83: The Biggest Lie About Gut Health: Why Probiotics Aren't the Answer

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become one of the most intriguing—and misunderstood—tools in the world of gut health. In this episode, Josh breaks down what fecal transplants actually do, where the science is strongest, and why they should not be treated as a universal “miracle cure.” The conversation begins with the basic science behind FMT: transferring microbes from a screened donor into a recipient with the goal of restoring microbial diversity and improving the ecology of the ...

IBS and IBD are often confused with one another, but they are not the same condition—and understanding the difference may be one of the most important steps in making sense of chronic gut symptoms. In this episode, Josh Dech breaks down the distinction between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He explains why IBS is generally considered a functional disorder, while IBD involves structural changes such as infl...

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are often approached primarily through the lens of symptom management, medication, and surgery. But what happens when we start asking a different question: What may have contributed to the development of the disease in the first place? In this episode, Josh Dech explores a root-cause approach to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), challenging listeners to look beyond the label and investigate the layers that may influence gut health, inflammation, the micr...

Finding the root cause of Crohn’s disease, colitis, diverticulitis, IBS, and other chronic gut conditions is rarely as simple as ordering one laboratory test. In this episode, Josh Dech explains why a history-first approach can be more valuable than immediately ordering an expensive battery of functional medicine tests. Josh walks through how he investigates the timeline leading up to chronic gut symptoms, including events that may have occurred months, years, or even decades before diagnosis...

SIBO—small intestinal bacterial overgrowth—is often treated as though the bacteria themselves are the entire problem. But what if the overgrowth is actually a sign that something deeper in the digestive system has gone wrong? In this episode of Reversing Crohn’s and Colitis Naturally, Josh Dech takes a root-cause approach to SIBO and explains why simply trying to eliminate excess bacteria may not be enough to create lasting improvement. Josh breaks down what SIBO is, why the small intestine n...