Toronto Functional Medicine Centre Explains SIBO And How Naturopathic Functional Medicine Can Help

Toronto, Ontario -

Toronto, Ontario based functional medicine clinic Toronto Functional Medicine Centre (TFMC) is reaching out to the wider community to explain what SIBO is and whether Integrative naturopathic and functional medicine can help their ailments. The clinic is committed to using a combination of treatments, such as Acupuncture, Functional Medicine, IV Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Detoxification and Bio-Identical Hormone Treatments, to help patients optimize their health.

According to Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. It is a functional disorder of the gut in which bacteria excessively multiply. This may typically occur from an imbalance between good and bad bacteria or decreased intestinal motility. They explain in their blog post that the main causes of SIBO are considered to be dysbiosis and bacterial overgrowth. Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the bacteria living in the human gut, usually as a result of the chronic use of antibiotics or other medications that disrupt natural flora balance (ie birth control pills).

Those who are afflicted with SIBO can find themselves experiencing symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation; abdominal pain; nausea and vomiting; fatigue, weakness, brain fog, depression and anxiety. More often than not SIBO sufferers have a history of previous gastrointestinal surgeries, like Celiac Disease-related small bowel resections or stomach bypass surgery for weight loss.

Other common causes of SIBO may include insufficient gastric secretion (known as hypochlorhydria) and small intestine dysmotility. Additionally, there are also a number of other conditions that may cause SIBO, including but not limited to alcoholism, H. pylori infection, endocrine issues (ie thyroid dysfunction, PCOS), amyloidosis, HIV/AIDS, Sjogren’s syndrome, IBS, Crohn’s and even diabetes. SIBO can also be caused by age, and the elderly population are at an increased risk of poor gut health.

While SIBO can reduce quality of life and cause discomfort in everyday lives, patients do not have to let poor gut health dominate their life. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to shift towards a healthy way of life.

Toronto Functional Medicine Centre shares that integrative naturopathic and functional medicine practitioners have clinical training in detecting dysbiosis in the gut and digestive system. Functional medicine tests for SIBO will usually start with a breath test, which can detect excess bacteria in the small intestine. Should there be any cause for concern, dietary alterations might be recommended. Various therapeutic diets that limit carbohydrate intake and help treat SIBO include the low-FODMAP diet, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), the Gut and Psychological Syndrome (GAPS) and the Elemental Diet (ED).

Herbal medicine may also be advised by our functional medicine health care providers to help with SIBO. Additionally, integrative functional medicine SIBO treatments may include a mixture of antibiotics and/or herbal antimicrobials. In fact, a number of herbs have demonstrated antimicrobial activity, including oil of oregano, wormwood, thyme, olive leaf and berberine extracts.

At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, the team of wellness practitioners offer consultations to diagnose and manage various health issues, including SIBO. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the centre’s naturopathic functional medicine doctors and nurse practitioners are passionate about evidence-based functional medicine practices. Their functional medicine approach to SIBO and health consists of personalized medicine with a systems-oriented approach, catering to each individual patient’s needs.

Treatments at the TFMC include complementary and alternative medicine care for patients. This consists of clinical nutrition, homeopathic medicine, Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine/Eastern medicine and medically-supervised IV therapy, among others. Their integrative approach and alternative therapies are designed to encourage the human body to naturally alleviate conditions, while preventing disease in the human body. In addition to SIBO and other related issues, the clinic focuses their efforts on chronic conditions (ie chronic disease, chronic pain, chronic disease management), mental health, cognitive decline, symptom management, hormonal imbalances, peri/postmenopausal health, acute health issues, neuropathic pain, pain management and other health concerns.

Those who want to learn more about Toronto Functional Medicine Centre and their services are welcome to visit the wellness centre's website. They encourage interested parties to get in touch with their team directly via email info@tfmc.care or phone (416) 968-6961. The wellness centre can also be reached through the contact form on their website. Toronto Functional Medicine Centre maintains a social media presence on both Facebook and Instagram where they frequently post updates and announcements.