A Sneaky Cause of IBS & Fibromyalgia

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Posted on: 27th Apr 2014

I think it's safe to say that one of the most critical municipal services
no matter where you live is a fire department.

The brave individuals who race to burning buildings are responsible for not
only trying to save the structure but more importantly to save lives, and their acts are commendable.

But let's say a fire truck goes to a house that ISN'T burning.

The firefighters arrive and begin to knock down doors and break windows to get
in, and proceed to spray water all over the place.

Talk about a good intention gone completely wrong!

Well, something similar may be going on in your gut.

In this case, it's not a fire truck that's in the wrong place, but some bacteria
instead.

It's called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO.

Here's the scoop on this very common problem that can have a huge impact on your
health:

SIBO--Good guys in the wrong place

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when some of the bacteria
from your LARGE intestine "slide up" and get into the SMALL intestine.

Even though these bacteria serve several "commendable" functions in your large
intestine, once they get into the small intestine, it's quite a different story.

Here are the two major problems associated with SIBO:

1. Whoa, Nelly!

The different types of bacteria that live in the large vs. small intestines each
have different functions.

One of those differences is the metabolism of carbohydrates. Most carbs are absorbed
in your small intestine, and there's typically little or no gas produced.

The only exception is dietary fiber -- that passes on to the large intestine.

The bacteria in your large intestine break down fiber and as they're doing that, some
gas is naturally produced. The bacteria usually absorb most of the gas, and any excess
is passed as normal (not excessive) flatulence.

However, with SIBO some of the fiber-gnawing bacteria from your large intestine are
instead taking up residence in the small intestine. When this happens, fiber that you
eat begins to be broken down too soon.�in the small intestine instead of the large.

Since your small intestine isn't equipped to handle this and it doesn't have the right
bacteria to absorb the resulting gas, this can cause bloating, excessive gas and pain.

2. Danger, Will Robinson!

Having bacteria in your small intestine that are from "the other side of the tracks"
(your large intestine) also puts your immune system on alert.

You see, your immune system is very keen and aware--it knows pretty quickly when things
aren't quite right somewhere in your body.

The problem is your immune cells sometimes are not the sharpest pencils in the box.

And in this case, when they detect the large intestinal bacteria in the small intestine,
instead of saying, "Oh, it's just some misrouted guys from the colon," they instead act
as if they've caught an invader and launch an attack which can also produce bloating,
gas and pain.

One small cause, one giant bunch of problems

Since SIBO has both an inflammatory and an immune component, it can be a major culprit
behind a whole slew of medical problems.

For example, researchers estimate that SIBO is a cause or contributing factor for at least
78% of people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The classic IBS symptoms (gas, bloating
and constipation or diarrhea) are also typical signs of SIBO.

In addition, about 80% of people suffering from fibromyalgia also have SIBO. Fibromyalgia
is characterized by chronic inflammation, largely due to confrontational immune responses
to poorly digested food molecules (known as circulating immune complexes) in the bloodstream.

SIBO is also commonly found in people with diabetes, scleroderma, gastric bypass surgeries,
interstitial cystitis, restless leg syndrome, diverticulosis, Crohn's disease and celiac
disease.

People with SIBO can also have frothy, yellow stools (called steatorrhea), and experience fat
malabsorption and deficiencies of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Your body's 3 natural defenses against SIBO

Normally these three things prevent SIBO from occurring in a healthy gut:

    Acids in the small intestine kill off any large intestinal "invaders"
    Peristalsis--the muscle contractions that move your food through the digestive tract prevent
the bacteria in your large intestine from "swimming upstream"
    Bacterial "sparring"--healthy bacteria in the small intestine fight off bacteria from the
large intestine

But if any of those three natural safety nets is impaired somehow, SIBO can result.

Other causes of SIBO

One major other cause of SIBO is acid reducers.

Acid reducing medications weaken the acid in the small intestine and make it unable to fight off large intestinal bacteria like it should.

Antibiotics are another culprit...

Antibiotics destroy the protective flora in the small intestine which makes it easier for the
invaders from the large intestine to take over.

Now here's the really ironic thing about this: The typical mainstream medical treatment for SIBO is: antibiotics!

The logic behind antibiotic treatment is to destroy the "invading" large intestinal bacteria.

But where this logic fails miserably is that no consideration is given to the fact that the small
intestinal bacteria are killed off too!

And this creates an environment that makes it even MORE likely that SIBO will reoccur.

How do I know?

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of accurate tests for SIBO.

Stool tests can help uncover whether you have a bacterial infection in your large intestine, but they're not too reliable when it comes to detecting problems in the small intestine.

One test that may be helpful is a hydrogen breath test, although it can miss many cases of SIBO.

The best approach is to look at your symptoms and any underlying conditions I mentioned above. If you see yourself in any of those, chances are good you may have an issue with SIBO.

What DOES help with SIBO

The good news is you can take two very safe, easy measures to help fight SIBO if you suspect you've got it, or prevent it from occurring in the first place:

1. Probiotic supplementation

Probiotics can be extremely helpful in the fight against SIBO, but it's important to use a formula which contains both bifidobacterium species (for the colon) and lactobacillus species (which beef up the small intestine).

2. Eat for better digestion and nutrient absorption

Poor digestion can lead to waste buildup, which creates an environment that favors dangerous
bacteria in your intestines, as well as gas, constipation and diarrhea.

Talk about making SIBO symptoms even worse!

In addition, without thorough digestion it's extremely difficult for your body to absorb nutrients,
which is a challenge for people who may already be nutrient-deficient because of SIBO.

Far and away THE most effective way to help make your digestive system work like it's supposed to is
to eat meals that your body can digest more easily.

Now before you scoff at that thought, get this through your head: Eating right does NOT have to mean deprivation, giving up foods you love or existing on rabbit food.

That is the idea behind the Great Taste No Pain eating system.

In Great Taste No Pain, I show you how to structure meals that your body can more easily break down. They may be a little different from the typical smorgasbord-type meals you're used to, but you can still enjoy foods you love and it's easy to do.

Plus, Great Taste No Pain really delivers on the "great taste" promise--the recipe book has 112 delicious dishes that are easy to prepare!

SIBO is a major contributor to many a digestive (and other) woe.

But you can easily fight this "misguided invader from below" and help minimize its chances of wreaking havoc with your health!

When you do, I'm sure you'll see a big difference in how you feel.

To Your Health,

Sherry Brescia
Natural Health Researcher
President, Holistic Blends, Creator of the Bestselling Great Taste No Pain System
Editor, Pain-Free Living

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A Sneaky Cause of IBS & Fibromyalgia

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