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About the episode
“IBS can precede an autoimmune diagnosis by about 5 to 15 years.” – Dr. Izabella Wentz
IBS is the ultimate catch-all diagnosis. It doesn’t really tell you anything, and so many women spend years with their symptoms expanding way beyond digestion. Bloating turns into fatigue. Food sensitivities become anxiety, skin issues, pelvic pain, brain fog, autoimmune symptoms, cycle changes, or chronic inflammation that no one can ever explain. As practitioners, it’s our job to unravel that IBS diagnosis and help our clients to get to the root cause.
Gut health is never only about the gut. The intestinal lining, the microbiome, the immune system, the nervous system, stress physiology, infections, and nutrient status are constantly influencing one another. This is why gut issues often show up with other chronic conditions like endometriosis. Once your gut ecosystem loses resilience, the ripple effects can show up almost anywhere in the body.
Today, I’m joined by Dr. Izabella Wentz, pharmacist, thyroid expert, and author of The IBS Solution. Izabella shares how her IBS diagnosis during pharmacy school eventually led to uncovering Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and a much deeper understanding of the gut-immune connection. We talk about intestinal permeability and autoimmunity, the role of stress and nervous system regulation in shaping the microbiome, why IBS can sometimes mask other conditions, how to start thinking more systematically about root causes, functional testing, practical clinical strategies for helping clients move beyond symptom management, and more.
Enjoy the episode, and let’s innovate and integrate together!
Highlights
- Izabella’s journey to remission from IBS and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- How gut dysfunction and intestinal permeability can lead to autoimmune disease
- The functional testing approaches Izabella uses
- Why nervous system regulation matters in healing gut health
- Approaching the gut microbiome clinically despite conflicting research findings
- The many root causes that can drive IBS symptoms
- How infections like COVID-19 and norovirus can trigger long-term digestive issues
- Why air purification and indoor air quality matter
- How to prioritize treatment when multiple digestive issues are present at the same time
Learn more about Dr. Izabella Wentz
- Dr. Izabella Wentz’s Website & Books | ThyroidPharmacist.com
- Dr. Izabella Wentz on Instagram @izabellawentzpharmd
- Dr. Izabella Wentz on Facebook
- Dr. Izabella Wentz on YouTube @ThyroidPharmacist
About Dr. Izabella Wentz
Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.
As an accomplished author, Dr. Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times best seller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times best seller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, and the Wall Street Journal best seller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health.
Her last book, Adrenal Transformation Protocol, focuses on resetting the body’s stress response through targeted safety signals. It is based on her successful 4-week program, which has helped over 3,500 people reduce symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, sleep issues, and libido.
Her book, IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, was released on March 17, 2026. While IBS is often treated as a standalone diagnosis, an IBS diagnosis is often a sign of deeper, unaddressed imbalances for those with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s. Drawing on professional insight, current research, and real-world strategies, IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome outlines clear, practical steps to help readers identify the drivers of gut dysfunction, follow gentle healing protocols, and finally feel better from the inside out.
Learn more about The Integrative Women’s Health Institute’s Programs
- Perimenopause and Menopause Certificate Program
- The Integrative Women’s Health Membership
- Endometriosis Certificate Program
Ready to revolutionize your career and grow your practice?
- Integrative Women’s Health Institute on Instagram | @integrativewomenshealth
- Integrative Women’s Health Institute on YouTube
Click here for a full transcript of the episode.
Join Dr. Jessica Drummond to learn proven strategies to confidently address perimenopause, menopause, and chronic conditions while growing a profitable and impactful practice.
Discover proven strategies to attract high-value clients, deliver transformational results, and position yourself as a sought-after expert in this rapidly growing field.
Dr. Jessica Drummond
Founder & CEO
The Integrative Women’s Health Institute
At the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, we’ve dedicated 17 years to crafting evidence-driven, cutting-edge programs that empower practitioners like you to address the complexities of women’s health.
Dr. Jessica Drummond’s unique approach focuses on functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, movement therapies, nervous system dysregulation, trauma, and mindset – essential elements often overlooked in traditional health education.
In addition, your training will be fully evidence based, personalized, and nuanced (this is not a cookie cutter approach) in functional nutrition, exercise, recovery, cellular health, and all other lifestyle medicine tools.
You’ll learn to support your clients with cutting edge tools safely and effectively.
