06/10/2026
One of the most frustrating conversations I have with patients goes something like this:
“I treated my SIBO.”
“It got better.”
“Then everything came back.”
Again.
And again.
And again.
One patient had completed multiple treatment protocols.
She followed an elemental diet.
She worked incredibly hard.
Each time her symptoms improved.
Each time they returned.
So we asked a different question.
Instead of focusing on what kept showing up downstream, we started investigating what might be happening upstream.
Further testing revealed an active H. pylori infection.
Suddenly, the story started making more sense.
Because sometimes SIBO isn’t the beginning of the story.
It’s a chapter in the middle.
SIBO is often downstream of another issue.
When underlying factors are missed, symptoms can continue cycling despite doing “all the right things.”
This doesn’t mean previous treatment was wrong.
It simply means there may be another layer that still needs attention.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a clinician is this:
If you keep relapsing, look north.
Look upstream.
Look beyond the obvious.
Because the body is rarely working against you.
It’s usually giving clues about where to look next.
Healing becomes much more sustainable when we stop asking:
“How do I get rid of this?”
And start asking:
“Why does this keep coming back?”
Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a cycle of temporary improvement followed by relapse?
🏷️ functional medicine | yeg | yeg holistic health | yeg small business | functional health
