The Microbiome Connection: Your Guide to IBS, SIBO, and Low-Fermentation Eating

by Mark Pimentel, Ali Rezaie

An essential resource to understanding gut health, the microbiome, and their connection to maintain digestive balance through diet--featuring meal planning guides and sample menus--by two leading experts in the field.

Over the last fifteen years, research into the vast inner workings of the "microbiome" (the trillions of bacteria harbored in the gut) has led to groundbreaking advances in human health and well-being. Now, two of the leading experts in the field, Dr. Mark Pimentel and Dr. Ali Rezaie at Cedars-Sinai, have teamed up to create The Microbiome Connection, a must-have guide that arms readers with all of the knowledge and resources necessary to understand their microbiome, any symptoms they may be experiencing, and how to navigate symptom relief.

An estimated 70 million people in the United States are affected by SIBO, IBS, or one of the more than a dozen other diseases linked to digestive health, and 74% of Americans say they live with symptoms of digestive discomfort. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)--the most common gastrointestinal condition in the United States--affects millions of people of all ages. Not only do those who suffer from IBS and its similar, sister diagnosis--small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)--experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits, they may also avoid participating in activities, social events, or travel for fear of having to constantly disappear to the bathroom or the embarrassment of explaining their discomfort.

In The Microbiome Connection, doctors Pimentel and Rezaie provide explanations of what happens to IBS/SIBO patients from the first diagnosis to the end of treatment; reveal what changes can occur in the body in terms of the underlying physical processes to symptoms that may develop; and share evidence-based management and treatment of those symptoms through dietary changes and drug treatment. Also included are meal plans and sample menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all of which are accompanied by explanations of which foods to eat in moderation and which foods to avoid because they will feed bacteria in the gut and could cause additional symptoms.

A must-have resource for anyone who suffers from IBS or SIBO, or who wants to better understand their microbiome, this book will provide readers with the knowledge and resources to live a gut-happy and gut-healthy life.

Genres: Health, Nutrition, Nonfiction, Self Help, Science

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 12, 2022

Reviews

[Vlad Cherchezan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for any gastroenterologist. I feel like buying the paper copy of this book and smaking on the head with it pretty much all the doctors I've went to so far and then having them read it by force.

Very easy to read and understand, it pretty much explains what is known about IBS and SIBO and tells about ways to treat it, even though he doesn't give the exact treatment (I'm guessing it would be considered medical advice) there is enough there that if you connect the dots you can make a lot of progress.

It was a good read, I wish it would had given a much more step by step treatment plan and what to do when you are finished, but still, I felt like I learned from it and found another piece of the puzzle so its definitely worth the money.

I suggest following Dr Pimentel on FB and instagram to get some of his interviews as well and also find podcasts where he'd been interviewed to get some extra info, even though pretty much all of it is covered in the book.

P.S. I don't understand why the book was 10.99$ when I looked on amazon and as soon as I logged into amazon the price went to 12.59$ - not really a huge difference but Amazon sure makes you feel like you got ripped off a little bit - not the author's fault of course

[Maren bosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

After about 15 years of trying to figure out all my digestive/stomach issues, I visited a GI doctors that suggested I might have something called SIBO. (Which I had never heard of). I did the breath test and the results were positive! I was so excited to finally have an explanation for my problems! Unfortunately, the solutions aren’t so simple and my SIBO isn’t quite so straightforward. So I am thankful that dr pimental (one of the leading experts in SIBO) wrote this book. Jam packed with info and explanations for what SIBO is, what may have caused it, and suggestions for treatment have been so valuable for me! I feel ready to see my GI doctor again, armed with information, so that I can hopefully take the best treatment approach and avoid having it come back. This book is thorough and clear and a great resource for doctors and patients.

[Sabrina]

Says that 60% of IBS cases are due to SIBO, and a lot of SIBO is caused by food poisoning. 11% of people who get food poisoning develop SIBO. SIBO can be detected with a breath test and is often treated with the antibiotic rifaxamin. It also helps to eat a low fermentation diet and not snack. Leave 4-5 hours between meals with not even a bite so your small intestine can finish the digesting phase and move on to the cleaning phase. If your small intestine isn’t fully cleaned out, bacteria that belongs to the large intestine will grow there and that isn’t good. Mouths have millions of bacteria, esophagi have little, stomach has up to 100 per mL, small intestine has between 100-1,000, and large intestine has 1 trillion bacteria of 1,000 different types.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative. Confirmed and validated the misgivings I had about FODMAP diet. I’ll be doing the low fermentation diet they recommend, though the information on it is sparse. Seems like they’re developing it as they go as the research in this area is ongoing.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is sometimes information for medical professionals, sometimes guidance for IBS/SIBO patients, and sometimes an advertisement for the products developed by these doctors. As someone who is not a medical professional, parts of this book were difficult to follow and caused flashbacks to AP biology. However, this book did validate some things I've learned through trial and error to manage IBS symptoms over the years (low fermentation eating, peppermint tea). Most importantly, it gave me an update on new tests available (IBS blood test & a broader breath test) that I have asked my doctor for. It wasn't a fun read, but it was a quick and useful read.

[Kristel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is another helpful book. If you're dealing with issues with your gut and trying to figure out methods and strategies to support healing. I did find some of it to be counterintuitive and they talked a lot about how eating a low fermentable diet would be super useful but then didn't spend hardly anytime talking about it. And they pretty much write it off for plant-based eating, which is frustrating. That being said, though, there is a lot of good information about what's going on in the gut when you're having issues.

[Elizabeth Bien · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I wish they could have gone more scientifically into the data and theory, but it was so fulfilling to see the description of debunking IBS myths (looking at you probiotics and fecal transplants).
I don’t have as-of-yet- diagnosed SIBO, but I’m going to ask my nutritionist if I can do the breath test because my low fodmap diet results were confusing.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before starting The Microbiome connection, I listened to Dr. Mark Pimentel from Cedars-Sinai in several health oriented podcasts. He does not support research that PPI’s can cause SIBO and he claims the low fermentation diet is better and less restrictive than a low FODMAP diet. Having both the Monash University app and a list of what is on the low fermentation diet, I have concluded they are pretty much the same. Seemingly the diet a patient takes before the Trio-Smart or any other SIBO test is the low FODMAP diet they may be referring to . . . White rice, lean protein, no veggies.

The book is worth a read, and I filled mine with Post-It notes.

During one of his recent interviews, he mentioned a drug that is entering clinical trials that can possibly help IMO/SIBO. The book is approaching 4 years since its first publication, so I guess a new book or extra chapters are just a few years away.

[Darlene Oberg` · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Book I ever read on IBS. Grateful to Dr. Pimentel for his dedication to researching this condition . IBS is one of those issues that many write about as if they have the answers if you buy their products or services. Its so frustrating that you want to give up. I trust that he is passionate about understanding and finding a cure for IBS and SIBO. The mere fact that he is not selling anything, but is sincere in his mission adds to my trust. I'm going to follow him, because I had pretty much given up on getting help, but I think even my Drs. are benefiting from his research. He gives us hope.

Don't know about the Low-Fermentation diet, as there are many areas where it conflicts with the low Fod Map diet I have been following....and yes, contrary to his advice, I am permanently low Fod Map.

[Georgia Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read that gave me a much better understanding of how to live and heal SIBO through daily habits and diet. I found it fascinating and comforting how many people are affected by gut health issues globally. The explanations of the microbiome and gut-brain link were also interesting.
The only downside for me was that some of the diet recommendations were different with other SIBO sources which left me a bit confused on what approach to follow.
Overall, very informative book for anyone dealing with SIBO or wanting to learn more about gut health.

[Mr H · Rating 4 out of 5]

very informative

Great but glossed over how a low fibre diet might be harmful but overall very useful and will follow advice

[Betsy Cornwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

We hear a lot about gut microbes. There are plenty of probiotics, prebiotics and other supplements to support our digestive health. This book was written by two doctors who are involved in current research on the topic. What better source of information could there be?

I've been struggling with gut issues for almost twenty years. I've had so many bad experiences with gastroenterologists that I refuse to ever see one again. These two doctors are different. They have an obvious concern for the welfare and comfort of their patients. They clearly understand the problems that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and similar disorders face. They give a thorough, understandable description of the digestive system. They also provide a wealth of tips and information on how to achieve and maintain gut health.

I was surprised by some of the advice, especially what they said about probiotics and the FODMAPS diet. I didn't know there was a blood test for IBS. I didn't know about the connections among food poisoning, IBS and SIBO.

I've read a few books about gut health. This is the most complete, current, and useful one.

[Mariya Krutkova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the information found in this book I already knew from reading countless online articles on SIBO and IBS. But it was nice to have it all organized in a book format and there were two important things I learned. First, though I knew that food poisoning is considered the most common cause of SIBO, it was interesting to learn the mechanisms behind it. And second, this was the first time I heard about the low-fermentation diet. Huge relief to know that there is a well balanced diet one can eat on a long-term basis to prevent relapse.

[Abigail Sobanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down one of the best medical/scientific books I’ve ever read. It’s straightforward and helps you make informed choices for treatment. There’s a sort of hopeless stigma that treating gastrointestinal diseases is mostly guesswork and trial and error, but I now understand the exact what and why of my pain. Understanding low-fermentation eating and how to support the migrating motor complex with timed eating has greatly reduced the discomfort of SIBO in my day to day.

[Heidi Moretti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book enlightening regarding the causes of SIBO and IBS. Some of the advanced testing is unknown by many GI docs today. As a functional medicine nutritionist, however, there is a lot missing regarding clinical research about ways to heal the gut and help with gut motility, which is at the root of much of IBS and SIBO issues.

[Debbie Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

All About SIBO

This book was loaded with information about gut microbiome, SIBO and IBS. I learned a ton about SIBO, which I was diagnosed with, and found helpful The book reads more like a textbook so its not for everyone.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informational if you have IBS / SIBO. Great source of truth for a lot of information instead of trying to google it and figure it all out. Will be using the information from the book to discuss with my gastroenterologist and try to figure how to reduce the recurrence of my SIBO.

[Matt Winfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 50+ days with a stomach ache, I finally found a cause with a SIBO diagnosis. I ordered this book the same day to learn about it. Very readable for me as a lay person for a book written by a doctor.

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book reads like a textbook but is filled with informative information on what exactly is in your microbiome and how to combat problems if you have an abnormal gut. This book answers many why’s (ex. why is this happening to me), which can be helpful or overwhelming to some.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone wanting to understand SIBO and IBS better - incredible resource filled with the latest science backed research. I learned so much! Can’t stop raving about this book!

[Rikki Uhrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my normal genre but this was super informative with data that was easy to digest and lots of helpful tips. Highly recommend if you struggle with tummy issues

[Amanda Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read for those struggling with IBS and SIBO

[Devlin Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Microbiome Connection is one of the most informative and eye opening books I’ve read in a long time. I learned so many facts I never knew existed about gut health and how deeply it affects the rest of the body. It’s one of the few books I’ve found myself highlighting page after page because there’s just so much valuable information. The author explains complex concepts in a clear and practical way, which makes it easier to understand how to apply them to your own health. I truly believe this book will help me in treating and managing my condition. Highly recommend for anyone struggling with gut issues or simply wanting to understand how the microbiome impacts overall wellness.