“IBS can precede an autoimmune diagnosis by about 5 to 15 years.” - Dr. Izabella WentzIBS 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!---Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/getting-to-the-root-cause-of-ibs-with-izabella-wentz/.Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).