC, Naturopath

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SUPPLEMENTS

MANY people have asked me to outline my supplement protocol. I don’t know why, but I’ve felt weird about doing that from the beginning. I guess it’s because I think supplements are so personalized, and I would hate for anyone to emulate my protocol expecting results, when we each need individualized supplementation. This is where a really good doctor comes in. BUT, I will tell you what I’ve tried and how I’ve responded and you can do with it what you will. You’re smart (Er, I hope!) so I don’t need to worry that you’re gonna think any of these are a magic bullet for SIBO. And if you’re not smart, well…don’t blame me.

1) Naturthroid: I’ve talked about this one before…it is the thyroid supplement that has really changed my LIFE. It is a desiccated pig (porcine) thyroid supplement that treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone). I have Hashimoto’s, so I need to have thyroid support to function properly. It is very common for Hashi’s and SIBO to go hand-in-hand. I suppose now I’m going hand-to-hoof with with this little piggie. Dear god. I am hilarious.

2) Adrenal Cortex/Adrenal Support: JUST TO BE CLEAR, I don’t advise you randomly taking thyroid hormones or adrenal support unless you have been diagnosed with these issues. You can really mess things up if you don’t know what you’re doing. And SIBO makes us miserable enough, right? Anywho, these are also life savers for me. For a long time, I was feeling SUPER sluggish, especially upon first waking up and in the late afternoon. My husband jumps out of bed, whistling and with a little skip in his step. It is BEYOND annoying. I however am like a bleary-eyed troll dragon, and it takes everything I have to drag my troll ass out of the covers. And while I still don’t leap out of bed singing (like my idiot husband), these supplements have made my life MUCH easier.

3) Protease: This is a biofilm disruptor recommended to me by my Naturopath. The bacteria that is displaced in our small intestines with SIBO likes to hide out like little ninjas in something called biofilm. Biofilms form when a bacteria attaches itself to a surface. It starts to release disgusting, slimy, glue-y stuff that allows it to stick to all kinds of surfaces…most notably for us, bodily tissues. This supplement is used to attack and break down that barrier, so that treatments (like herbals or antibiotics) can actually reach the harmful bacteria. There.  That is your (gross) schoolhouse rock lesson for today. EDIT: I have recently learned that I do NOT handle Protease well at all. In fact I tried several other digestive enzymes that gave me stomach aches because of the level of Protease involved. I am leaving this here because my ND still recommends this as a strong biofilm disruptor and someone that does not have a reaction to Protease could possibly benefit from it.

4) Sacro-B (Saccharomyces boulardii): My n.d. put me on this as a first step to fighting Klebsiella Pneumonaie (a dangerous bacteria that came up on my stool test). Now, probiotics are controversial with SIBO, but this actually a yeast and is often used to fight candida. I decided not to partake in probiotics until after I cleared SIBO, at the urging of my n.d. I realize that many reading this don’t agree with that, and that’s ok. Do yo’ thang. But to try and clear the Klebbie monster, I am giving these bad boys a go.

5) Seriphos: This is the magic-bean pill I have praised endlessly. Basically because it changed my life. I have been a life-long insomniac.Every night, even when “dead-dog tired” (as my Mom used to say), I would stay awake, going over (ok, obsessing) every. single. little. thing. in my life. I would fret at night, I would get angry I wasn’t sleeping, I would look over at my snoring husband and feel such jealousy. But when I got introduced to this stuff, things changed. Of course, it doesn’t work ALL of the time, but it has helped e so much that I tell everyone I can about it. It’s the ONE supplement I could not live without. Fo’ real. So if you have trouble sleeping, buy this immediately. If you fall asleep quickly and easily…quit braggin’.

6) Zinc Carnosine: This supplement has been chosen as one of the most important for both SIBO and treatment of H. Pylori overgrowth. It is featured in the John Herron Gut Protocol Protocol, which is full of great info. He maintains that it is incredibly helpful for gut healing and for fighting diseases associated with leaky gut.

7) Iberogast Bitters: So, as mentioned above, I cannot do digestive enzymes, due to the fact that they all contain protease. So I’ve recently started using digestive bitters, which I like very much so far. I started at about 10 drops in a little but of water right before eating, but have now moved to 20 drops. Many also do well with your standard digestive enzymes, so you could go that route also. However, I have learned that amylase and lactase (duh) are two important components so try to make sure your enzyme of choice contains these. Please don’t take this as any kind of ringing endorsement, because I haven’t tried them personally, but I have seen Panplex 2-Phase enzymes recommended many times over, and I trust the brand of Integrative Therapeutics.  

8) Immune Tree Colostrum: I have only just begun taking this supplement, as I am now in the “healing phase” and saw it recommended by so many others. Colostrum is a secretory substance expelled by the mammary glands before milk, after giving birth. Yum, right? Haha. It’s supposed to be extremely healthy and healing and rich in antibodies. I looked high and low and researched my butt off trying to find a good quality brand. There are many terrible brands out there that aren’t considered “true” colostrum. If I am going to ingest some crazy ass substance from a cow’s mammary glands, it’s gonna be the right stuff. Enter Immune Tree. It was recommended by someone on the FTD board, and my n.d. did some research and signed off on it. I’ve been on it a few months now and really like it. I keep upping my dosage. It might be mostly psychological at this point, as I always imagine it moving down and coating my insides, but even so, I like to think it’s helping. Oh, and I use the powdered version, not the capsule version.

9) Pure Encapsulations – L-Glutamine Powder: I no longer take L-glut because I had genetic testing done and have found that it is not a good supplement for me. It did tend to give me headaches, so I should have taken that as a sign, but like a good little moron, I ignored it. Because it is sooo recommended by so many for gut healing, I thought it was good for me, too. Even if it gave me headaches. Lesson learned…listen to what your body is trying to say. IF you can take it, this is the one my ND recommends. It is also often recommended to take L-glutamine in conjunction with GABA, as the two supplements really complement each other. Read more here.  So….

10) Zen GABA – I just started adding GABA into my routine about 1 month ago and I LOVESSSSS it. It’s incredibly relaxing. Often toted as “natural Valium” it is magically zen-y. Decreased GABA can lead to increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, decreased social behavior, and decreased bowel function among other things. GABA is necessary to stimulate bowel contraction. So of course, I feel like this is a good supplement for us digestive illness peeps. I take this about 30 minutes before bed, as it tends to make me relaxed and sleepy.

11) Meriva-SR Curcumin (Tumeric) – In case you didn’t know, tumeric is a powerhouse anti-inflammatory. There are whole facebook groups just dedicated to the healing powers of tumeric. Curcumin is the principal curcuminoid of tumeric and is an amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Read more here and consider adding this to your routine, most especially if in the healing phase. It’s also known as a brain booster (gut/brain connection, anyone?) and is even thought to aid in the reversal of heart disease. This is the brand my ND recommends and she only recommends clean products that are vegetarian and free of grains/eggs/other allergens.

12) Biotics Research Vitamin D and Biotics Research – Bio-Ae-Mulsion (Vitamin A) – Also after getting some blood tests and genetic testing, I found that I was super low in both Vitamin A and D (despite living in sunny Hawai’i!). I tend to do better with liquid versions (perhaps because I might still have malabsorption issues) so these are the ones I am currently taking. I notice a super change in energy when I regularly take D, and both are very important for immune health.

Other supplements I take are Lose Dose Naltrexone (prescription), Gaia Herbs Maca Roots (for PCOS), Pure Encapsulations – Saw Palmetto, Pyridoxal 5′ Phosphate (B vitamin that breaks the blood-brain barrier), Magnesium Citrate, Chaste Tree Berry (also for PCOS), Seleno Methionine (Selenium), and Ova Blend (for PCOS).

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BOOKS!

Ohhhh my. How many books have I read on health, SIBO, Hashimoto’s, Leaky Gut, diet(s), etc.?!?!?!  About a thousand.  But I will give you a quick recap of my favs.  🙂

Fast Tract Digestion: I like the fact that this diet gives control to the person who is trying to heal. There are no legal/illegal lists, no “this is bad, this is good” claims. You simply learn what foods have the worst (or best!) fermentation potential and go from there. It gives you back the control of your diet and what feels like, your life. It is a quantitative approach to a SIBO diet. I’ve written about it here and think it has been a key component of my success thus far. I cannot recommend it enough and cannot BELIEVE more SIBOers do not know about this. After nearly 4 months of low fodmap and SCD doing virtually nothing for me, this was a godsend. If you have terrible heartburn, GERD, or reflux with SIBO, you might want to consider this version of the Fast Tract Diet which deals more specifically with those symptoms.

Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Despite not finding great success with this diet (SCD), I did really enjoy the book and felt like I learned several things by reading it. It also convinced me to start REALLY cooking and making everything I can in my own kitchen. It’s a good read and if you are thinking of following SCD or SCD + low FODMAPS, it is an essential one. I will preface these opinions however, by saying that SCD was not written for SIBO, in fact SIBO was essentially non-existent at the time of its inception. This is partly why I think SCD is better for illnesses like Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis, as opposed to SIBO.

Your Thyroid and How to Keep It Healthy: A few years ago, my husband got thyroid cancer and we were thrown for a LOOP. You never expect your young, healthy husband to tell you he has cancer. He bought this book and we both read it cover-to-cover. Little did I know then that I had a pretty major thyroid issue as well. Today my husband is healthy and cancer-free, and I finally have my Hashimoto’s under control. This book is easy to read and easy to understand. Because that damn thyroid is NOT.

Perfect Health Diet: This is the book that got me on the path to being a healthier Katie. Ya know, before my body decided to start falling apart all at once. It is the diet I always recommend to healthy people (aka people without serious gut issues). It changed the way that I think about and look at food.

The Gut Health Protocol: Here is the thing about this book: I got it for free from a friend. So of course if it’s FREE, I’m more inclined to think it was worth the purchase price. If Haha. I think it has a lot of good info, most especially concerning supplements (I wouldn’t be on zinc carnosine if it weren’t for this book for example). I’ve read most of it and find a lot of it useful and there is also a helpful facebook group in which John Herron (the author) answers questions and gives a lot of his time. For that alone, I respect the guy. Do I love his writing style?  No. Do I like and agree with some of the info? Absolutely.  🙂

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WEBSITES/VIDEOS

There is so much good info on the web, and there is so much shit info on the web. It’s hard to dig through the muck and ignore the fear-mongering and decipher what is real and what is crap. But these are some of my favorite places for good SIBO info.

Illeocecal Valve Manipulation: This is something my ND and I have been working on via massage and acupuncture. It’s made a BIG difference in my life!  The IV “is a sphincter muscle that opens and closes allowing for digested materials to move from the small intestine to the large. The valve also blocks these waste materials from returning from the large intestine and causing a back up in the small intestine. It is a one-way valve, only opening up to allow processed /digested food to pass through.” (Quote provided from the above link). Check out the video to learn how to “close” yours. This has really been working for me. While on vacation, I was able to indulge in far more foods than normal (pastries, beer, gluten, thai, coffee, etc.). I attribute most of these indulges to being SIBO-free, but also in part due to the manipulation of the valve before eating, and again after eating. If you have a friend/roommate/significant other/family member around, ask them to help you. It’s easier for someone else to close the valve, as leverage is sort of key. EDIT: I recently learned that this valve can get stuck open OR closed.  Mine is stuck open, hence this technique being suitable for me. If you have been assessed by a practitioner and know that yours is actually stuck CLOSED, you might want to try a different technique than the video shows. If you are clueless as to which yours is, or are unsure if you have a problem at all, try this at your own risk to see if it makes a notable difference for you.

The Gut/Brain Axis: Overlooked & Undertreated – Dr Datis Kharrazian: This is by FAR one of the most informative and best videos I’ve watched on SIBO. I really believe in the gut/brain connection and its failure in us SIBOers. Take it from me, WATCH IT.  

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Am7kr-vP0Ys

Digestive Health Institute: This is the author of the Fast Tract Diet’s website. It is chock FULL of good info. Many people have asked me questions about the diet…do your research! I’m giving you the tools, go at it! YOU have to decide what diet is right for YOU. I can’t do that for you, all I can do is share what helped me (thus far). This site is easy to search and has a ton of Q&As with the author.

The Digestion Sessions with Dr. Alison Siebecker: Doc Siebecker is widely regarded as one of the country’s leading SIBO experts. But she isn’t the only one! Still, she is likeable, easy to follow, and presents great information in these videos. Check ’em out!

Sibo Info: Speaking of Dr. A – check out her website which has everything from diet details to herbals suggestions to up and coming studies regarding SIBO. You can even sign up or an email alert with new news about the illness.

The Gut Health Protocol: Another place bursting at the seams with info. Author John Herron has a book you can purchase, but there is also a ton of free information available on his site.

Chris Kesser: Another self-made SIBO and paleo guru, C.K. has some good shit. Podcasts, books, supplements…a one-stop shop. His page can be a little overwhelming but if you are patient, there’s good stuff to be had.

Holistic Health: This page is full of such great stuff, but this linked page in particular is super informative and discusses why bone broth is often difficult for SIBOers to handle. I see so many newbies trying bone broth and struggling. I feel like I post this article at least once a day, so if you’re new to the SIBO game, please read it. It may save you some time and trouble.

The Sweet Home: As mentioned above, I am OBSESSED with this site. Made by the people of The Wirecutter, they thoroughly review every major household product you could ever want. I don’t buy an appliance or household item (even things like sheets and towels!) without going to this site for some info. It’s thorough, reliable, methodical, and they give you several options and price points, which I totally appreciate. Check ’em out!

Wellness Mama: I heart this chick. My new year’s resolution for 2015 was to rid my house of all toxic chemicals…in my hair products/makeup/food/detergent…everything. I now make my own cleaners, hand soap, detergent, etc. Many recipes have been found on this site and I almost always love her take on things. If you’re truly trying to improve your overall health (which of course I believe effects SIBO), this is your girl.

Curcumin For Health: Great little page dedicated to the healing benefits of curcumin and tumeric. Simple, straightforward, easy to understand and comprehend, and reliable studies to back up their claims, which is more than I can say for a lot of health sites.

Environmental Working Group (EWG) SkinDeep: Again, my New Year’s Resolution this past year was to rid my home of all offensive cleaning products, beauty products, and hygiene products. As I started digging more and more into the effects of many common chemicals, it all started making sense with my health issues. For example, I slather myself daily in sunscreen because I am such an active person (runner, biker, swimmer) and did not realize the horrible effects of things like parabens and aluminum that are so common in these products. Many chemicals are incredibly endocrine-disrupting, and given my hormonal and thyroid issues, I thought I had better cover my bases. Enter in EWG. They’ve created an AMAZING database in which people can search for common beauty/hygiene products to see how they’re rated. What I love in particular about this site is that everything is annotated and cited. You can actually click on the offending ingredient to get cited studies about why that ingredient is possibly harmful. They also have a kickass app for your phone! I’m a fan. Can you tell?  😛

Essential Oil Quality:  When I first started looking into using EOs, I was just NOT convinced that YL or DoTerra were the way to go. Firstly, they’re pyramid schemes. Now, I’m not begrudging anyone that wants to use or sell them, this is just MY personal opinion (which I have the right to, so no attacking me about it in the comments!!!). I do not trust their oils. I did a TON of research around this subject to find the best high quality oils that didn’t cost me what my kidney would on the black market. I came across this article and it was the most comprehensive, informative article I’d ever read on EO quality and what all of those fancy marketing terms some of the bigger oil companies through around, really mean. Warning: its long…make sure you have the time and endurance to read it. 😛 But it’s great.

Swiss Aromatics: After finding the above gem of an article, I started trying the different EO shops that are recommended at the bottom. These are my fav. Their customer service is excellent, their prices are fair and reasonable, they don’t gauge me on shipping to Hawai’i, and their oils are lovely and shipping timely. I’m a happy camper with these guys. They’re the real deal…no pyramid scheme needed.

**I could give you several more websites and I might add more to this later, but I don’t want to overwhelm any newcomers. If you have suggestions for excellent material, please send it my way!  Please make sure it is a credible source, well-informed, and with proper citations.**

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