The SIBO + Lymph Connection
In 2012, our co-founder, Cassandra Hope, registered at CSNN to begin her journey as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. The reason she decided to take that path was similar to many others who attended CSNN: to heal their own digestive systems and hopefully help others do the same.
After two intense years of study, learning about the importance of eating a whole foods diet, rich in fibre and dynamic in sources of macronutrients, Cassandra found herself even more uncomfortable than when she began her studies.
She felt confused, defeated, and honestly at an all-time high of fear around foods and social outings. What was going on in there that hadn't been brought to her attention in pathophysiology, pathology, or case studies?
One fateful day, Cassandra attended a Metagenics conference and happened to sit next to a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) who seemed impressed that she had brought her own food to the event and took an interest in learning more about her expertise in nutrition.
Cassandra mentioned that even while eating no refined foods, drinking alcohol, or using recreational or pharmaceutical drugs, she still suffered from extreme bloating, constipation, food sensitivities, and chronic fatigue.
Her new ND friend suggested she knew what might be happening and mentioned a term Cassandra had never heard before, yet one a few specialized NDs were beginning to educate their communities about.
SIBO: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.
The difference between SIBO and those who presented with traditional IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) was the level of gas, distension, and pain presenting specifically in the lower abdomen and typically occurring 2–3 hours after eating a meal, the amount of time it takes for food to reach the small intestine.
This conversation led to many months of following a strict 5R protocol, which involved:
R: remove common irritants, including gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol (sometimes more)
R: replace enzymes that support digestion and assimilation, leaving less nutrients in the gut for fermentation
R: reduce the load of bacteria in the gut by using targeted antimicrobials (this caused die-off, which could be very uncomfortable for certain bodies)
R: repair the gut lining using ingredients like glutamine, zinc carnosine, and aloe
R: reinoculate the gut with specific types of pre- and probiotics known to resist future occurrences of overgrowth
Cassandra was left feeling so much better to the point where she approached her ND with the idea of launching a business specializing in supporting people in identifying and treating SIBO at the root cause.
This birthed The IBS Academy.
Over the next seven years, Cassandra and her partner educated and supported dozens of women and men to better understand the importance of balancing the microbiome, stress, and lifestyle measures to ensure healthy digestion and assimilation of the common nutrients that certain bacteria prefer to feed from our diets.
Many people were elated with the results. However, there were downsides to this approach. Let's take a look at some of the top issues.
One round of the 5R protocol took roughly three months to complete and, on average, cost about $1,500–$2,000.
Eating a low FODMAP diet was technically required to reduce inflammation and encourage healing. This meant many people were not ingesting the healthy fibres that also fuel their beneficial microbes. Food restriction was not sustainable nor truly wholistic in the grand scheme of things.
Many people were severely affected by intense fatigue, chronic pain, autoimmune flares, and more due to the die-off from reducing the bacterial load. Not everyone is a good candidate for clearing the biotoxins released during the third R phase.
One round was often not enough to resolve SIBO. Many people had 60+ ppm of an overgrowth appear on testing. On average, one round of the 5R protocol would reduce the bacterial load by 20 ppm, leaving people having to do several rounds to achieve less than 20 ppm in the small intestine. This was costly, exhausting, and not sustainable for many clients.
90% percent of our clients resolved; however, relapse was a thing. Many clients would come back complaining of a resurgence of symptoms and asking what next steps would be. We didn't suggest doing more than three rounds of the 5R protocol to respect the health of their microbiome, leaving many people to look at lifestyle and the nervous system as root causes of relapse.
At this time, the pandemic had hit, and Cassandra had unfortunately developed severe mycotoxin illness from toxic mold exposure in a home she was living in.
This felt like a curse, yet also a blessing, as it led her into a new path of learning to identify the true root causes of chronic illness and infections.
After years of studying functional medicine, the nervous system, and, in more recent years, fluid movement and hydrostatic pressure, Cassandra not only found a sustainable level of gut health, allowing her to enjoy more foods, more social outings, and less fear around not eating or living perfectly, but also co-founded the Toronto Lymphatic Academy with her brilliant partner, Thais, who became her partner in research and care.
Together, they have tenaciously uncovered the latest data and clinical approaches to addressing stagnant fluids and an overwhelmed nervous system, leading to bodies that simply cannot effectively manage waste, inflammation, acidity, and the opportunistic and potentially pathogenic microbes which make up ten times more cells than human cells themselves.
The data they uncovered showed the issues weren't whole foods themselves, a lack of antimicrobials, or supplement-based liver support.
The issues were rooted in:
Nervous systems stuck in a chronic stress state, not allowing proper blood flow and nerve signalling to the visceral organs, small intestine included, leaving food undigested and like a buffet for potentially pathogenic microbes to feed from. Just like an aquarium with no water pump, stagnant fluids lead to an overgrowth of unideal microbes in the tank. In a human body, this can present with:
Stagnant fluids, such as blood, lymph, hydrochloric acid, and bile, which are essential fluids to collect waste and neutralize potentially pathogenic microbes in the body. This also led to a byproduct of acidity, which created...
An ideal environment for biofilms to develop and potentially pathogenic microbes to take root in the body. Pathogens can only bind to acidic tissue, and beneficial microbes require alkaline tissue to stand ground in our terrain.
A lack of movement, improper diaphragmatic breathing, and restricted fascia were amongst some of the structural issues lending to this chronic picture of poor waste elimination, food intolerances, chronic gut pain, and disease presentations.
This is why we developed the LINFA Method™.
A science-based approach to manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) for both the superficial and deep fascial and lymphatic pathways, encouraging nervous system regulation for both the client and practitioner, better fluid movement, and community education so people can create real change in their lives and sustain healthy fluid movement.
Our goal is to support the body's natural antimicrobial and terrain-regulating mechanisms without relying on endless nutraceuticals, restrictive diets, or strict protocols that can sometimes seem never-ending.
We are on a mission to educate practitioners and communities on the importance of stress regulation, movement, self-applied lymphatic care, and, if desired, regular touchpoints with a local Lymphatic Drainage Specialist. Together, these practices can help you better understand and address the lifestyle contributors that create stagnation in the gut and may be contributing to a SIBO diagnosis.
If you want to learn more about how to address your specific symptoms of IBS, food intolerances, and/or SIBO, you have two options here at The Academy:
Begin the practitioner pathway with our Level 1 training. We accept regulated and non-regulated students and host monthly trainings in downtown Toronto.
Book with our co-founder, Cassandra Hope, a gut-specialized Lymphatic Drainage Practitioner, Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN), and Colon Hydrotherapist, at Longév Clinic in downtown Toronto.
Gut health shouldn't be confusing, overwhelming, and restrictive. In our experience and professional opinion, it should be inspiring, educational, and self-empowering.
Have more questions?
Feel free to email us directly at info@torontolymphaticacademy.com.
We hope to see you in clinic or class soon.
Lymph Always,
The Toronto Lymphatic Academy
