The Nourished CEO Podcast Identifying the 3 Root Causes of IBS with Abby Hueber, RD
Doctors often say that IBS is a life-long condition. But does not have to be true. What people often fail to do is identify and treat the underlying causes of their gut problem. Today’s guest is here to share how she helps her patients get to the root cause of their IBS so that they can make lasting healing changes.
About Abigail Hueber, RD
Abigail Hueber is an Integrative Functional Dietitian and owner of the private practice Above Health Nutrition. She received her undergraduate degree from Gettysburg College in the field of Health and Exercise Sciences and completed her graduate studies in nutrition at Simmons College. Abby has completed various advanced trainings in functional medicine, including a mentorship with functional medicine doctors and comprehensive immersion programs.
Abby is an expert in digestive health which includes IBS, SIBO, acid reflux, chronic constipation or diarrhea, and other various GI symptoms and concerns. She also specializes in skin health through healing the digestive system for skin symptoms which include eczema, rosacea, acne, keratosis pilaris, and other skin-gut-related conditions. Abby leads speaking series and events for organizations and corporate wellness programs on a variety of health and wellness topics.
Why Gut Problems Can’t Be Ignored
At least one in five people experience digestion problems. Yet, these are often dismissed as just mildly annoying symptoms. Abby explains how ignoring gut issues often leads to any number of other health issues. That’s why it’s important to treat the root causes of digestion problems.
The tricky part is identifying what is wrong in the first place. It’s not enough to just cut out certain foods. In fact, elimination diets don’t really fix anything. They can even cause problems if continued for too long.
The Common Causes of GI Issues
Abby explains what the three generalized root causes of IBS are. There can be many different factors at play, but Abby finds that it usually involves one or more just three situations. The first is digestive insufficiency - when someone is not producing or excreting the optimal digestive substances. Sometimes there’s dysbiosis or a GI infection at play. Inflammation is also a common culprit. Once you know what’s going on in the gut, you can make a roadmap for healing.
Sometimes these can be remediated with lifestyle changes, like slowing down and thoroughly chewing food. Targeted supplement protocols can also help to reverse some of the problems. That’s why it’s useful to work closely with a practitioner who understands how to help you help your digestive system.
How have you approached GI issues in your life? Leave a comment on the episode page!
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In This Episode
- How Abby found a career in helping people resolve chronic gut issues [8:03]
- Why your digestive system impacts many other parts of your health [11:00]
- Why you shouldn’t think of food as the trigger of IBS [14:00]
- The reasons many people falsely believe that IBS is a lifelong condition [19:10]
- The three general root causes of IBS [23:18]
- What happens when we eat more mindfully and chew properly [31:30]
- How to identify the root cause of your gut problem with functional medicine [44:29]
- Getting support through group programs [46:45]
Quotes
“Food can certainly be a tool in a treatment protocol that can help to alleviate some of these symptoms while we get to the root cause… but it is not a tool that we can use to fully heal a digestive system.” [16:36]
“We do need to create a lifestyle shift around the way that we eat in order to optimally digest our food.” [24:30]
“We really want to identify in someone’s unique body which of those three are that root cause and then in those three categories, what exactly is really going on.” [27:28]
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