Sound Integrative Health Blog

Using patterns of the Lactulose Hydrogen Breath Test to Make Decisions regarding antibiotic therapy in IBS with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is an increasingly diagnosed pathophysiologic process that involves normal bacterial flora of the colon being irregularly and excessively translocated to the small intestine. In additions some will acquire SIBO by breakdown in mechanisms that normally clear bacteria from the small intestine such as the migrating motor complex. Once this bacteria has set up in the small intestine it can cause bowel transit dysregulation (diarrhea, constipation, or both), bloating, excess wind, and abdominal discomfort. Many top researchers feel it might be the underlying component of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It is diagnosed by clinical symptoms combined with the Lactulose Hydrogen Breath Test (LHBT) which measures the production of Methane and Hydrogen case being emitted from the small intestine after ...

A study using a commonly prescribed probiotic called VSL#3 showed that male IBS sufferers using VSL#3 had less abdominal pain and an improved satisfaction with bowel habits. (Wong.2015) It is interesting that patients in the study that used the probiotic had increased morning salivary melatonin. This study is very useful in helping explain another reason why taking a probiotic is regulatory for the digestive system. My overly simplistic surmise of what is happening is that this probiotic is favorably shifting the gut biome so that the enterochromaffin cells are secreting melatonin more efficiently. Melatonin (a hormone) has been studies in the digestive tract as it is known to be produced by enterochromaffin cells and small amounts stimulate motility and large amounts seem to slow motility. As we know Melatonin is also produced in the body by the pineal gland and is responsible for helping with sleep/wake cycles of the body’s biorhythm. It also boosts natural killer cell activity ...

I had the great pleasure of being interviewed on Tap Integrative this week. This is likely going to be featured in the coming months on www.tapintegrative.org  I spoke as an expert in the digestive disorder Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Here is a picture from the set. I look pretty darn serious but mainly super focused! Much to my surprise Dr. Tori Hudson interviewed me. Dr. Hudson has been one of the physicians I have respected the most since I considered joining the profession in 1998.  I ironically interviewed her in 1998 to see if I wanted to join the profession....she convinced me then! I had a lot of fun as well as Dr. Hudson has a great way about her and a clever sense of humor! I also had a great round table conversation with Dr. Joshua Goldenberg a evidence based medicine expert in Natural Medicine and Dr. Mark Davis an expert in Fecal Microbiota Transplant. I felt honored to be there and among so many great minds in my profession. I am inspired to...