There isn’t one diet that works for everyone with SIBO, so it’s important to identify carbohydrates that you can’t digest and absorb, as these are the ones that end up being fermented by the bacteria in your gut. hail. Depending on my patient’s symptoms and medical history, I can use the Low FODMAP, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), SIBO-Specific (combines low FODMAP and SCD), or the Fast Tract Diet. Avoid fiber at the start of treatment. Ultimately, your goal is to eradicate SIBO so that you can reintroduce healthy foods that some of these diets restrict like garlic, onion, and apple.

The timing of your meals is also important. The migratory motor complex (CMM) is a wave of contractions that begins in the stomach and passes through the small intestine, and interruptions of MMCs increase the risk of SIBO. Think of the MMC as “housekeeping”; it sweeps away bacteria and undigested food and throws them into the large intestine. the MMC needs 90-120 minutes to complete this job, but it stops and has to reset every time you eat. If you take more than an hour to snack on meals because you are too distracted or because you think it’s healthier, or if you eat every two hours or less, you are interfering with your MMC. Instead of grazing, sit down and eat your meal mindfully, then “close the kitchen” for three to four hours.