Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

An IBS diagnosis usually arrives by exclusion. The serious possibilities have been ruled out, which is a genuine relief, though it can leave you holding a label without an explanation.

I find it more useful to ask what pattern your symptoms follow.

What we look for

• Timing. Worse after certain foods, at points in your cycle, during stressful stretches?
• Balance. Bacterial overgrowth, or a microbiome disrupted by antibiotics?
• Integrity. Is the gut lining inflamed or more permeable than it should be?
• Stress. The gut has a nervous system of its own.

On elimination diets

They can be valuable short term, though they are overused. Removing large parts of your diet indefinitely narrows your nutrition and often increases sensitivity over time.

I would much rather we find the true triggers, let things settle, then deliberately widen your diet again. A longer list of foods you can enjoy is always the goal.

What improvement looks like

Usually gradual. Comfort first, then regularity, then the confidence to eat out without quietly planning around it.

A label is not an explanation. Book a consultation and let's find the pattern your symptoms are following.