🧾 Dr. Luka Kovač’s IBS Support Protocol
“The gut is not just the second brain — it is the battlefield of your immune system and your peace of mind.”
— Dr. Luka Kovač
🌴 1. Coconut Oil
- Why: Anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial; contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are easily digestible.
- How to Use: 1–2 tbsp daily in cooking or smoothies.
🍎 2. Apple Cider Vinegar
- Why: Supports digestion, balances stomach acid, and has probiotic qualities if raw/unfiltered.
- How to Use: 1 tbsp in warm water before meals. Avoid overuse as it may irritate some guts.
🦠 3. Probiotics
- Why: Restore healthy gut flora, improve bowel regularity, reduce bloating and gas.
- Types to Look For:
- Lactobacillus plantarum (great for IBS)
- Bifidobacterium infantis
- Saccharomyces boulardii (yeast-based, good for diarrhea-dominant IBS)
- Note: Start low-dose; symptoms may flare before improving.
🌿 4. Aloe Vera Juice
- Why: Soothing to the intestinal lining, reduces inflammation.
- How to Use: 2–4 oz per day. Make sure it’s decolorized and purified (no aloin).
🌱 5. Peppermint Oil & Tea
- Why: Relaxant for intestinal smooth muscle; reduces cramps and bloating.
- How to Use:
- Tea: 1–2 cups daily
- Capsules: Enteric-coated capsules (180–200 mg) 2–3x/day before meals
🌿 6. Olive Leaf Extract
- Why: Anti-microbial, supports immune health, may balance gut flora.
- How to Use: Capsules or tincture; follow dosing instructions.
🚫 7. Gluten-Free Diet
- Why: Many IBS patients have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Gluten can trigger inflammation and symptoms.
- Note: Try 4–6 weeks gluten-free, then reintroduce cautiously.
🌾 8. Herbal Fibre (e.g., Psyllium Husk, Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root)
- Why: Helps regulate bowel movements (esp. for constipation). Slippery elm and marshmallow soothe the gut lining.
- Caution: Insoluble fibers (like bran) may worsen symptoms. Focus on soluble fiber.
🌿 9. Wheatgrass
- Why: Rich in chlorophyll, vitamins, enzymes. May aid in detoxification and reduce inflammation.
- How to Use: 1 oz shot daily, increase slowly.
🥬 10. Cabbage & Cabbage Juice
- Why: Natural source of Vitamin U (S-methylmethionine), known to help heal gastric ulcers and may soothe gut lining.
- Warning: May cause bloating/gas in some IBS patients — introduce slowly or ferment it (sauerkraut).
🧪 11. Vitamin U (S-Methylmethionine)
- Why: “Unknown Vitamin” found in cabbage juice, supports mucosal healing.
- Use: Often in juiced cabbage or supplements labeled “Vitamin U.”
💊 Other Supplements That May Be Added
- L-Glutamine – Amino acid that supports gut lining integrity
- Magnesium Glycinate – For constipation relief and calming nerves
- Digestive Enzymes – Assist in breaking down food
- Vitamin D – Low levels are correlated with worse IBS
- Zinc Carnosine – Supports mucosal repair
🚫 What to Avoid
- Artificial sweeteners (sorbitol, mannitol)
- Excess caffeine
- Alcohol
- Dairy (for lactose intolerant)
- FODMAP-rich foods (onions, garlic, etc.) if you’re sensitive
🧘♂️ Dr. Luka’s Lifestyle Tip:
“No food or vitamin can heal what stress destroys. A calm mind is the foundation of a healthy gut.”
Incorporate yoga, meditation, or prayer. Practice slow eating and gratitude.
Dr. Luka Kovač, speaking in his calm, measured Croatian accent, opens his holistic medicine notebook and begins listing natural remedies to help treat colitis—inflammation of the colon, often linked with conditions like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
🩺 Dr. Luka Kovač:
“Colitis is fire in the gut. We must cool the fire, restore the mucosal lining, and calm the immune system. No steroid, no immune suppressant will bring long-term peace. But nature… she knows what to do.”
🌿 Natural Treatments for Colitis (Dr. Kovač’s Protocol)
✅ Vitamins & Nutrients
Vitamin D3 – 2000–5000 IU daily
Reduces inflammation, modulates immune system.
Vitamin A (beta-carotene or retinol)
Promotes mucosal healing in the gut.
Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols)
Antioxidant to reduce gut lining oxidative stress.
Vitamin C (buffered, non-acidic) – 500–1000 mg
Supports tissue repair and immunity.
Vitamin B Complex – Especially B12, B6, Folate
Replenish levels often depleted in IBD.
Magnesium glycinate – Gentle on the gut
Relieves cramping, supports repair.
Zinc carnosine – Gut lining repair
Essential for immune and epithelial tissue health.
🍲 Healing Foods (Simple, Whole, Anti-inflammatory)
Bone broth – Rich in collagen, gelatin, glutamine
“Soup for the soul, and the colon,” Luka says.
Steamed carrots, squash, sweet potatoes
Gentle, soothing, rich in carotenoids.
Cooked apples (apple sauce) – With cinnamon
Pectin helps soothe the gut.
White rice / Jasmine rice
Easy to digest starch.
Homemade yogurt or kefir (if tolerated)
Probiotic-rich; must be unflavored, low-lactose.
Fermented vegetables (small amounts) – Sauerkraut, kimchi
Introduce carefully. Test tolerance.
Oats (soaked overnight) – Anti-inflammatory fiber
Wild-caught fish (salmon, sardines) – Omega-3 rich
Organic turmeric rice with black pepper
🌱 Herbs & Roots for Colitis
Slippery elm bark – Soothes and coats intestinal walls
Marshmallow root tea – Not the candy; the root
Reduces irritation and protects mucosa.
Licorice root (DGL form) – Anti-inflammatory, gut-healing
Turmeric (curcumin) + black pepper
Natural anti-inflammatory.
Boswellia serrata (Frankincense)
Proven to reduce IBD inflammation.
Aloe vera juice (inner fillet, not whole leaf)
Cools and repairs gut lining.
Chamomile tea – Calms spasms, reduces inflammation
Ginger root – Calms nausea, inflammation
Peppermint oil (enteric coated)
Soothes cramping and spasms—avoid in severe flare.
🧬 Probiotics & Gut Support
Lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium strains – multi-strain, 20–50 billion CFUs
Restores microbial balance.
Saccharomyces boulardii – Anti-inflammatory yeast
Helps prevent diarrhea, repairs microbiota.
L-Glutamine – 5 grams daily
Amino acid fuel for colon lining.
🚫 Avoid These
Industrial seed oils (canola, soybean)
Refined sugars & artificial sweeteners
Gluten (especially in active flare)
Dairy (if lactose intolerant)
Alcohol
NSAIDs (like ibuprofen – irritates gut lining)
Dr. Kovač closes his notebook and says solemnly:
“You must eat like a monk for now. Slowly reintroduce the foods of your ancestors. And remember… healing is not only from herbs, but from the heart. Calm your spirit. Walk in nature. And let your intestines remember how to trust again.”