Gut Health Habits I Follow Every Day as a Gastroenterologist

7 Signs You Might Have SIBO (That Most Doctors Don't Test For)

📌 Visit www.drmelona.com You could go through a colonoscopy, full bloodwork, and walk out with a clean bill of health. And still have the exact problem producing every one of your symptoms. Clean results do not mean nothing is wrong. They mean the test was not looking in the right place. I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist in Hawaii. This episode covers 7 signs that point toward bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, why most doctors never connect them, and exactly what to say at your next appointment to get the right test ordered. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  0:00 7 Signs You Might Have SIBO (That Most Doctors Don't Test For) 0:44 Sign 1: Bloating that arrives within 60 to 90 minutes of eating   3:00 Sign 2: Probiotics that made your symptoms measurably worse  4:21 Sign 3: Post-meal fatigue and brain fog tied to eating  5:48 Sign 4: Two patterns in your medical history most doctors never ask about  8:11 Sign 5: Why clean test results mean the wrong test was ordered  10:12 Sign 6: The exact words to say to get the right test ordered ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q: What are the signs of SIBO?  A: The most consistent sign is bloating that arrives within 60 to 90 minutes of eating, especially after carbohydrates. That timing indicates fermentation happening in the small intestine, where bacteria do not belong. Other signs include unpredictable bowel patterns, post-meal fatigue, and a food trigger list that keeps expanding without a clear pattern. (0:44) Q: Can a colonoscopy diagnose SIBO?  A: No. A colonoscopy evaluates the large intestine. SIBO exists in the small intestine, which the colonoscopy does not reach, and no standard test measures bacterial populations there. A patient can pass every standard GI workup with completely normal results and still have SIBO producing all of their symptoms. (8:11) Q: What test actually diagnoses SIBO?  A: The hydrogen breath test is the standard noninvasive test. You drink a sugar solution and breathe into collection tubes at intervals over a few hours while the test measures whether bacteria in the small intestine are fermenting the sugar before your body can absorb it. It has been in clinical use for decades and is still rarely ordered as part of a standard GI workup. (9:26) 📱 RESOURCES  Website: www.drmelona.com  Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/  Unsedated Colonoscopy  Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona 🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist. ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:  I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention. #GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #GutMicrobiome #GIDoctor

Colonoscopy in West Oahu: What to Expect and How to Choose the Right Doctor

📌 Visit www.drmelona.com If you live in West Oahu and you've been told you need a colonoscopy, or you know you're overdue and you're finally doing something about it, this video is for you. Most people put it off because of fear. What they do not know is that the procedure itself is not the hard part, and waiting is not the safe option. I have had two colonoscopies myself without sedation and recorded both so patients could see exactly what the procedure involves. Those videos have been watched over 65,000 times. The comment I see most often: I was terrified, I watched your video, I went and got it done, and it was nothing like I thought. In this video, I'm going to walk you through what to actually expect, why getting it done matters more than most people realize, and what to look for when choosing a provider in West Oahu. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  0:00 Colonoscopy in West Oahu: What to Expect and How to Choose the Right Doctor 0:20 Addressing the fear most people have  0:46 What to actually expect: prep vs. procedure  1:04 Why colonoscopy prevents cancer, not just detects it  1:43 Current guidelines and who is already behind on screening  1:57 What to look for when choosing a provider in West Oahu  2:04 AI-assisted polyp detection and why it matters  2:47 A dedicated endoscopy center vs. a general hospital setting  3:10 Why your personal and family history must shape your screening plan 3:26 A patient who waited nearly a decade too long ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED Q: What should I expect during a colonoscopy?  A: The bowel preparation is the most uncomfortable part for most people. The procedure itself is done with sedation, and most patients sleep through it entirely. The number I hear most often from patients afterward: it was nothing like I thought. (0:46) Q: Is a colonoscopy a cancer prevention test or a cancer detection test?  A: It is both, and the distinction matters. During the procedure, if we find precancerous growths called polyps, we remove them on the spot in that same session before they ever have a chance to become cancer. A mammogram finds cancer after it has formed. A colonoscopy can stop colorectal cancer from developing in the first place. (1:04) Q: What should I look for when choosing a colonoscopy provider in West Oahu?  A: Three things matter most. First, whether the practice uses AI-assisted polyp detection, which acts as a second set of eyes during the procedure and improves the rate at which precancerous growths are found. Second, whether the facility is a dedicated endoscopy center designed specifically for these procedures. Third, whether your doctor reviews your personal and family history before the procedure to determine your correct screening interval. (1:57) 📱 RESOURCES  Website: www.drmelona.com  Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/  Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona 🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist. ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:  I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention. #ColonoscopyScreening #ColonCancerPrevention #Gastroenterologist #PreventiveHealth #DigestiveHealth

Best Gastroenterologist in West Oahu (What to Look For Before You Book)

📌 Visit www.drmelona.com If you have been searching for the best gastroenterologist in West Oahu and you are not sure who to actually trust with your digestive health, this episode is specifically for you. Most patients filter by location, availability, or which doctor their insurance covers. These are not bad starting points. But they tell you nothing about the quality of care you are actually going to receive. A gastroenterologist who accepts your insurance and has a convenient location might also rush you through a ten-minute visit, hand you a prescription that does not solve your problem, and send you home without ever identifying the root cause of your symptoms. In this episode, I'm going to walk you through four things to look for before you book with any GI doctor, so you do not end up on a revolving door of appointments that never resolve anything. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  0:00 Best Gastroenterologist in West Oahu (What to Look For Before You Book) 0:24 The filter most patients use, and why it misses what matters  1:03 What actually separates a good GI doctor from a great one  1:44 What to look for 1: Root cause thinking, not symptom management  2:05 What to look for 2: Access to advanced diagnostic technology  2:22 AI-assisted polyp detection and why it matters for your safety  3:04 What to look for 3: A physician who listens and explains clearly  3:50 What to look for 4: A commitment to prevention, not just treatment  4:38 Why waiting until you are symptomatic may already be too late ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED  How do I choose the best gastroenterologist in West Oahu?  Look for a physician who focuses on root causes rather than just prescribing medication, uses advanced tools like AI-assisted polyp detection, and takes colorectal cancer screening seriously for every patient. What is AI-assisted polyp detection and why does it matter?  It acts as a second set of eyes during a colonoscopy and has been shown to improve detection rates. A polyp missed during one colonoscopy can develop into cancer before the next screening cycle. Dr. Mel Ona introduced this technology to Hawaii in 2022. When should I get a colonoscopy screening?  Colorectal cancer screening typically starts at age 45, though your personal and family history may require starting earlier. A prevention-minded gastroenterologist will factor both into your individual screening plan. 📱 RESOURCES  Website: www.drmelona.com  Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/  Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona 🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist. ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:  I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention. #GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #ColonCancerPrevention #ColonoscopyScreening

Your Fatigue, Brain Fog, and Bloating Aren't Separate Problems. Here's What They Have in Common.

📌 Visit www.drmelona.com If you have fatigue, brain fog, and bloating, you may not have three problems. You may have one. Medicine gives each symptom its own specialist. That works when problems are truly separate. It breaks down completely when one thing is causing all of them, because the real cause never shows up in any single workup and no one was looking for it in the first place. In this episode, I'm going to show you why the standard approach keeps people stuck, what is actually happening in the body when all three symptoms share a single origin, and what you can do about it starting tonight. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  0:00 Your Fatigue, Brain Fog, and Bloating Aren't Separate Problems. Here's What They Have in Common.  0:56 Point 1: How the separate workup system fails when symptoms are connected  2:43 Point 2: Your gut produces 95% of your serotonin and what happens when it breaks  5:12 Point 3: Three questions to identify whether your gut is behind all three  6:47 Point 4: The metabolic cascade chronic gut dysfunction creates   8:43 Point 5: The one thing to track tonight before your next appointment ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED Can gut problems cause fatigue and brain fog?  Yes. The gut produces 90 to 95% of the body's serotonin, which regulates energy, sleep, and cognitive function. Gut inflammation also impairs absorption of B12, iron, and magnesium, all of which directly affect energy production and mental clarity. Why do fatigue, brain fog, and bloating so often appear at the same time?  These three symptoms frequently share a single root cause: gut dysfunction. When the gut is inflamed or dysbiotic, it disrupts serotonin production, drives systemic inflammation, and impairs nutrient absorption simultaneously, producing all three symptoms from one origin. How do I know if my gut is causing my fatigue and brain fog?  Track whether your worst days of fatigue and brain fog coincide with your worst gut days. If the three symptoms move together over time, or if your energy improved during a period when your digestion was better, that pattern points to the gut as the shared root worth investigating first. 📱 RESOURCES Website: www.drmelona.com Books By Dr Mel Ona: https://drmelona.com/media/ Patient Resources: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/ Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmelonagi" Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona 🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist. ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:  I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention. #GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #GutMicrobiome #GIDoctor

After Treating 10,000 Patients, I Stopped Diagnosing People with IBS

📌 Visit www.drmelona.com If your IBS symptoms keep coming back, the diagnosis itself might be the problem. IBS does not tell you why you feel the way you feel. It just gives that feeling a name. Most people assume a diagnosis means an answer. With IBS, a name is all you got. In this episode, I'm going to walk you through what IBS actually is, what conditions most commonly hide behind that label, how to know if your workup was complete, and exactly what to do before your next appointment. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS  0:00 After Treating 10,000 Patients, I Stopped Diagnosing People with IBS 1:34 Why IBS gets assigned before the real investigation ever happens  2:46 The real conditions most often hiding behind an IBS diagnosis  3:44 SIBO, carbohydrate malabsorption, motility disorders, and food immune responses  4:38 Beverly's case: years of wrong answers, resolved in weeks with proper testing  5:26 The questions that reveal whether your workup was actually complete  7:02 Why a real diagnosis changes everything about how you manage your health  8:20 How to build a symptom record tonight before your next appointment ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED Is IBS an actual diagnosis or just a label?  IBS is a clinical syndrome, meaning it describes a cluster of symptoms that appear together. There is no blood test, imaging scan, or biopsy that confirms it, and it explains nothing about why those symptoms are happening. What conditions are commonly misdiagnosed as IBS?  Conditions frequently hiding behind an IBS label include small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), lactose or fructose intolerance, inflammatory bowel conditions, motility disorders, and food-related immune responses. Each one has its own diagnostic pathway and its own treatment. What should I ask my doctor if I have been told I have IBS?  Ask this question in writing at your next appointment: "What have we actually tested for, and what haven't we tested for yet?" Also find out whether hydrogen breath testing for bacterial overgrowth was ordered, and whether celiac disease was formally ruled out with bloodwork and biopsy. 📱 RESOURCES  Website: www.drmelona.com  Patient Portal: https://drmelona.com/patient-portal/  Unsedated Colonoscopy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Vz1IXF0rmo  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymathforever/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormelona 🔔 Subscribe for evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention from a board-certified gastroenterologist. ABOUT DR. MEL ONA:  I'm Dr. Mel Ona, a board-certified gastroenterologist with graduate training in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism. I founded Ohana Gastroenterology and have treated over 10,000 patients across nine years of clinical practice. My focus is evidence-based digestive health, nutrition science, and disease prevention. #GutHealth #Gastroenterologist #DigestiveHealth #GutMicrobiome #GIDoctor