I believe I finally understand what is going on with my stomach 

and I have a plan to fully heal!

Have you ever gone to a doctor and they truly believed you should have some issue going on, 

but test results come back negative and the entire time you said you don't think that is an issue?

That happened to me ... it is good news though. 

No SIBO! 

I knew I didn't have it.

Just goes to show you should trust yourself.

No one knows your body better than YOU!

If you're wondering, SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth 

aka excessive bacteria in the small intestine. 

This type of overgrowth can interfere with normal digestion and absorption of food 

and can be common in people with leaky gut.

... Which is a reason why the doctor insisted I get checked for SIBO.

But it seems like the main thing I have going on is a leaky gut.

Leaky gut means the intestinal lining is no longer lined up properly and is more porous. 

As a result, the screening out process is no longer functioning properly and undigested food molecules (and other "bad stuff") that your body normally blocks 

will pass through and flow into your bloodstream.

Here is a more in-depth definition and diagram.

(Dr. Oz even talked about Leaky Gut!)

I am not sure when my leaky gut may have started or what caused it, but it can be 

the reason for so many different health ailments that I experience 

like mood swings, anxiety, depression, food allergies, burping, stomach pains, etc.

Here is an article that lists all the different types of symptoms/ailments 

you may experience with a leaky gut.

Just food for thought:

If you were diagnosed with IBS, MS, Chrons, Hashimoto (and others listed on the link above) 

and I was to tell you that you could make huge health improvements 

by healing your gut - would you believe me?

Think about it.

70% of your immune system is located in the gut.

Many autoimmune issues stem from leaky gut.

Heal your gut and you may just heal or greatly improve a disease.

I view it like this.

Would I rather change my eating habits or

pay for medications for the rest of my life?

I clearly made up my mind to change.

So in order to heal, I am now taking a few more supplements.

Glutamine

Candicial

2x types of Probiotics

Xymogen XymoZyme

Multi-vitamin

Vitamin D

Please note all of these supplements were specifically prescribed to me by a functional medicine doctor.

Coconut oil, bone broth, and the gel from chia seed pudding are also extremely healing to the gut.

I incorporate these into my diet as well.

The best news though - I am allowed to also eat FODMAP foods now! 

What are FODMAP foods? 

Here is a definition from dietsolutions.net.au: 

"FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-, saccharides and Polyols. These are a group of short chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed. In people with gastrointestinal symptoms, a diet high in FODMAPs can induce diarrhea and/or constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain."

I wasn't allowed to have FODMAPs because the doctor thought I had SIBO, 

which would just lead to more irritation.

Thankfully I don't sooo ...  here I come world.

I can have all the foods that were formerly on my 'foods to limit' list, 

which before I just completely avoided for the most part.