Most people who start looking seriously into IBS treatment have already tried a few directions without finding lasting relief. Abdominal pain, bloating, changes in bowel frequency and a sense of discomfort after almost every meal keep coming back, often while standard tests return completely normal. That gap between what the results say and what the body is actually doing is one of the most frustrating parts of living with irritable bowel syndrome.
At Functional Medicine Israel, led by Dr. Reuven Bekermus, the starting question is a different one. Rather than asking only how to quiet the symptoms in the moment, the evaluation asks why these particular symptoms are appearing in this particular person. In practice that means looking at daily nutrition, hormone levels, the state of the gut microbiome, and sometimes the stress patterns that influence digestion directly through what is known as the gut brain axis, the two way communication between the nervous system and the digestive tract.
Alongside the work on nutrition, the assessment also considers whether acupuncture is a good fit, or applied kinesiology, a testing method based on how muscles respond to different stimuli, and at times tools such as EFT or NLP when an emotional component appears to be influencing the symptoms. The goal is to map the full picture of the body instead of focusing on a single symptom in isolation.
Why IBS Symptoms Return After Previous Treatment
In most cases symptoms return because the previous approach targeted the symptom rather than whatever was producing it. Antispasmodics, laxatives or a low FODMAP diet on their own can bring genuine short term relief, but when the underlying driver stays active, the symptoms tend to come back within a fairly short time.
Irritable bowel syndrome is considered one of the most common functional disorders of the digestive system, and a substantial share of patients report symptoms that persist across years rather than weeks. That pattern is exactly why a narrow, one time intervention is often not enough.
Hormonal imbalance matters here more than many people expect. Thyroid function, or estrogen and progesterone levels, can influence gut motility and the severity of bloating. An evaluation that includes the hormonal picture, alongside a look at chronic stress load through stress management support, can surface drivers that a gut focused test alone would never reveal.
Other factors commonly reviewed in a functional workup include:
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, often shortened to SIBO
- Imbalance in the gut microbiome between beneficial and problematic bacteria
- Hidden food sensitivities that a standard allergy panel does not always identify
- Unbalanced cortisol levels, which are directly affected by ongoing stress
The body usually begins signalling long before a routine blood panel shows anything abnormal, which is why it is worth looking carefully at what standard testing does not always capture.
What Whole Picture IBS Treatment Actually Looks Like
The process opens with a free 15 minute initial consultation, whose only purpose is to check whether a functional approach genuinely fits the specific situation before any commitment is made. From there, a fuller assessment covers nutrition, hormones, vitamin and mineral levels and general lifestyle, including sleep, physical activity and stress load.
On the basis of that assessment a personal plan is built that brings several methods together under one roof: functional lab testing that maps the microbiome and inflammation markers, nutritional counselling that adapts the menu to the individual rather than to a generic list of forbidden foods, and where relevant acupuncture or applied kinesiology to identify sensitivities that standard tests do not always pick up. When an emotional component or chronic stress appears to be feeding the symptoms, tools such as EFT or NLP are considered as well.
Care is provided by Dr. Reuven Bekermus, with over 40 years of experience in holistic and functional medicine, a chiropractor and naturopath licensed in the State of New York. The approach draws on current nutritional and hormonal research and follows the principle of biochemical individuality, the idea that two people with the same medical diagnosis can need entirely different plans because of differences in how their bodies function internally.
The practice operates from two permanent locations, in Ramat Beit Shemesh and in Givat Ze’ev near Jerusalem, and also offers house calls anywhere in Israel for patients who find it difficult to travel to a clinic.
The Role of Nutrition and the Gut Microbiome in IBS
Nutrition is one of the main factors shaping how severe symptoms become, but a general diet that suits one person is not necessarily right for another. Functional nutritional counselling looks at which specific foods provoke a reaction in this patient, instead of handing over a standard list of things to avoid.
Gut microbiome testing makes it possible to see which bacterial populations dominate, whether there is an imbalance between beneficial and problematic species, and whether there are signs of leaky gut, a state in which the intestinal lining becomes overly permeable and allows food particles and toxins to pass into the bloodstream and trigger an inflammatory response. An assessment of this kind can also include sensitivity testing and a review of nutritional deficiencies that affect how the digestive system works.
Some patients add reflexology as further support for calming the nervous system, with the aim of reducing the effect that accumulated physical and mental tension has on digestion.
In certain cases a controlled detox program is combined in as well, intended to support the digestive system and reduce inflammatory load, always adapted to the individual rather than applied as a uniform protocol. The aim throughout is to support the way the body functions, not to promise immediate recovery, since every patient responds at a different pace depending on their starting point.
When to Consider a Functional Evaluation of the Digestive System
The right moment to look at a functional approach is when symptoms persist beyond a few weeks despite changes in diet, when standard medical tests come back normal while daily experience says something quite different, or when digestive symptoms appear alongside chronic fatigue, changes in the hormonal cycle or difficulty concentrating, all of which point to a wider picture.
People who have already tried several conventional treatments without a stable result can also benefit from an evaluation that looks at the connections between the different systems of the body, including family history and long standing emotional patterns. For residents of Ramat Beit Shemesh and Givat Ze’ev, assessment and ongoing care are available at the local clinics, and patients living further away can arrange a house call anywhere in the country.
The first step in every case is the free 15 minute consultation, which makes it possible to understand directly from the practitioner whether this direction is relevant before beginning a full process.
The differences between a conventional symptom focused approach and a personalised functional one are summarised in the table below:
| Aspect | Conventional symptom focused approach | Personalised functional approach |
|---|---|---|
| Focus of care | Reducing the immediate symptom | Identifying the underlying driver behind it |
| Main testing | General blood work and imaging | Microbiome, food sensitivity and hormone testing |
| Nutrition | General guidance, often a fixed low FODMAP diet | A menu built around individual test findings |
| Length of process | Usually short, repeated as needed | A staged process with follow up and an evolving plan |
Frequently Asked Questions
A few more questions that tend to come up before patients begin a process.
Can irritable bowel syndrome disappear completely?
Some patients reach a significant reduction in how often and how intensely flare ups occur once the main driver is identified and addressed. There is no guarantee of an identical result for everyone, and progress depends on individual characteristics and on what the assessment uncovers.
What is the difference between IBS and a food sensitivity?
Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder diagnosed by a pattern of symptoms, while a food sensitivity is a specific reaction to a particular component. In practice an undiagnosed food sensitivity can be one of the factors feeding IBS symptoms, which is why accurate testing helps to tell the two apart.
Can acupuncture help in cases of IBS?
Acupuncture is considered a complementary tool that can support regulation of the nervous system and reduce the tension that affects gut function. It is sometimes included in a wider plan alongside nutrition and lab testing, depending on the individual patient.
How long does a functional evaluation of the digestive system take?
The length varies from patient to patient, but the first stage of comprehensive assessment and building an initial plan usually takes several weeks, after which follow up continues in line with how the symptoms progress.
IBS Treatment at Functional Medicine Israel
Patients who arrive after symptoms that keep returning are mainly looking for understanding, not another prescription. At Functional Medicine Israel the review always starts from the full picture: nutrition, hormones, the microbiome, and at times the emotional component that accompanies chronic digestive symptoms.
With over 40 years of experience, two clinic locations in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Givat Ze’ev and the option of house calls across Israel, the approach combines acupuncture, nutritional counselling, applied kinesiology and further tools under one roof, matched to the specific needs of each patient rather than to a single fixed protocol.
If you are dealing with recurring gut symptoms and want to find out whether this approach to IBS treatment suits your situation, a functional medicine consultation is the place to start. You can reach the practice through the contact page to schedule a free 15 minute consultation and take the first step toward a deeper understanding of what your body is doing.