Episode 16: All about SIBO with Dr. Sabrina Kimball, ND

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO, is a digestive disease that is frustratingly common in sensitive individuals. I’ve had a history of this condition and talk about it in several of my blog posts. In this conversation, Dr. Kimball and I dig into all things SIBO. Consider this one of your go-to resources for understanding this condition.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

A bit of my story dealing with and healing from SIBO
How Dr. Kimball became interested in and an expert treatment in SIBO
How SIBO is a new diagnosis (15 year ago), which means that it’s still emerging. Some doctors don’t yet understand it or recognize that it exists.
SIBO is a specialty and should be, in Dr. K’s opinion, because of how tricky it is to treat. The common frustrations when searching for treatment with SIBO
What SIBO is
The different types of SIBO, how they’re different and why they’re treated differently
How or why SIBO occurs
What treatment looks like and what people should be prepared for
People need to be prepared for a four to six month treatment plan to start with, even for re-treatment
The different treatment phases
How diarrhea and mixed-type SIBO can often be treated in 4-6 months, while constipation type can take much longer due to complication factors
How SIBO is tested for
The recommended and researched diet for recovery – the low-fodmap diet is the only diet researched to be effective
Monash University and their research on the fodmap diet
What fodmaps are
How to heal from SIBO if you have a pattern or history of disordered eating
How recovery is approached for vegetarians and vegans with the low fodmap diet
How important it is to have support moving through the healing of SIBO
The different phases of healing and what they are, look and feel like
Things to watch out for during the healing process
Extra healing modalities that can help with treatment
My article connecting SIBO, high sensitivity, connective tissue and the psoas
Why we don’t want to be on a low-fodmap diet long-term
How my pregnancy helped with my healing in the last phase of treatment
Dr. Kimball’s take on using probiotics during treatment and healing
Why SIBO is often confused for other conditions and the conditions that can show up alongside SIBO
SIFO
Factors that can lead to or make one more susceptible to SIBO
The longterm prognosis of SIBO – what to expect
How to look for good information on SIBO on the internet – the red flags
Resources:
- The SIBO Symposium in Portland
- The IBS Symposium from Mark Pimentel’s group at Cedar-Sinai
- Monash University Low-Fodmap App
- Kate Scarlata – lists
- A Little Bit Yummy Blog – recipes and more for low-fodmap diets
The one thing Dr. Kimball would like you to know about having SIBO
Where you can find Dr. Kimball – currently at The University Health Clinic, soon to be Meridian Medicine in North Seattle