Peppermint Oil for SIBO?

[Guest guest]

Hi Bee. I just wondered what your take might be on this please?

I appear to have (and have probably had for years) small intestinal bacterial

overgrowth - when colonic bacteria has invaded the small intestine and possibly

even up into the liver and pancreas.

I obviously don't want to take antibiotics to deal with this, but it seems that

some success has been had with the use of enteric-coated peppermint oil

capsules.

I have been on your diet for 8 months, but this is proving to be very stubborn.

It seems that the peppermint oil helps to relax the muscles and allow the gut to

'sweep' the bugs back down to the colon over time. It is possible that I have

some nerve and/or muscle damage to my gut motility due to Diabetes and Celiac

damage, too, although I do not have much in the way of other 'diabetic

complications' generally, having kept fairly low-carb until starting your diet.

I have felt for a while that my body is not getting enough benefit from the

supplements and food I am having, but it does seem that the colonic bacteria in

the small bowel can draw off a lot of nutrition before it gets a chance to be

absorbed.

This has been very hard-going for me. My stomach emptying has slowed right down

to 8-9 hours or even more over the last few weeks. Whilst my digestion hasn't

always worked that well, and in the last three years has deteriorated, it just

feels as though I am going backwards at the moment. It is getting worse rather

than better and is definitely NOT retracing. As the food is going through my

gut it feels as if someone is pushing their knuckles into my back above my

waist, and I have never experienced anything like this before - it has been

going on way too long too.

It is quite obvious that until I can get this digestive issue sorted my body is

not going to be getting much, if any, benefit from the diet.

Whilst not a lot is known about this issue, it is possible that any fiber could

make things worse, so I am thinking of doing the protein and fat diet only for a

bit to see if that helps - do you think that is worth trying?

Can I ask too please if you think Slippery Elm could help with my gut motility,

or could that exacerbate the SIBO? What about the yeast flakes too, would I be

better off on a B Complex tablet instead? I just don't want to take anything

that will encourage these beggars!

Ali.

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi Bee. I just wondered what your take might be on this please?

>

> I appear to have (and have probably had for years) small intestinal bacterial

overgrowth - when colonic bacteria has invaded the small intestine and possibly

even up into the liver and pancreas.

>

> I obviously don't want to take antibiotics to deal with this, but it seems

that some success has been had with the use of enteric-coated peppermint oil

capsules.

>

> I have been on your diet for 8 months, but this is proving to be very

stubborn. It seems that the peppermint oil helps to relax the muscles and allow

the gut to 'sweep' the bugs back down to the colon over time. It is possible

that I have some nerve and/or muscle damage to my gut motility due to Diabetes

and Celiac damage, too, although I do not have much in the way of other

'diabetic complications' generally, having kept fairly low-carb until starting

your diet.

>

> I have felt for a while that my body is not getting enough benefit from the

supplements and food I am having, but it does seem that the colonic bacteria in

the small bowel can draw off a lot of nutrition before it gets a chance to be

absorbed.

>

> This has been very hard-going for me. My stomach emptying has slowed right

down to 8-9 hours or even more over the last few weeks. Whilst my digestion

hasn't always worked that well, and in the last three years has deteriorated, it

just feels as though I am going backwards at the moment. It is getting worse

rather than better and is definitely NOT retracing. As the food is going

through my gut it feels as if someone is pushing their knuckles into my back

above my waist, and I have never experienced anything like this before - it has

been going on way too long too.

>

> It is quite obvious that until I can get this digestive issue sorted my body

is not going to be getting much, if any, benefit from the diet.

>

> Whilst not a lot is known about this issue, it is possible that any fiber

could make things worse, so I am thinking of doing the protein and fat diet only

for a bit to see if that helps - do you think that is worth trying?

>

> Can I ask too please if you think Slippery Elm could help with my gut

motility, or could that exacerbate the SIBO? What about the yeast flakes too,

would I be better off on a B Complex tablet instead? I just don't want to take

anything that will encourage these beggars!

>

+++Hi Ali,

Were you diagnoses by a doctor, so that's why you think you have SIBO? I ask

that because there can be many other reasons for the symptoms you are having.

I don't suggest you take Slippery Elm or anything else, but I do suggest you do

these things:

1) My 9-Day Program, but you may have to stay on all liquid and pureed foods

longer than 2 days, in which case you'd only do the enemas for 9 days, and then

do them every 4-5 days. Note: You should probably switch over to Vitamin B

Complex supplements instead of the nutritional yeast flakes. I'd try do this

program before trying an all meat and fat diet.

2) Do abdominal massages:

http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/massage1.php

3) Do deep breathing exercises regularly to ensure your body is not running on

its fight/flight nervous system:

http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/breath4.php

I hope this helps Ali. Keep me posted.

All the best, Bee

[Guest guest]

Hi Bee. No I have not been diagnosed by a doctor - mainly because the hydrogen

breath test needed for diagnosis would involve drinking a mush of glucose. That

would not be a good idea because a) I am Diabetic, and the glucose would just

give the bugs more fuel, and c) If I do have carbs in any quantity I get

horrendous gas that makes everything swell up, sends my BP through the roof and

makes me feel as though I might have a heart attack!

However, the foul putrid breath that has been a constant companion for many

years does suggest that there are fecal-converting bacteria in my upper GI

tract, the fact that I cannot lose weight, the fact that the nutrition I am

having does not seem to be benefiting ME in the way it should do, the fact that

as a Diabetic my gut motility may well be compromised, the fact that I have had

copious antibiotics in the past, especially as a child and the fatigue started

when I was about 15, that SIBO appears to be linked to chronic fatigue, and IBS,

which I had for 12 years, amongst other things are all big clues.

I suspect also that the discomfort I have been feeling in my left side, is down

to impacted foods in my upper GI. Interestingly, when I couldn't sleep for the

digestive discomfort the other night, I got up around 3.30 am and had some

peppermint tea with a spoonful of coconut oil. Within ten to fifteen minutes I

had an incredible feeling of tension release in my back and gut.

The peppermint relaxes the gut and helps the motility. I did also have some

slippery elm before posting this and I have to say that it has helped my

'transit' no end. I only had about half a teaspoonful in with my lemon drink.

Interestingly, after I had the peppermint tea, I also got restless legs for a

while which is a 'gluten' response in me. That suggested to me that the

relaxation of the gut helped to move some impacted stuff that was trapped.

Considering I have been off gluten for three years, it obviously hadn't moved

before.

My idea of taking the peppermint and SE is not to in any way try and 'kill' the

bugs. If I did that, I could end up 'killing' them in my colon too and I

certainly don't want to do that, but the point is to try and push them back to

where they belong - to get them out of the upper GI and back to the colon.

When I had the IBS for 12 years - it was predominantly diarrhea. All my food was

just racing through my gut and out the other end. Stopping gluten put paid to

the diarrhea, but then I became more constipated. I feel that it is likely the

SIBO was an element long before the IBS started, but the rapid transit managed

to keep it under control. Since going gluten-free and the process 'firming up',

it is likely that damage in my gut resulted in diverticuli and pockets of

impacted matter being stuck. Because the food is in my gut longer now they have

more opportunity to 'indulge'.

Certainly all the three years I have been gluten-free, and even since being on

your diet the last 9 months has not improved the gut issues I have been having.

It does feel like something is stuck in my left side so anything I can do to

release that has to be a benefit.

Although it has only been three days since I had the SE and have been having a

couple of cups of peppermint tea each day it does feel a LOT easier. I

certainly feel that I am on the right track with this.

I do feel that your diet is right and am still continuing with it, but until I

can move these critters out and back to their own home, they are absorbing the

nutrition and are robbing me of the benefit. I obviously don't want to go the

antibiotic route - in the long term they don't work and just make things worse,

so I need to use whatever IS available to me to deal with this.

The digestive issues have meant that I am losing a lot of sleep and that isn't

helping my body to heal either.

Many regards, Ali.

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/digestive-health/nutritionarticles\

/zaidelarticle.pdf

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/digestive-health/nutritionarticles\

/dibaisearticle.pdf

>

> >

> > Hi Bee. I just wondered what your take might be on this please?

> >

> > I appear to have (and have probably had for years) small intestinal

bacterial overgrowth - when colonic bacteria has invaded the small intestine and

possibly even up into the liver and pancreas.

> >

> > I obviously don't want to take antibiotics to deal with this, but it seems

that some success has been had with the use of enteric-coated peppermint oil

capsules.

> >

> > I have been on your diet for 8 months, but this is proving to be very

stubborn. It seems that the peppermint oil helps to relax the muscles and allow

the gut to 'sweep' the bugs back down to the colon over time. It is possible

that I have some nerve and/or muscle damage to my gut motility due to Diabetes

and Celiac damage, too, although I do not have much in the way of other

'diabetic complications' generally, having kept fairly low-carb until starting

your diet.

> >

> > I have felt for a while that my body is not getting enough benefit from the

supplements and food I am having, but it does seem that the colonic bacteria in

the small bowel can draw off a lot of nutrition before it gets a chance to be

absorbed.

> >

> > This has been very hard-going for me. My stomach emptying has slowed right

down to 8-9 hours or even more over the last few weeks. Whilst my digestion

hasn't always worked that well, and in the last three years has deteriorated, it

just feels as though I am going backwards at the moment. It is getting worse

rather than better and is definitely NOT retracing. As the food is going

through my gut it feels as if someone is pushing their knuckles into my back

above my waist, and I have never experienced anything like this before - it has

been going on way too long too.

> >

> > It is quite obvious that until I can get this digestive issue sorted my body

is not going to be getting much, if any, benefit from the diet.

> >

> > Whilst not a lot is known about this issue, it is possible that any fiber

could make things worse, so I am thinking of doing the protein and fat diet only

for a bit to see if that helps - do you think that is worth trying?

> >

> > Can I ask too please if you think Slippery Elm could help with my gut

motility, or could that exacerbate the SIBO? What about the yeast flakes too,

would I be better off on a B Complex tablet instead? I just don't want to take

anything that will encourage these beggars!

> >

> +++Hi Ali,

>

> Were you diagnoses by a doctor, so that's why you think you have SIBO? I ask

that because there can be many other reasons for the symptoms you are having.

>

> I don't suggest you take Slippery Elm or anything else, but I do suggest you

do these things:

>

> 1) My 9-Day Program, but you may have to stay on all liquid and pureed foods

longer than 2 days, in which case you'd only do the enemas for 9 days, and then

do them every 4-5 days. Note: You should probably switch over to Vitamin B

Complex supplements instead of the nutritional yeast flakes. I'd try do this

program before trying an all meat and fat diet.

>

> 2) Do abdominal massages:

> http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/massage1.php

>

> 3) Do deep breathing exercises regularly to ensure your body is not running on

its fight/flight nervous system:

> http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/breath4.php

>

> I hope this helps Ali. Keep me posted.

>

> All the best, Bee

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Hi Bee. No I have not been diagnosed by a doctor - mainly because the hydrogen

breath test needed for diagnosis would involve drinking a mush of glucose. That

would not be a good idea because a) I am Diabetic, and the glucose would just

give the bugs more fuel, and c) If I do have carbs in any quantity I get

horrendous gas that makes everything swell up, sends my BP through the roof and

makes me feel as though I might have a heart attack!

>

> However, the foul putrid breath that has been a constant companion for many

years does suggest that there are fecal-converting bacteria in my upper GI

tract, the fact that I cannot lose weight, the fact that the nutrition I am

having does not seem to be benefiting ME in the way it should do, the fact that

as a Diabetic my gut motility may well be compromised, the fact that I have had

copious antibiotics in the past, especially as a child and the fatigue started

when I was about 15, that SIBO appears to be linked to chronic fatigue, and IBS,

which I had for 12 years, amongst other things are all big clues.

>

> I suspect also that the discomfort I have been feeling in my left side, is

down to impacted foods in my upper GI. Interestingly, when I couldn't sleep for

the digestive discomfort the other night, I got up around 3.30 am and had some

peppermint tea with a spoonful of coconut oil. Within ten to fifteen minutes I

had an incredible feeling of tension release in my back and gut.

> The peppermint relaxes the gut and helps the motility. I did also have some

slippery elm before posting this and I have to say that it has helped my

'transit' no end. I only had about half a teaspoonful in with my lemon drink.

>

> Interestingly, after I had the peppermint tea, I also got restless legs for a

while which is a 'gluten' response in me. That suggested to me that the

relaxation of the gut helped to move some impacted stuff that was trapped.

Considering I have been off gluten for three years, it obviously hadn't moved

before.

>

> My idea of taking the peppermint and SE is not to in any way try and 'kill'

the bugs. If I did that, I could end up 'killing' them in my colon too and I

certainly don't want to do that, but the point is to try and push them back to

where they belong - to get them out of the upper GI and back to the colon.

>

> When I had the IBS for 12 years - it was predominantly diarrhea. All my food

was just racing through my gut and out the other end. Stopping gluten put paid

to the diarrhea, but then I became more constipated. I feel that it is likely

the SIBO was an element long before the IBS started, but the rapid transit

managed to keep it under control. Since going gluten-free and the process

'firming up', it is likely that damage in my gut resulted in diverticuli and

pockets of impacted matter being stuck. Because the food is in my gut longer

now they have more opportunity to 'indulge'. <snip>

+++Hi Ali. Since you've had IBS for 12 years it will take 12 months and maybe

longer for your body to retrace all of your past symptoms related to it. If the

peppermint tea and SE help it's okay to have them, but don't go overboard.

Peppermint tea is diuretic.

Also follow my list of suggestions in my message, i.e. 9-Day program, deep

breathing, etc.

Bee

[Guest guest]

Okay Bee - thank you.

Ali.

> >

> > Hi Bee. No I have not been diagnosed by a doctor - mainly because the

hydrogen breath test needed for diagnosis would involve drinking a mush of

glucose. That would not be a good idea because a) I am Diabetic, and the

glucose would just give the bugs more fuel, and c) If I do have carbs in any

quantity I get horrendous gas that makes everything swell up, sends my BP

through the roof and makes me feel as though I might have a heart attack!

> >

> > However, the foul putrid breath that has been a constant companion for many

years does suggest that there are fecal-converting bacteria in my upper GI

tract, the fact that I cannot lose weight, the fact that the nutrition I am

having does not seem to be benefiting ME in the way it should do, the fact that

as a Diabetic my gut motility may well be compromised, the fact that I have had

copious antibiotics in the past, especially as a child and the fatigue started

when I was about 15, that SIBO appears to be linked to chronic fatigue, and IBS,

which I had for 12 years, amongst other things are all big clues.

> >

> > I suspect also that the discomfort I have been feeling in my left side, is

down to impacted foods in my upper GI. Interestingly, when I couldn't sleep for

the digestive discomfort the other night, I got up around 3.30 am and had some

peppermint tea with a spoonful of coconut oil. Within ten to fifteen minutes I

had an incredible feeling of tension release in my back and gut.

>

> > The peppermint relaxes the gut and helps the motility. I did also have some

slippery elm before posting this and I have to say that it has helped my

'transit' no end. I only had about half a teaspoonful in with my lemon drink.

> >

> > Interestingly, after I had the peppermint tea, I also got restless legs for

a while which is a 'gluten' response in me. That suggested to me that the

relaxation of the gut helped to move some impacted stuff that was trapped.

Considering I have been off gluten for three years, it obviously hadn't moved

before.

> >

> > My idea of taking the peppermint and SE is not to in any way try and 'kill'

the bugs. If I did that, I could end up 'killing' them in my colon too and I

certainly don't want to do that, but the point is to try and push them back to

where they belong - to get them out of the upper GI and back to the colon.

> >

> > When I had the IBS for 12 years - it was predominantly diarrhea. All my food

was just racing through my gut and out the other end. Stopping gluten put paid

to the diarrhea, but then I became more constipated. I feel that it is likely

the SIBO was an element long before the IBS started, but the rapid transit

managed to keep it under control. Since going gluten-free and the process

'firming up', it is likely that damage in my gut resulted in diverticuli and

pockets of impacted matter being stuck. Because the food is in my gut longer

now they have more opportunity to 'indulge'. <snip>

>

> +++Hi Ali. Since you've had IBS for 12 years it will take 12 months and maybe

longer for your body to retrace all of your past symptoms related to it. If the

peppermint tea and SE help it's okay to have them, but don't go overboard.

Peppermint tea is diuretic.

>

> Also follow my list of suggestions in my message, i.e. 9-Day program, deep

breathing, etc.

>

> Bee

>