SIBO Made Simple: 90 Healing Recipes and Practical Strategies to Rebalance Your Gut for Good

by Phoebe Lapine

If you’re one of the 25 to 45 million Americans living with IBS, finding an accurate diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately good health can feel like an impossible mystery. SIBO Made Simple brings you answers.
 
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is a common cause of unwanted bloating, abdominal pain, weight fluctuations, and GI distress. In this guide for achieving long-term healing, health advocate, chef, and SIBO sufferer Phoebe Lapine covers everything you need to know about SIBO and how to thrive in spite of it.
 
Lapine answers all your questions, from what SIBO is (and what it isn’t) to related conditions (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Celiac disease, and more) to practical strategies for on-going prevention.
 
With expert medical advice from dozens of top SIBO practitioners, SIBO Made Simple provides resources for all phases of treatment, offering a clear culinary road map that can be customized to fit a large variety of gut-healing diets, such as the Bi-Phasic Diet, GAPS, SCD, SIBO Specific Food Guide, and more.
 
With 90 delicious, easy, low FODMAP recipes that make a notoriously tough diet doable and delicious, SIBO Made Simple is a one-of-a-kind toolkit for learning about your condition and tailoring your diet toward healing. Every recipe adds anti-inflammatory ammunition to your diet, while offering suggestions for how to add problematic ingredients back in as you diversify your plate.
 
Getting healthy and feeling great doesn't have to be punitive. SIBO Made Simple offers a clear path forward, from someone who's been there.

Genres: Health, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food

336 pages, Paperback

Published January 12, 2021

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book made me feel less alone in my SIBO struggles. It was validating to read the reasons behind why my dietician has me doing the things I'm doing and why I've been following low-fodmap for over six months now. I wrote down several things to ask her about at our next appointment. I appreciate all of the charts and margin cheat sheets for the concepts being explained in the text. The book is well-organized and presents a ton of information without being overwhelming. It's holistic in approach, even discussing bodywork treatments and stress management as ways to move beyond SIBO. Even just reading "give it a year to heal your gut" motivated me to stick with it--because dealing with SIBO is often frustrating to the point of tears, especially when nothing seems to work and your pain gets worse during treatment (which is another thing I learned from this book: the bacteria's exposed innards are often more toxic than when they're alive but sealed up, so when they die and spill their guts, WE FEEL AWFUL!!) I haven't tried any recipes yet, but I am excited that over half of them are plant-based, all are soy-free, and she's coded them for different SIBO diets as well as included "next ingredients" for those who are in the reintroduction phase of their SIBO journeys.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has an abundance of information about all things gut related. I found it at the local library and mainly checked it out for my husband who has been suffering with IBS for years, but I think anyone can benefit from making some lifestyle changes in support of their digestive system. Most of what we eat or drink has a negative impact on our bodies and if not quit altogether, should at least only be ingested in moderation. Maybe we would find a lot less physically and mentally ill individuals if we were more conscious about our nutrition.

[Natalie Herr · Rating 5 out of 5]

An actual book about SIBO?! I was amazed to find it at my library. Tons of great info and recipes and help for those of us with angry small intestines 🤪🤣

[Elizabeth Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t made any of the recipes in the back of the book yet so this review is just on the informational sections. I’ve recently been diagnosed with SIBO and this book was a game changer for me. I have tabbed so many pages with information about currently healing SIBO to what to do if a flare up happens.

[Catherine Wylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a wealth of information about digestion and what can get off-track.

When it came to learning about natural and medical remedies, I took copious notes for future reference.

I am thankful for the advice to take Magnesium at night and for other options to help to help what by is most likely not SIBO for me, but a gut motility disorder that somehow managed to occur post endoscopy with biopsies. I had been on a low FODMAP diet for over three weeks before I decided to let it go. It either cleared things up or it did not, but I feel it helped some.

I would rather get the test by a doctor or send away for one before I start down that road again of being on a very restrictive diet, which can cause other issues in the balance of the microbiota. This author does give great advice on what the tests are and which one to make sure you get.

She does tell you that even herbal and natural remedies can cause harm, and when I looked up Iberogast, I learned that it can cause serious harm to the liver. Definitely look some of this stuff up before you decide to take any of it.

The recipes look pretty good and the book is well-laid out and well-written.

When and if I actually get a SIBO test done, and find out I may have it, I will re-check this book out from the library as I found it very informative and helpful. Even if you have a gut motility disorder, I think there is much in here for you. As I read somewhere else, a low FODMAP diet can help with that, too.

I learned so much about so many things from this book!

[Ashley Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed due to the mass amounts of misinformation and LACK of proper information that is out there about SIBO.

As someone who has recently been diagnosed with SIBO, leaky gut and candida it was been very taxing trying to figure everything out on my own (outside of my naturopathic appointments). SO when I came across this book I was floored at just how much good information and recipes were included.

I really enjoyed the optimistic tone the author took. Especially when it came to talking about healing and recovery (& taking 1 year of your life to get to a new normal). She involved everything from treatment plans to different diet approaches to informational charts and stress management.

If you have SIBO this is the EXACT handbook you want to have a copy of as it will be change the way you look at your diagnoses and how to be less SCARED due to it.

Very much recommend.

[Alla Smal · Rating 5 out of 5]

After dealing with my husband having SIBO for over 7 years, this book is the first time I’ve felt hopeful about our future! We went to specialists who told us there’s nothing we can do to improve his quality of life. I just couldn’t accept that. I’ve read countless blogs and listened to podcasts and was piecing together random information myself. We tried our own versions of “treatment plans” and saw improvement but had so many frustrating setbacks that were difficult to understand. I’m convinced this is the best book out there as of right now for any SIBO sufferer. I wish I had found it at the beginning of our journey! It would have saved us years of our own research and trial and error. I can’t wait to implement some of the things in this book. It will be a valuable resource and a reference I’m sure I will refer to numerous times!

[Connie Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fellow SIBO Amigo whose doctor had no interest in sharing ANY information about my diagnosis, I truly appreciate all the hard work that Phoebe put into researching this condition and making this book. It’s the first time I’ve felt hopeful about feeling better in a long time and I finally feel like I understand what’s going on in my body. I also really appreciate that she laid out a potential schedule for reintroduction to test food intolerances. This is something I’ve needed to do for a long time, but based on my reading of various articles, I thought it would take years to do it and always ended up failing on my reintroduction diets. Definitely consider this a must read for anyone suffering from SIBO !!!!

***

I will update once I’ve tried some of the recipes!

[Devlin Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this is a really good and well-rounded resource for anyone dealing with SIBO. Phoebe Lapine does an excellent job breaking down the condition, sharing supplement insights, and offering approachable recipes for those managing symptoms. I’ve listened to several of her podcasts, so I did find parts of the book a bit repetitive, much of the information overlaps with what she’s already covered in her podcasts.

It’s worth noting that some of the content could use an update. For example, in Season 52 of her podcast with Dr. Mark Pimentel, there’s clarification that PPIs do not cause SIBO, which differs from what’s mentioned in the book. Lapine herself has acknowledged this update.

[Zyriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well organized. Lots of little things that filled in the cracks of what I'd already learned. Well laid out and easily referenced.

While a lot of the meals don't fit what I'll need initially, there were certainly some that do. And I hope to come back to it when I'm further along with re-introduction and find more.

I'm keeping this book handy.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

SIBO:Made Simple is an outstanding resource for those suffering from this ailment. Using easy to understand layman terms, the author describes the symptoms, explains the root causes of SIBO and details the treatment and healing process. She provides reassurances and tips on how to cope and the book also includes a diet plan and recipes. I am very thankful I stumbled upon this book.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether or not you have a SIBO diagnosis, this book will be helpful for anyone who suffers from digestive discomfort. It is a helpful guide to seeking help and narrowing down the causes of gut imbalances.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is based on the first part of this book that has nothing to do with the recipes. It’s a great wealth of information about SIBO and how the digestive system works. Helped me understand what my body is going through and everything that’s needed to help it recover.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful. I ordered my own copy.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to try the Roasted Carrot Hummus, Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai, and the Zesty Kale Summer Roll recipes.

[Laura Wiebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness for all the quality research and strategies this book contains!

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't really make it simple. Gave me things to think about. I prefer not having gourmet-type recipes - more simple cooking.

[Carla Seaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sibo Bible, everything you need to know if you have SIBO.

[Lindsay]

It was interesting for me but I can’t imagine it being so for anyone who does not have SIBO!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information on SIBO. However, I was not impressed with the recipe selection.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most comprehensive and user friendly guide and recipe book that I’ve found on this condition! Great help and will continue to make many of the recipes listed.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fab info in an easy to read format

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best on the topic, and I've read 7 or 8 others. A complete picture of a complex condition, and many treatments and resources are outlined with a glossary in the back for easy reference. The author has a good website, but this book led me to the one supplement that addressed my particular issue. Sadly, the syndrome requires trial and error, and perseverance and research and patience are key.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has suffered from SIBO since 2016, this book (and Pheobe’s podcast!!) has saved me emotionally and physically. I can’t recommend enough.