Irritable Bowel Syndrome http://learntruehealth.com/irritable-bowel-syndrome/ Understanding Irritable Bowel Syndrome Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that is very curable. Most people often experience this because of bad diet, wrong lifestyle and stress. There are conventional medicines to cure irritable bowel syndrome, but my guest, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg, is a staunch advocate of healing IBS through a natural approach. Conventional Background Like a lot of Naturopathic Doctors who came from a Conventional Medicine background, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg is no different. He describes himself as a science-minded student who initially planned to get a Ph.D. degree and become a researcher. Dr. Joshua Goldenberg acquired his undergraduate degree in Biology and Genetics from the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, he eventually found work outside Pennsylvania doing molecular work in a laboratory. Soul-searching However, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg wasn’t happy being cooped up in a basement laboratory most of the time. Much as he was fascinated by the science of it all, he felt an intense yearning to do something that allowed him to interact with people. Hence, after deciding not to pursue a Ph.D. degree, he saved enough money and flew to Mexico instead. Travelling around Central America for a year, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg took advantage of this time to figure out what he wanted to do. Ending up in Guatemala, Dr. Goldenberg met this one person who he considered his oracle. He confided in this person that he was passionate about science, but the art was missing. Because of this, that person told him that he should look into going to Bastyr University and become a Naturopath. “I found an internet cafe and researched. It was a marriage of science and the heart,” recalls Dr. Joshua Goldenberg. “So I booked a flight home, and within months after touring several other schools, I did end up studying at Bastyr University.” Career Shift Dr. Joshua Goldenberg admits that the first year at Bastyr University was hard but challenging. After graduating from Bastyr University, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg eventually found work as a Naturopath Doctor at a family practice clinic. During his tenure at the clinic, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg noticed that majority of the patients who were treated for healing their gut health had massive changes. Because the response to natural healing was very positive, Dr. Joshua Goldenberg eventually established his clinic which focused on gut health. Probiotics Research Dr. Joshua Goldenberg is likewise a researcher. His papers primarily focus on evidence-based practice, irritable bowel syndrome, probiotics, and research methodology. “We statistically combine research studies and find the truth. What blew me away was the findings on Pediatric Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea,” said Dr. Joshua Goldenberg. “Twenty percent of kids develop diarrhea. And we studied how to protect the kids’ guts through probiotics. It cuts the risk in half.” He believes that not everyone needs to be taking probiotics since there is a risk to develop blood infection. According to Dr. Joshua Goldenberg, taking probiotics depends on the health situation of the individual. “I saw how powerful natural medicine could be. Personally, I don’t feel we need pills to stay well,” Dr. Goldenberg said. “The goal should be getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, good diet and strengthen spiritual mindset.” Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), is a condition wherein a bacteria stays longer and multiplies in the small intestine. Typically, the stomach muscle and small intestine should be able to push the food from your stomach through the small intestine and into your colon. When this muscle action happens, bacteria are usually swept out of the small intestine. However, when SIBO occurs, we tend to experience symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and cramping. There are some hea