SIBO is an acronym for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. Bacteria normally exist in your small intestine but in very small amounts. They are kept in check by the types of food that you eat as well as something called the migrating motor complex and other protective factors. The migrating motor complex produces a squeezing wave of intestinal movement that acts like a clean sweep through your small intestine. This clean sweep happens every 90 minutes when you are in a fasting state and moves indigestible foods, bacteria and cellular debris down towards the large intestine. When your migrating motor complex isn’t functioning properly then bacteria do not move through your small intestine fast enough. With all the abundance of food and time to “hang out” they are able to reproduce and multiply faster than normal. Having a dysfunctional migrating motor complex is one of the major causes of SIBO. Other causes of SBIO include intestinal blockages or non-draining pockets in your small intestine where bacteria can accumulate.
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Much of this information comes from Dr. Allison Siebecker N.D., a Portland-based Naturopath who specializes in SIBO treatment. Dr. Siebecker has devoted countless hours to the development of the SIBO Specific Diet Chart as well as the continuing education and advancement of knowledge for this condition. For more information, check out her website here.