Beating SIBO is a one of the greatest feelings in the world! Finding your way back to feeling fantastic and finally getting to enjoy your meals without being burdened by digestive issues can make you feel like a new person.
But here’s the thing: even if you’re feeling like a million bucks post-SIBO, it’s important to keep a watchful eye out to prevent a SIBO comeback.
That’s we we have you covered with 8 practical tips that’ll help you steer clear of a SIBO relapse and keep your gut bacteria in check.
Take Prokinetics
On that note, take prokinetics if you have a slow or impaired Migrating Motor Complex (MMC). This will ensure that when you’re not eating, your digestive system is clearing any bad bacteria out of your small intestine to prevent a stagnation or buildup.
Fast Before Bed
Try to stop eating after dinner to allow your Migrating Motor Complex to fully kick in overnight. If you eat right before sleeping and only sleep for 6-8 hours, your MMC might not get the full 4 hours post-digestion it needs to clear everything out. Changing into pajamas and brushing your teeth right after dinner can also help you steer clear of the munchies.
Limit Snacking
Eat 3 full meals a day with 3-5 hours in between each to give your MMC time to do its job. Although we all love a little bite as we work or watch TV, to truly keep SIBO away it’s important to limit snacking as much as you can to keep sweeping the bacteria out of the small intestine.
Know Your Diet
Experiment with a low-FODMAP diet while slowly incorporating new foods in order to create a SIBO diet that works for you and your body. If you know that you can eat Stevia but not honey, raspberries but not mango, chicken breast but not shrimp, shallots but not onion… and so on, you’ll have a much smaller chance of accidentally causing a SIBO relapse.
Manage Stress
As mentioned above, stress can greatly impact SIBO– because stress hormones tell your body to put your digestive system on pause, therefore slowing down digestion and the MMC from working properly. Daily meditations, exercise, downtime, and prioritizing mental health are great ways to mitigate stress.
Find a Supplement Routine
Supplements can make all of the difference in your daily routine, both for SIBO and your overall health! Plus, if you do find yourself experiencing a SIBO symptom once in a while after breaking your diet or having a stressful day, having supplements on hand can help to calm them down and prevent a full relapse.
Keep Your Body Active
Healthy motility is directly supportive by an active lifestyle. We know that it’s impossible to be constantly moving, but getting up every 20-40 minutes to do a sun salutation or a few stretches will keep your digestive system functioning much better than if you’re sitting in the same spot all day.
If you’re looking for a SIBO-specific supplement routine, check out SIBO specialist Dr. Siebecker’s recommendations for patients on Fullscript, a practitioner’s only supplement dispensary that Dr. Siebecker’s given our community access to- and 15% off all purchases!
By being vigilant about managing your SIBO, you can stay ahead of your SIBO and continue living symptom-free.
Looking for the latest SIBO, IBS, and gut health news?
Dr. Mark Pimental, head of the Pimentel Laboratory & executive director of the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai (the doctor who discovered Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth or SIBO!), has dedicated his life to researching SIBO and IBS. Each year, he joins us during Digestive Disease Week for a livestream to discuss all of the new research updates over the past year. These sessions are a wonderful way to keep updated on cutting-edge treatments bringing joy and hope to SIBO/IMO, IBS, and other gut condition patients.
