What I treat › Gut health › IBS
GUT HEALTH · IBS
IBS nutritionist in Lisbon and online
An IBS diagnosis describes your symptoms. It doesn't explain them. If low FODMAP only helped partly, or not at all, there is usually a driver nobody has looked for yet.
Rita Soares · Functional nutritionist · 12 years, 2,000+ patients
Ordem dos Nutricionistas 2604N · IFM member · Online worldwide and in person in Lisbon
Does this sound like you?
If several of these are familiar, you're in the right place.
Abdominal pain or cramps
Bloating
Diarrhoea (IBS-D)
Constipation (IBS-C)
Both, alternating (IBS-M)
Urgency
Flares with stress
Started after a stomach bug
Fatigue, brain fog or skin issues
What is usually behind IBS
IBS is a label for a pattern of symptoms. Research points to a handful of causes, and most people have more than one.
Bacterial imbalance or SIBO
Too many of the wrong bacteria, or bacteria in the wrong place.
After a gut infection
Post-infectious IBS can start after a single episode of food poisoning.
Leaky gut
A more permeable gut lining keeps the immune system on alert.
Gut–brain axis
A sensitised gut feels normal digestion as pain, and stress amplifies it.
Weak digestion
Low stomach acid or enzymes leave food poorly broken down.
Food reactions
Specific triggers, which are rarely the long list people end up avoiding.
How I find the cause
Every assessment is personal. I start with your story and the results you already have, and only add what will change the plan.
Your full story
Symptoms, history, medication and everything you've already tried.
Your existing results
I go through any recent results you bring, in detail.
Testing only when it changes the plan
No standard package. If more information is needed, I'll explain why.
Alongside your doctor
Medical causes are ruled out first, with your doctor when needed.
How we treat it
Over four months, with a consultation roughly every month and the plan adjusted as you improve.
1
Find the main driver
Start with the cause that explains most of your symptoms.
2
Rebalance the microbiome
Treat overgrowth or infection, then support the bacteria you want.
3
Repair the gut lining
Nutrition and targeted supplements for the barrier.
4
Calm the gut–brain axis
Nervous system work so the gut stops overreacting.
5
Reintroduce, retest, refine
Widen your diet and check that results have changed.
Two ways to start
Most people start with a first consultation. If you already know you want the full programme, you can book it directly.
RECOMMENDED FOR IBS
Gut Health Reset programme
€320 4 months
4 one-to-one consultations over 4 months
Functional tests and blood work prescribed and interpreted
Personalised nutrition and supplementation plan
Plan adjusted every month as symptoms change
Who you'll work with
I'm Rita Soares, a functional nutritionist with 12 years of clinical practice and more than 2,000 patients. I work with people who have tried the usual advice and are still not well.
Ordem dos Nutricionistas 2604N · IFM member · MSc in Clinical Communication
What patients say
Frequently asked questions
When to see your doctor first
Blood in your stool or rectal bleeding
Unexplained weight loss
Symptoms that wake you up at night
Difficulty swallowing that is getting worse
A family history of bowel cancer or inflammatory bowel disease
Gut symptoms that started after age 50 with no previous history
Ruling out medical causes always comes first. I work alongside your doctor, not instead of them.