Why Most Gut Protocols Don’t Work:
Introducing the 5 R's
I’d say most clients who come to me for help with their gut have already been “working on it” for some time.
I don't mean this disrespectfully, they have often done a lot of their own research and are very knowledgeable.
They’ve:
Tried probiotics
Removed gluten
Taken antimicrobials
Followed low FODMAP
Cut out dairy
Often spent a fortune
And yet…
The bloating comes back...
The reflux creeps in....
The constipation or loose stools return...
So what’s going on?
It’s rarely a lack of effort...
More often, the problem isn’t what was done, but the order it was done in.
The Probiotic Trap:
In my experience most people start with probiotics.
And I understand why.
It feels simple.
It feels hopeful.
It feels like action.
But underneath that decision is something deeper...
A lot of us have been conditioned into the old medicine model:
Symptom → Pill → Fixed.
You have a headache...You take something.
Acid reflux...suppress it.
Bloating...maybe you need more of the 'good guys' in there.
"Why do we do this, Ben?"
I believe there’s a quiet hope that one capsule will be the thing that finally sorts it.
And of course, it might help.
But with complex gut issues like Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) it rarely works like that.
Because if the environment hasn’t changed…
If motility is sluggish…
If stomach acid is low…
If stress is chronically high…
If meals are rushed and eaten in fight-or-flight…
Then adding more bacteria into that system can actually:
Increase fermentation
Worsen bloating
Trigger more discomfort
Or simply do very little
"You cannot simply plant seeds in soil that hasn’t been prepared."
That’s not a supplement failure...
It’s a sequencing issue!
Why Symptoms Keep Returning:
Another common pattern I see:
People will do their own antimicrobial protocol.
Symptoms may likely improve.
Then…
3 months later, they’re back.
That’s because the bacteria weren’t the only issue.
SIBO is often a downstream consequence of:
Impaired motility
Low stomach acid
Poor bile flow
Post-infectious changes
Chronic stress
Irregular eating patterns
Overtraining
Sleep disruption
If those drivers aren’t addressed, the terrain doesn’t change.
And relapse becomes predictable.
Gut Healing Is Not a Supplement Stack:
This is where I think gut work often goes wrong.
It becomes: A list of capsules.
Instead of:
A structured physiological process.
When I work with clients, particularly those with SIBO, I use an adapted version of the 5R framework.
Not because its cool (which it is)
...But as a sequence.
Because order matters.
The 5R Framework I Use
Remove: Address what is driving imbalance — pathogens, inflammatory foods, stress load, mechanical strain on digestion.
Replace: Support what may be missing — stomach acid, enzymes, bile, motility, rhythm.
Repair: Calm inflammation and support the gut lining.
Reinoculate: Rebuild diversity once the terrain is ready.
Rebalance: Restore nervous system regulation, circadian rhythm, sustainable habits.
What I've described above, is most people jumping straight to step 4: Reinoculate...
But...if step 1 hasn’t been handled properly… nothing stabilises.
What Comes Next?
Over the next few blogs in this series, I’ll break down each stage in more detail, so that if you are someone dealing with unwanted gut symptoms, you can better understand what may be going wrong and how to start improving your gut health in the right order.
I’ll also explain why SIBO in particular requires this kind of structured approach.
Because gut healing isn’t about fighting bacteria.
It’s about restoring regulation.
And when regulation improves, symptoms often follow.