SIBO Pro Course tidbits!

I have recently signed up for Allison Siebecker ND’s SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) Pro Course - I am only a few hours into the course material, but have already learned a lot of great info!

Here are just a few of the interesting points:

• The migrating motor complex (MMC) is like a push broom working to ensure that bacteria, undigested food, and cellular debris are cleared from the small intestine - healthy MMC functioning is critical in preventing SIBO and when it is dysfunctional, it is one of the main underlying causes of SIBO.

• The majority of people with SIBO have it due to food poisoning - the bacteria responsible for food poisoning produce a toxin that causes cross reactivity with a protein (vinculin) in the cells  (interstitial cells of cajal) in the small intestine lining which control MMC activity - when these cells are damaged, the MMC slows down and can lead to SIBO.
• We can develop SIBO up to 6 months after having had food poisoning.

• The MMC requires 3 - 5 hours between eating to be activated (which requires no snacking in between meals) - a snack or a small meal will turn off the MMC for another 1.5 - 2 hours, even a candy will turn off the MMC for another 40 - 50 minutes, as will quickly drinking a large glass of water (aim to drink slowly over 15 minutes to prevent impacting the MMC).  

• The MMC only functions when we are in a parasympathetic state - chronic stress keeps us in a sympathetic state and prevents proper MMC functioning.

• Because SIBO involves bacterial overgrowth, it also involves the production of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or endotoxins which inhibit both phase 2 and phase 3 of detoxification impacting our ability to clear toxins, heavy metals, mold etc.  LPS doesn’t impact phase 1 detoxification (which leads to the production of more toxic compounds which then need to be neutralized and cleared through phase 2 and phase 3 pathways) - these compounds then become backed up and instead get reabsorbed into circulation.

• LPS also leads to the production of inflammatory cytokines which signal irritation in the digestive tract which then triggers off signals in the central nervous system which can lead to mood and cognitive concerns, especially anxiety and brain fog.

• SIBO also damages the lining of the small intestine - we have digestive enzymes that sit within the lining of the small intestine, so when the lining is damaged, it impacts our enzyme levels and our ability to absorb nutrients.

• Bacteria can also compete for nutrients and this can lead to iron, zinc, magnesium, B12 deficiencies.

• Our DAO enzyme which breaks down histamine is also in the lining of the small intestine - with SIBO, this is also compromised and can lead to an increased risk of developing histamine intolerance. 

• Hydrogen sulphide based SIBO is more likely to create additional systemic symptoms than hydrogen and methane based SIBO including body pain, bladder irritation, numbness and tingling in the extremities, and people will often feel worse with epsom salt baths, sulphur based supplements (like glucosamine or MSM), and sulphur rich foods.

• SIBO is often found alongside rosacea, psoriasis, restless leg syndrome, interstitial cystitis, rheumatoid arthritis - people who have found low response to treatment for these concerns will often see improvement in symptoms after being treated for SIBO. 

• HCL in the stomach is designed to kill viruses and bacteria - with acid reflux medications (PPIs/proton pump inhibitors), our internal production of HCL is reduced which can lead to bacterial overgrowth in the stomach which can then spill over and contribute to SIBO. 

• Immunosuppressant medications like prednisone reduce the immune system’s ability to kill bacteria and can also predispose to SIBO.

Stay tuned for more interesting info about SIBO as I go along in the course!

SNP Analysis Webinar Tidbits

I attended a great SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) Analysis Webinar last night presented by Penny Kendall-Reed ND.  SNPs are single nucleotide (gene building blocks) differences in the structure of the gene that change the way that the gene expresses itself/works.   Here is a summary of a few of the interesting tidbits:

- More than 170 of our genes' functioning is impacted by stress and some of the impacts include deceased wound healing, increased inflammation, increased weight gain, and decreased sleep quality
- TSH levels (which measure our thyroid health/function) can increase by up to 140% from morning to night and fluctuate throughout the day
- Estrogen can deactivate T3 (our active thyroid hormone), increase TSH levels, and falsely elevate T4 levels (our other thyroid hormone) - this impact is especially seen while on oral contraceptives (the birth control pill) or during the mid part of our cycle/ovulation
- TSH levels are higher in the winter/colder months and lower in the summer/warmer months
- Stress increases TSH levels and the production of auto immune mediated thyroid antibodies 
- Our SNPs can help determine whether we are a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - the optimal SNP combination when taking HRT is genes that encourage the conversion of estrogen into the C2 form (the 'good' form/non carcinogenic form), that do not encourage the conversion of estrogen into the C4 form (the 'bad' form/ the carcinogenic form), and that encourage proper clearance of these estrogen breakdown forms through phase 2 liver detox pathways 
- Increased stress and the resulting increased cortisol (stress hormone) production causes inflammation of melatonin receptors which prevents melatonin from binding and prevents us from getting into the deep sleep phase of our sleep cycle 

Happy 2020!

Happy 2020!  2020 marks 30 years since I graduated from high school and 20 years since I graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine!  As of October this year, I will have been in practice since 20 years!  Where has the time gone?!
I also started doing my yearly January cleanse in 2001, so 2020 marks my 20th cleanse!   My regular day to day eating is pretty basic (no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no coffee, no alcohol, no refined sugar, limited gluten, limited processed foods) outside of dark chocolate and Friday night frozen pizza, but for January, I also leave out chocolate and any other sweets, gluten, soy, nightshade veggies (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant), and all purchased pre-prepared food (like restaurant smoothies, restaurant meals, prepared hummus, bagged popcorn etc).
For me, my January cleanse is always a good way to enter the new year in a simple, quiet, and grounded in my body way.  It serves as a good reset after the out of routine nature of the holiday season and I look forward to it each year.
My first meal for the 2020 cleanse is a smoothie (which is my regular breakfast even when not on a cleanse!)!  I lost my taste for green smoothies in mid 2019, so my smoothie contains a green apple, frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, chia seeds, almond butter, coconut oil, and water.  It always tastes delicious and, for me, feels like a perfect way to start the new decade!
Sending wishes for our new year and new decade to be filled with continued growth and learning and love and discovery!