We all know the saying ‘trust your gut’. It refers to the feeling we get when we know to do or not do something, also known as our sense of intuition.
While trusting our gut is important, so is nourishing our gut. Somehow, the term ‘nourish your gut’ hasn’t really caught on as much!
But we naturopaths know the importance of nourishing the gut. Without proper gut health, we expose ourselves to the risk of developing diseases like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) which has soared in prevalence over the last two decades, ranging from 2.5 to 22%.
SIBO is a disease that can have drastic impacts on your stomach functions, overall health and daily life. Here, we discuss what happens if SIBO is left untreated and how Luke Clarke – Melbourne’s top naturopath – can help you nourish your gut and get treated for SIBO.
What is small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)?
SIBO is a condition which involves the presence of excessive bacteria in the small intestine. It commonly results when something such as a disease or surgery slows the passage of food and waste products in the digestive tract, creating a breeding ground for bacteria. The excess bacteria often causes chronic diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition. It’s a disease that’s more common for people with obesity.
Luke Clarke is a SIBO specialist in Melbourne, helping you overcome the disease. We discuss treatment options further in the article.
What are the risks of leaving SIBO untreated?
Leaving SIBO untreated can result in some dire health consequences – not just affecting your stomach, but negatively impacting your daily life.
- Exacerbation of symptoms
The longer SIBO continues, the worse it generally gets. This is because bad bacteria will keep growing if left untreated. Diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition may persist and worsen if SIBO is left untreated. - Poor absorption of nutrients
When there’s excess bacteria in your small intestine, this can result in incomplete digestion of fats, leading to diarrhea. Bacteria can also harm the mucous lining of the small intestine, resulting in poor absorption of carbohydrates and proteins. These nutrients are essential for the entire body. - Vitamin deficiencies
If your body can’t absorb fats properly, it will also struggle to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Bacteria in the small intestine can also rob you of your vitamin B-12, which is crucial for your nervous system and the production of blood cells and DNA. If SIBO is untreated, it can result in B-12 deficiency causing weakness, fatigue, tingling, numbness in your hands and feet and even mental confusion and brain fog.
How to get natural, effective treatment for SIBO
Thankfully, there are ways we can turn your SIBO around and improve your gut health. Simply make an appointment with Luke Clarke – Melbourne’s best naturopath and practitioner of functional medicine. Luke Clarke has helped many patients get cured of SIBO.
A practitioner of functional medicine and naturopath in Melbourne, Luke helps patients overcome individual health challenges through natural methods. Combining science and naturopathic philosophies, Luke Clarke cares about your health and works alongside you to improve it. Contact Luke Clarke for a 10-minute free consultation today.