Ep. 568 "It’s Not Just Stress!” – The Two 'Red Flag' Symptoms You Should Never Ignore with Dr. Izabella Wentz | Menopause, Perimenopause & Gut Health

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

Cynthia Thurlow

Nutrition, Alternative Health, Life Sciences, Science, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I am thrilled to reconnect with Dr. Izabella Wentz today. She is a pioneering clinical pharmacist and best-selling author, with a passion for identifying the root causes of complex health conditions. She has consulted on 1000s of difficult cases, and her upcoming book is called IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In today’s conversation, we explore relevant statistics, dietary triggers, and specific labs that can be helpful when navigating an IBS diagnosis. We highlight red flags, examine the impact of fiber, the intricate connection between short-chain fatty acids and thyroid health, and how stress, trauma, and the nervous system affect gut health. Dr. Wentz also offers some practical strategies and answers a series of rapid-fire questions. Dr. Wentz’s latest book offers a fascinating exploration of IBS, guiding readers through diagnosis and treatment options, and empowering them to advocate for themselves. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How IBS is often given as a diagnosis without any lab testing or further investigation Some of the lesser-known dietary IBS triggers, and how IBS-type symptoms can sometimes signal an entirely different underlying condition How digestive dysfunction can drive IBS symptoms Why fiber is essential, and how to increase your fiber intake slowly to avoid any digestive distress How stress can exacerbate IBS symptoms Constipation as a symptom of IBS Why most women tend to have a leaky gut Challenges of restrictive diets and the need for a balanced approach to gut health First steps to take when treating IBS Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com. Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Izabella Wentz On Instagram Dr. Wentz’s latest book, Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, will be available for purchase on Amazon and in any reputable bookstore on March 17th.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Everyday Wellness Podcast.
0:04.0	I'm your host, Nurse Practitioner Cynthia Thurlow.
0:07.0	This podcast is designed to educate, empower, and inspire you to achieve your health and wellness goals.
0:13.0	My goal and intent is to provide you with the best content and conversations from leaders in the health and wellness industry each week and impact over a million lives.
0:28.7	Today, I had the honor of reconnecting with Dr. Isabella Wentz. She's a pioneering clinical pharmacist and bestselling author with a passion for getting to the root cause of complex health conditions.
0:40.4	She's consulted on thousands of difficult cases and her most recent book, her upcoming book, is called IBS,
0:47.9	Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Today we discussed relevant statistics, the impact of dietary triggers,
0:57.2	specific labs that can be helpful navigating an IBS diagnoses, red flags, the impact of fiber,
1:04.2	how short chain fatty acids and thyroid health can be intricately interwoven, how stress
1:09.9	trauma and the nervous system impact gut health,
1:12.5	as well as practical strategies and rapid fire questions. Dr. Wentz's new book is really a fascinating
1:20.5	expose on IBS, how to find and treat it, and be able to advocate for yourself.
1:29.7	This is Bella. So nice to have you back on the podcast. Welcome back to everyday wellness.
1:33.9	Thank you so much for having me. Cynthia. It's always such a pleasure to be with you.
1:37.7	Yeah. You know, we were talking in the pre-chat about current statistics on over-the-counter medications that I was completely surprised at
1:49.1	how much money we as Americans spend on over-the-counter laxatives and diarrhea medications,
1:56.5	which tells me that we normalize a lot of symptoms that patients experience. So just for listeners,
2:02.7	1.7 billion for over-the-counter laxatives and 350 million for over-the-counter diarrhea meds.
2:10.6	Why do you think IBS doesn't get the attention it deserves?
2:14.5	I think one of the reasons is because it's so common, right? So most of us can't really
2:19.8	think of a time that we've broken our legs or had gone through a serious health challenge, but
2:25.5	many of us have gone through constipation or diarrhea. That's just part of the human existence, right?
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Cynthia Thurlow, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Cynthia Thurlow and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.