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You shouldn’t have to stomach a constantly upset stomach.Bloating, gas and discomfort are often dismissed as harmless digestive issues, but they can sometimes signal more serious health problems.“Normalizing chronic symptoms like bloating, discomfort or irregular bowel habits can delay diagnosis of underlying conditions such as SIBO, IBS, celiac disease or even inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer,” Dr.Ali Rezaie, medical director of the GI Motility Program at Cedars-Sinai in LA, told The Post.If you’re wondering what Rezaie means when he says “SIBO,” you’re not alone.A recent survey revealed that three out of four Americans have never heard of SIBO, and — of those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) — 41% said their healthcare provider never mentioned SIBO as a possible cause of their symptoms.The gut disorder is often misdiagnosed as IBS.“SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, a condition where excess or misplaced bacteria in the small intestine lead to GI symptoms including post-prandial bloating, distention, gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation,” Rezaie explained.“People with IBS, diabetes, prior abdominal surgery or conditions that slow gut motility — like scleroderma — are at higher risk” of SIBO.SIBO has been historically underrecognized, Rezaie said, due to limitations in medical training and diagnostic tools.“Until recently, symptoms like bloating were often lumped into general IBS without exploring microbial causes.
As research grows, awareness is increasing — but gaps still persist,” he said.A similar condition, intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), involves methane-producing bugs and causes many of the same miserable symptoms.For those diagnosed with SIBO, one promising treatment option is the elemental diet — a bland but scientifically-backed protocol that nourishes you while starving the unruly bacteria to reduce overgrowth.“It’s a liquid nutrition plan with pre-...