The 5R’s: REBALANCE: The “Tend the Garden” Phase

Last time, we looked at the fourth phase of effective Gut Rehab:

The ‘REINOCULATE’ Phase

This highlighted the importance of carefully rebuilding your beneficial gut ecosystem.

Today we move to the fifth and final phase in the framework I use when addressing Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO):

The ‘REBALANCE’ Phase

And in many ways…

this is where the real work begins.

Because by the time you reach this stage, you are often feeling much better...

Your bloating is down
Your bowel habits are more settled
Your stomach feels calmer
Your fear of food has often reduced
Symptoms that once felt constant are now largely gone.

Which is obviously the goal!

But interestingly…

this is also the point where (in my experience) you are most at risk of slipping back into your old habits.

You might think, because your symptoms have subsided, that you can start eating more like you used to.

The structure loosens...

The intention relaxes...

And before long…

The gut starts becoming unsettled again.

"Oh for goodness sake...why, Ben, why?"

Because even though the symptoms have gone…

it doesn’t mean the work is done.

And that is the vital takeaway from this phase.

Your gut, much like a garden, needs tending to.

You cannot spend months clearing the weeds, improving the soil, planting the right things, and bringing it back to life…

only to then walk away and expect it to thrive forever.

It still needs watering.

It still needs feeding.

It still needs looking after.

And that is exactly what REBALANCE is about.

Why REBALANCE Matters:

Let’s take stock of where we are in the gut rehab journey…

We began with the REMOVE phase, where we aimed to reduce the opportunistic bacterial burden , calm the immune system and identify what was clearly aggravating your symptoms.

Then came the REPLACE phase, where we focused on restoring the missing pieces of healthy digestion. Things like:

Stomach acid / Bile flow / Digestive enzymes / Motility support

Then, in the REPAIR phase, we turned our attention to the gut lining itself, helping calm inflammation and support barrier integrity.

After that, we moved into REINOCULATE, where we started rebuilding the beneficial side of the microbiome using the right fibres, the right foods, and where appropriate, the right probiotic support.

And now…

We need to keep nurturing all those improvements.

Because the goal is not just to feel better for a few weeks.

The goal is to create a gut environment that stays healthier, more resilient, and less likely to slip backwards.

I often call this the 'Maintenance' Phase:

REBALANCE is really all about maintenance.

It is about recognising that many of the habits which help support a healthier gut microbiome are not meant to be short-term interventions…

they are meant to become part of how you live.

Not rigidly.

Not perfectly.

Not obsessively.

But consistently enough that your gut continues to benefit.

Because once the weeds have been cleared and the soil is in better shape…

You still need to keep tending the garden.

And for the gut, that means continuing with the sorts of habits that help beneficial bacteria thrive.

What Does Maintenance Look Like?

At this stage, I usually encourage clients to think less in terms of a “protocol”…

and more in terms of lifestyle maintenance.

This often includes:

Eating the rainbow:

You need to include a wide variety of colourful plant foods helps provide different fibres and polyphenols, which support microbial diversity and help nourish a broader range of beneficial bacteria.

Including fermented foods regularly:

Where tolerated, include foods such as live yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods which help support the gut ecosystem and keep beneficial microbes coming in.

Daily nuts and seeds:

Nuts and seeds can be a really useful part of long-term gut maintenance, as they provide fibre, healthy fats, minerals, and plant compounds that help support overall gut and metabolic health.

Continuing to prioritise plant variety:

The gut microbiome tends to do better when it is exposed to a wider range of plant foods over time, rather than the same five “safe” foods on repeat.

Keeping the foundations in place:

Things like chewing properly, not reverting back to ultra-processed foods, managing stress, prioritising sleep, and maintaining regular movement still matter here too.

Because all of these things help shape the environment your gut bacteria live in.

Smart Supplement Support:

By this point, you will be able to use what you have learnt to use supplements, intelligently, as and when the situation dictates...

What support is useful?

When is it useful?

When is it unnecessary?

That is a big part of what REBALANCE is about.

It is about taking what you have learned throughout the process and using it more strategically when life places extra demand on your gut.

For example...

If you are going out for a bigger or heavier meal than usual,

it may make sense to take digestive enzymes with you.

If you are going through a more stressful period at work,

and you know stress tends to slow digestion down, magnesium citrate before bed may help support bowel regularity and motility.

If you are travelling,

especially somewhere unfamiliar, it can be sensible to bring support such as Saccharomyces boulardii or a well-tolerated probiotic to help protect the gut and reduce the chances of things being thrown off course.

If you ever need antibiotics again in the future,

having a plan for probiotic or Saccharomyces boulardii support may help reduce some of the disruption that can follow.

The key here is that we are no longer trying to throw the kitchen sink at symptoms.

We are simply asking:

What level of support helps keep the gut stable, without overcomplicating things?

And sometimes, using supplements in a smart, timely and flexible way can be part of that answer.

The Takeaway:

Please remember: The goal Is NOT perfection

This phase is not about eating perfectly forevermore...

It's about understanding what keeps your gut well…and respecting that.

REBALANCE is about listening early, before things quietly drift back to the way they were...

Because ideally...

you shouldn’t need to go looking for someone like me again.

(Yes, I do realise that’s not a brilliant business model.)

You need to keep enough of the good stuff in place that your gut remains a well-tended ecosystem...

We keep tending to it.

And that is what REBALANCE is all about:

Keeping enough of the right habits in place for long enough…

that your gut does not just improve…

it stays improved.

P.S: I hope this series has helped you understand your gut in a new light. If you would like help applying this approach to your own symptoms, please click below