My post-whole30, gut-healing adventure!

[Emily T]

So I finished my whole30 and I am so happy it went so well. But I am still having GI issues that lead me to believe I may have SIBO or leaky gut and I am really trying to fix these. Basically the symptoms I have are constipation and bloating, not in response to specific foods but pretty much all the time. I've been taking 1 teaspoon coconut oil in the morning the past three days which cured the constipation but threw me over the edge in the opposite direction - nausea, upset stomach, loud gurgling, and diarrhea.

 

I am going to continue to document my progress here and record my symptoms as things move along. I have based this plan on this article as well as other internet-based research, though I have an appointment with my GI doctor Wednesday and hopefully can be tested for SIBO at that point. 

 

First, the rules:

 

1. No nuts, seeds, or nut butters

2. Bone broth - at least 1 cup per day

3. Supplement with garlic (in cooking) and coconut (supplements, as the oil makes me terribly nauseated and gives severe diarrhea)

4. One serving of probiotic food daily (kimchi, kefir, pickles, yogurt, etc) - not at the same time as the coconut, as it seems to make me sick! 

5. Digestive enzymes - avoid in first week. If symptoms do not improve, add in second or third week. 

5. Small amounts of sugar are permitted as additives in things like bacon, chipotle peppers, etc. Honey is permitted if required in a recipe for a savory dish. 

7. No grains, legumes, or soy. 

8. White potatoes - permitted, but does not count as a vegetable - cannot push green stuff off the plate!

9. Dairy - I plan to reintroduce cheese and yogurt slowly (I have never ever had a bad reaction to dairy and I really missed cheese - but I will start with 1-2 servings per week). 

10. Sweets - No traditional cakes/cookies/sweets. I plan to enjoy some paleo treats (homemade date bars or paleo pancakes!) or wine at some point, being mindful that this will impact the healing process and that I can easily go overboard if not careful.  

 

I would welcome any suggestions on ways to improve my diet to heal my intestines and digestive tract! 

[Nadia B]

Good luck! I am battling pretty much the same issues + more. Your plan looks very good. One thing - try to avoid dried fruits or sugars. It wrecks my digestion big time (especially if you suspect SIBO). I would be interested to read about your progress.  

[Emily T]

Thanks, Nadia! I will plan to do that. I don't eat much dried fruit but I do love fresh fruit. Its been hard but during the 30 I limited myself to one serving a day usually. In this post-period I am afraid I might go overboard on chocolate and sweets. Funnily enough I did not crave sugar a lot during the 30 until the last 4-5 days. Now I feel that I am craving it all the time. 

 

Well - here we are. Day 1 of the post-30!

 

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; chopped tomatoes; mixed fruit

Supplements - coconut oil (1 t), zinc

 

During the morning - ~1 cup bone broth

 

Lunch - Salad from Taylor - arugula, grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, large whole roasted garlic cloves (so so so good!!!), and goat cheese. I opted to skip the dressing (it had honey in it) because with all of the toppings, it really did not need any. It was heavenly.

 

Dinner - A big chopped salad with romaine, cucumber, red pepper, red onion, and shaved pepper turkey breast, with balsamic and oil on top. I also had a couple squares of organic dark chocolate (one with almond, one with ginger and orange) - so delicious! 

 

Late evening - a couple (naturally fermented) pickles (I did not want to eat these so late but I had forgotten my probiotic food rule)

 

How do I feel today - Much better than the last two days, when I had a pretty bad reaction to something. It was either eggs or coconut oil or a combo of them both. Yesterday I had more eggs (at breakfast and lunch) and ate more coconut than I have ever had before. I was in the bathroom the entire day. That said, I seem to have reverted back to my previous stance - constipated and gassy! 

 

I was nauseated following the coconut oil today, which led me to make the connection with my reaction yesterday. I ate some mixed fruit and felt better. I wonder if my recent new sugar cravings have something to do with a bacterial or yeast die-off as a result of the coconut oil? I hear it can cause such bad reactions as I had yesterday because it kills everything off and your body is flushing it out but I never know if any of that is true. Is that even possible? 

[Guest Annie B]

Hi! May I suggest Great Lakes Gelatin, and making your own broths. Gelatin (which is abundant in homemade broth) is amino acid dense food that directly heals the gut tissues. And then goes on to healing other tissues in the body. Taking away aggravating foods is of course necessary, and then we have to add foods that heal! This info was confirmed for me this weekend, when a friend showed me the protocol she received from her Functional Medicine specialist (for healing Hashimoto's)... she is drinking 24 oz of broth a day! 

She of course has had multiple blood tests, and is following a very specific elimination diet for her issues. So, having one on one guidance is always good when there is a serious issue. That said, the broth and gelatin are foods that everyone needs (because they are lacking in the modern diet)... even those with out symptoms! 

Good luck!

[Emily T]

Thanks, Annie.

 

I made a TON of bone broth this weekend and I have been drinking a cup (8oz) each day. I will increase it to 2-3 cups. 

 

What do you do with gelatin on its own? I'm not sure how to use it...

[Emily T]

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; chopped tomatoes and red peppers sauteed in garlic, cantaloup

Supplements - coconut oil (3 capsules), zinc

 

Lunch - Fiesta tuna salad (tuna, red peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, mayo, lime and cilantro) over lettuce, a few almonds (yikes! I forgot my own rule about nuts when someone offered me some! but hey - at least I did not eat the donuts brought in for a goodbye party! its all relative )

 

Dinner - Cucumbers, red peppers, carrots with a homemade mayo-mustard dipping sauce; roasted pepper turkey; iced tea; 2 squares ginger-citrus dark chocolate. 

 

Late evening - a couple (naturally fermented) pickles, bone broth (I forgot somehow to eat these in the morning, oh well), coconut oil (3 capsules)

 

How do I feel today - Perfectly fine, though still constipated. Not gassy at all. Just same as ever - no going to the bathroom. Its infuriating!!!! Also, I feel as though I have something stuck in my throat and I have felt this since Sunday night/Monday morning. I heard this is a symptom of GERD but I have no heartburn or other issues. Any suggestions? 

[Emily T]

I just want to vent for a moment. I went to see a new GI doctor today to tell him about my various symptoms.

 

His solution? He gave me prilosec for the throat/esophogus issue, metamucil for constipation, and Align probiotics for gas. Are you kidding? I told him I get plenty of fiber in my diet - I eat naturally fermented food - I was taking probiotics but they were not helping. I have heard horrible things about prilosec - how it can make gut problems worse and worsens the condition that causes GERD. Its like they do not even listen!!!! 

 

He ordered some blood work (for celiac, which I DO NOT HAVE - first I am off gluten, but second I have eaten it my whole life without a huge issue). 

 

He said if this stuff does not work then he would order a hydrogen methane breath test. I'm not going to take any of it. I get plenty of fiber thank you and if I want probiotics I will certainly choose a better brand than Align. 

[Physibeth]

Ugh so sorry Emily! Stupid doctors. Could you maybe try a natruopath or functional medical doctor?

 

Another thought...have you tried removing nightshades? You eat a lot of them so it might be worth testing.

[Physibeth]

Some more thoughts:

 

What is your percentage of cooked to raw vegetables? The last few days seems very raw vegetable heavy which can make constipation much worse. 

 

Have you considered removing coconut completely to ensure that you are not reacting to it?

 

I can't remember if you had said in another thread that you have tried and ruled out magnesium. I know natural calm is mostly advised here but I've read that sometimes it is better taken topically via magnesium oil sprayed on the skin or epson salt bath.

[Emily T]

Thanks for the advise, Physibeth!

 

To answer you questions - I have tried natural calm and it did not help really. I also think I would prefer to find out what is really happening here, if possible without supplements! I also went to a naturopath who ordered about $1500 worth of expensive tests before she would agree to treat me. Its just not in the cards for me financially right now!

 

I wasn't using coconut for the early part of my whole30 and still experiencing a lot of problems, though its worth trying again now that I am off probiotics and enzymes, to see if that might help. I do also plan to try FODMAP elimination and nightshade elimination over the next month or so - just keep trying new things. I definitely hear you on raw vegetables. I will give it a shot, cooking them more. I think for now its best to just keep experimenting, but I wanted to go to the GI doctor to get tested for parasites and rule out colitis and other inflammatory diseases.

 

So my food for the day. 

 

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; whole grass-fed yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, cantaloupe

Supplements - coconut oil (3 capsules), zinc

 

Lunch - Fiesta tuna salad (tuna, red peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapenos, mayo, lime and cilantro), carrots, cucumbers, a banana 

 

Dinner - Uh oh This week is restaurant week and my boyfriend and I have been dying to go to The Pig restaurant, so we made reservations here a while back. Its a special four course menu with limited options. I did not follow all of my rules. First I had a glass of riesling. I was nearly drunk when I finished, and glad to start eating. Wow, my tolerance is gone. The rest of my food for the night: 

 

First course - chilled sweet corn soup (just a small amount, like a shot glass - it was an amuse) 

Second course - carnitas served with pickled onions, cauliflower and green beans (SO GOOD)

Third course - a curried cauliflower over homemade yogurt

Fourth course - pork masala (pork with an Indian masala sauce - I did not eat the rice it came with) 

Dessert - The killer! I got a white chocolate panna cotta - I went through the "guide to off-roading" on the whole30 website and decided it was worth it. See "how I feel today" to find out if it was!

 

Late evening - coconut oil (3 capsules)

 

How do I feel today - I had some small relief from constipation this morning. Its not clear what from. I still feel as though I have something stuck in my throat and I have a terrible sore throat. I am considering adding apple cider vinegar to my repertoire each day. 

 

After my drink and dessert with dinner I got a terrible sugar headache! WOW! I did not expect that. Overall, I am okay with the fact that I went outside my restrictions (it was a special night) but wish I had chosen one or the other. Not going to be repeating that any time soon. At the moment it does not seem to be impacting my digestion at all. To be continued....

[Bet]

Hi Emily, The hydrogen test is for SIBO. If you do have that you may need antibiotics, You are right to avoid prilosec and metamucil. You don't need or want insoluable fiber. It will cause more gas and bloating. You should try eliminating FODMAPS as they also will cause gas and bloating. Garlic is a FODMAP and causes me problems.

Yes, prilosec may make you feel better if you have GERD, but it will also make it worse. It lowers the acid levels in your stomach, which can lead to SIBO. Chances are if you have GERD you already have low stomach acid and SIBO and that is why you have GERD. In addition to digestive enzymes, try taking additional HCL to supplement your natural stomach acid.. It sounds the opposite of what you should do, but it will help you digest your food, make your system less hospitible to SIBO and should help with the GERD. Also eliminating grains and legumes and processed foods will be necessary to keep the GERD away.

[Emily T]

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; whole grass-fed yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, peaches

Supplements - coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon stirred into yogurt

 

Lunch - Spinach salad with turkey, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes 

 

Dinner - Marinated flank steak, spinach salad with a balsamic-oil dressing, skillet roasted potatoes with a chipotle-honey-mayonnaise sauce, a square of chocolate

 

Late evening - zinc, 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

 

How do I feel today - Fatigued today and felt lethargic and irritable in the morning. Craved sugar all day. I blame dinner last night! No change in constipation, but no gas/bloating either. 

 

@Bet - Yes, I am avoiding the fiber, the probiotic (its not a good brand) and the Prilosec. I was taking enzymes and probiotics during my whole30 but they ultimately caused me to have random bouts of diarrhea alternating with constipation. I want to experiment with them over the coming weeks. After I have done that, I may try FODMAP elimination.

[Emily T]

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; whole grass-fed yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, peaches

Supplements - coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon stirred into yogurt

 

Lunch - Marinated flank steak, spinach salad with a balsamic-oil dressing, skillet roasted potatoes with a chipotle-honey-mayonnaise sauce

 

Dinner - Chipotle salad with carnitas, salsa, guac and cheese - a couple squares of chocolate

 

Late evening - zinc, 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

 

How do I feel today - I was pretty tired today. I had some relief from constipation but not enough. 

[Emily T]

So Saturday my housemates were throwing a big party and I have to admit I did quite a bit of off-roading. I am definitely paying for it today. Kind of bummed with myself but nothing I can do about it now.

 

Breakfast - homemade sausage patties; whole grass-fed yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon, cantaloup

Supplements - coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon stirred into yogurt

Lunch - BLT salad (bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo based dressing) 

Dinner - I made some paleo-friendly apps for the party - bacon wrapped dates, guacamole, a crudite tray. I also had some cocktails - I love bourbon, and took care to select a drink that wasn't so high in sugar. I brewed black tea, and mixed it with lemon and a bit of honey and added ice, bourbon, and mint. It was delicious! I am glad I was able to find a drink that did not involve diet coke or sugary sodas, but still let me enjoy my favorite liquor. In the future I need to try it decaffeinated though because I could not sleep. 

 

It also led to some very, very poor decisions. Over the course of the night I ended up eating corn chips, a dip made with corn and black beans in it, and then at the end of the night, I ate a mini cupcake and chocolate chip cookies. Damn. 

 

How do I feel today - I felt great all day and even when drinking, and I even was able to go to the bathroom, finally! I can't figure out what it was. The caffeine in all the tea? Could it be alcohol? Sorry to get TMI but it was the first normal-sized BM I've had in nearly two months. I cannot for the life of me figure out what it was. I also noticed that while I felt that I was tipsy rather quickly I did not feel terribly drunk at all, and I drank at a slower pace than normal. 

 

Unfortunately I felt AWFUL the moment the sugary snacks touched my lips. The headache was INSTANT. The realization that came with eating that crap is that clearly alcohol lowers my self control. I never would have touched it if I had been sober. I was around cookies and the cupcakes all day and did not want to eat them. I ran into this when I quit smoking and ultimately had to quit drinking for a bit in order to successfully kick cigarettes. It may be that I need to keep away from the booze for now. Its going to be hard as I have five different weddings coming up for close friends and family. But this is my health and that needs to take precedence.

 

I have a sugar hangover and a moral hangover today. My head is killing me from all that sugar in the cookies, and my guilt is killing me too. Not worth it. I really think what Melissa wrote about moderation is true for me. Its easier to abstain entirely than to consume sugar in moderation. I have a little and I go crazy! I will have to revisit this post the next time I want just one cookie and remember how shitty I felt the next day. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - Did not feel so hot this morning. Had some plain turkey and some carrot sticks, 2 cups bone broth 

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil - I am tolerating it MUCH better now. 

Lunch - Salad with tomato, onion, and leftover steak and a balsamic dressing, handful of cashews (WHY do I keep doing this? I need to just throw the damn things away) and a nectarine 

Snack - I had a piece of bacon while making my breakfast casserole for the week, and several probiotic pickles

Dinner - Sweet potato avocado chipotle soup  - its a vegan recipe but I added in my own crock pot cooked pulled pork and used my bone broth instead of water. Had a spinach salad on the side. 

 

How do I feel today - Hungover and guilty. Achy, gassy, bloated, and stupid. I haven't been following my own rules, I'm snacking more, I'm craving sugar more, this needs to stop! I'm also really annoyed that I cannot pinpoint what led to such relief from constipation yesterday. Could it be more fat, more caffeine, the alcohol, the beans, WHAT? THIS is why you do not reintroduce so much crap at once. I'm really angry at myself. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - Egg casserole with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and aged cheddar - 1/2 cup yogurt with cinnamon and cantaloup

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil 

Lunch - Salad with carrots, red peppers, cucumbers and turkey with balsamic dressing and a nectarine 

Snack - Two strawberries and a square of chcoolate

Dinner - Sweet potato avocado carnitas chipotle soup with a spinach salad

Late evening - More coconut oil 

 

How do I feel today - Fine - my BM's seem a bit more regular but are still small and difficult to pass. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - Egg casserole with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and aged cheddar 

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil , probiotic, bone broth 

Lunch - Leftover sweet potato avo carnitas soup with a spinach salad, peace

Dinner - Fresh tomatoes, steamed broccoli with butter, almond crusted chicken fingers in a homemade buffalo-mayo dipping sauce, dark chocolate

Late evening - coconut oil, probiotic

 

How do I feel today - I was a little nauseated after breakfast. Maybe a bit too heavy on the coconut oil. I also got a bit gassy after dinner. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - Egg casserole with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and aged cheddar 

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil , probiotic, bone broth 

Lunch - Fresh tomatoes, steamed broccoli with butter, almond crusted chicken fingers in a homemade buffalo-mayo dipping sauce, a Dove milk chocolate square

Dinner - Spinach with cucumber and carrots; sweet potato avocado carnitas soup

Late evening - coconut oil, probiotic

 

How do I feel today - I totally broke out like crazy yesterday - three painful pimples. Its either the probiotics or its because of lady-issues. Hard to tell right now. Other than that I have felt fine. I'm super stressed at work right now and I'm not sleeping enough because of work, so I am really tired. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - Egg casserole with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and aged cheddar; yogurt and peaches

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil , probiotic, bone broth 

Lunch - Sweetgreen salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, avocado, and chicken

Snack - a couple of dates, some cashews

Dinner - Chorizo lettuce tacos with guacamole, cheddar cheese and salsa

Late evening - 2 bacon-wrapped dates, probiotic, coconut oil

 

How do I feel today - Extremely stressed, extremely tired. Some things at work combined with the fact that I have to go out of town for a wedding have made the past few days very difficult. I tried to pack some snacks tonight for my trip tomorrow. I just want to sleep, but have so much to do. Physically I am fine, but very tired. After experiencing a lot of relief from constipation over the past few days, I have felt very bloated and backed up today. 

[Emily T]

So I have been MIA for the past few days because I was out of town at a wedding. While I appreciate the suggestions here for how to make-do while traveling, my hotel room had no fridge, and a tiny bucket for ice, so bringing my own snacks failed - I had to throw out most of what I brought. Whats more, I was not in the room that much, as I was doing wedding stuff and visiting friends. The choices were limited, but I did the best I could when it came to meals. The place where I really off-roaded was with alcohol and sweets at the wedding. 

 

Friday

Breakfast - Egg casserole with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and aged cheddar

Supplements - Zinc, teaspoon coconut oil , probiotic, bone broth 

Lunch - Chorizo lettuce tacos with guacamole, cheddar cheese and salsa

Dinner - Larabar, bacon wrapped data, carrots and guacamole 

Late evening - Bourbon (probably 2-3 drinks?) and some shot that someone ordered for me - came home and ate the snacks in the room which included chocolate covered graham crackers and peanut butter crackers. FAIL.

 

Saturday

Brunch - Turkey sausage, scrambled eggs with veggies (was at a restaurant, not sure what the veggies were but there were not many so I ordered a small salad...which was miniscule!), breakfast potatoes

Supplements - probiotic 

Afternoon snack - Larabar

Dinner - Champagne! And then actual dinner: caprese salad (basil, tomato, mozzarella), steak, crab cake, asparagus, potatoes. 

Late evening - Bourbon. Lots of bourbon. And then the dreaded cookie table. If you are from Pittsburgh you know about the cookie table. I ate an ungodly amount of cookies at this wedding. 

 

Sunday

Breakfast - Street tacos - corn tortillas, chorizo, lettuce, onions, salsa, deliciousness. 

Supplements - probiotic 

Lunch - Lunch was stupid - we were on the road and there was nothing to eat, ANYWHERE. I got a crappy little vegetable thing (carrots, cucumbers, and celery) and a bag of pistachios. 

Dinner - Big chopped salad with tons and tons of veggies. I missed you veggies! I threw on some chopped turkey as well.

 

Monday

Breakfast - Carnitas soup with tomato, sweet potato, avocado

Lunch - I wasn't terribly hungry so I snacked on carrots and a piece of turkey. In the later afternoon I sauteed up some cauliflower with rosemary and garlic. 

Dinner - Marinated flank steak; salad with romaine, cucumbers and tomatoes

 

I really missed vegetables this weekend. After the alcohol and cookies, I felt so physically awful on Sunday. I am still feeling it - lethargic and a bit slow-moving. I'm back on track now and ready to hunker down. I have another wedding this weekend and I really need to find a way to get through it without drinking. I find it so hard to abstain when other people are getting rowdy, but clearly its negatively affecting my progress (for the second time now). 

 

As far as my symptoms, constipation is no longer the way to describe me. Its more of an irregularity issue at this point. I'd like to say this is from all the broth and everything I had been doing to heal my gut, but I cannot be sure. The ONLY way to be sure is to get back on track, and keep writing everything down. 

[Emily T]

Beyond exhausted and stressed for work reasons today, so just going to post really quickly.

 

B: Egg casserole with tons of veggies (no cheese this time) and chicken sausage

L: Big chopped salad with leftover steak; peach

Snack: Someone brought in these zuchinni banana applesauce brownies. They may have had flour, but I am not sure

D: Leftover carnitas soup - got home really late and did not have the energy to make a salad, but the soup has a lot of tomatoes and sweet potatoes

 

Feeling: awful, exhausted and stressed. I'm not sleeping because the stress at work is causing these adrenaline jumps. I'm craving sugar and cigarettes like a madwoman. I HATE MY JOB!

[Emily T]

Breakfast: Egg casserole with tons of veggies and chicken sausage; probiotic; bone broth 

Lunch: Arugula with roasted chicken, roasted garlic, red peppers, and goat cheese

Snack: A couple pieces of fruit, a handful of popcorn, a handful of almonds, and a small piece of chocolate

Dinner: Leftover steak with steamed broccoli and butter

Night: Probiotic, coconut oil 

[Emily T]

Okay - I'm back, after a few days off of reporting due to work stress, travel, and a wedding!

 

Breakfast - wasn't hungry, so had some bone broth, probiotic, zinc - skipped coconut oil as it doesn't sit well on an empty stomach for me 

Lunch - Chopped salad with romaine, green onion, red pepper, turkey, oil and balsamic

Snack - I was not satisfied after the salad so I had some good quality beef jerky, carrots, and a little avocado

Dinner - Baked spicy pork chop, broccoli with butter and salt, sweet potato carmelized with a little balsamic and brown sugar, square of dark chocolate 

Before bed - Probiotic, zinc, coconut oil

 

How do I feel: I'm feeling fine today. After so much off-roading the past few weeks, I'm surprised that I do not feel worse. I am excited to get back on track (for real this time). Last week really put me to the test - the stress I was under at work made me crave food and alcohol in a way that I did not have to deal with on the whole30. I off-roaded quite a bit. Its a good lesson to learn - and the pain I felt on Friday and Saturday are definitely reminders for next time. I need to learn how to handle stress better. 

[Emily T]

Breakfast - 1/2 peice of breakfast casserole - really just did not have an appetite again; bone broth, probiotic, zinc, coconut oil 

Lunch - Sweetgreen salad: mesclun with tomatoes, cranberries onions, sweet potatoes, candied pecans, goat cheese, chicken and balsamic-olive oil dressing 

Snack - A piece of beef jerky and a mint chocolate Dove promise 

Dinner - Thai red curry with chicken, broccoli, red peppers, water chesnuts, and coconut milk

Before bed - Probiotic, zinc, coconut oil

[Emily T]

Breakfast - 1/2 peice of breakfast casserole - really just did not have an appetite again; probiotic, zinc, coconut oil 

Lunch - Leftover chicken curry 

Snack - A piece of beef jerky, carrots, guacamole, and a piece of chocolate

Dinner - Buffalo chicken salad (mayo, chicken breast, bleu cheese, and buffalo sauce), served over a huge salad of greens, tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers; piece of chocolate

Before bed - Probiotic, coconut oil

 

I'm all out of bone broth! Need to make some more. I am feeling pretty good right now. BM's are more regular, though not 100%. I am still gassy and bloated a bit - its primarily in the evening, after dinner, and in the early morning, before breakfast. Its no longer an all-day thing. I am finally getting a hydrogen breath test next week to test for SIBO. I plan to continue the broth, coconut oil, and zinc mixture as it seems to be working.