Gut Health
The human gut is host to a highly complex ecosystem of microorganisms. The presence and activity of these microorganisms is truly the foundation to our health and wellbeing.
Gut Health
The human gut is host to a highly complex ecosystem of microorganisms. The presence and activity of these microorganisms is truly the foundation to our health and wellbeing. They play a key role in the development of the immune system, digestion of fibres, production of energy metabolites, elimination of toxins, regulation of hormones, synthesis of vitamins and neurotransmitters and in the defence against pathogens and the list goes on. So, it makes sense that supporting gut health is central to the functional medicine approach.
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How do you know if your gut health is bad?
When you hear about poor gut health, you might think of conditions like constipation and diarrhoea, but an unhappy gut can manifest itself in many other ways:
- Unexplained weight gain – several studies now suggest that overweight and lean people have very different microbial diversity within the gut. These differences may affect appetite and satiety, resulting in different eating behaviours.
- Skin issues – The gut-skin axis is a hugely exciting topic. Emerging research in this area suggests that poor gut health has a profound effect on our skin’s functioning and microbiome.
- Mood swings, depression, anxiety – A recent review suggests that the gut microbiome and its interactome also deserve attention in the understanding and treatment of psychiatric disorders.
- Brain fog and memory problems: The link between our microbiomes and our brains, also known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis, is one of the hottest topics in neuroscience right now.
- Sleep disturbances: The majority of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that affects mood and sleep, is produced in your bowel. So gut damage can impair your ability to sleep well.
- Recurring cold and flu and other infections. 80% of our immune health is located in our gut so it makes sense to look after it to fend those bugs off.
- Food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities sometimes to foods that were not a problem before can be a result of a negative shift in your gut microbiota. Find our articles on food sensitivities and digestive health here.
- Sluggish metabolism, low energy and fatigue – exciting new research has revealed that there is a strong association between chronic fatigue/ME and dysbiosis of the gut.
How is gut health tested?
There are typically two main routes to test your gut health:
- Breath Test
The breath test is an easy, non-invasive test that measures gases: hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4). The breath tests usually use glucose and/or lactulose as substrates to diagnose Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth, also known as SIBO.
- Stool Testing
Depending on the condition I look to investigate, there are many levels of stool tests available. A fully comprehensive stool test will typically measure gut bacteria, yeast, fungi and parasites; markers of inflammation, immune function and markers for digestive health.
How long does it take to get your gut health back?
It is a question I get quite often and the answer depends on many different factors:
- How would you describe your digestive health?
- What are your current symptoms and how long have you had them for?
- Have you seen a gut health doctor through the healthcare system?
- Have you been to a gut health clinic before? If so, what treatment have you received?
As a Nutritional Therapist I will investigate all possible routes and causes during your the initial consultation. With this approach, I will look closely at the myriad of interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence your long-term health and complex, chronic disease and will have much greater success at reversing the illness.
What can I do to improve my gut health symptoms?
While a good diet is a foundation of building a healthy microbiome, other factors are fundamental too. Here are some of the most powerful ways to get a healthy gut.
Nutrition
- Eat the rainbow: your bowel loves getting a cocktail of plant chemicals from different coloured fruits and vegetables. They provide different phytonutrient compounds that have different functions in the body; reduces inflammation, improves gut immunity, provides antioxidant properties and may exhibit some very exciting physiology specific mechanisms.
- Eat a fibre rich diet: Eating a hunter gatherer diet that is fibre-rich is a fundamental start. Aim for at least 30 grams of fibre each day.
- Say no to sugar and processed foods: Most processed foods lack fibre and nutrients and are high in calories. An unfriendly combination for your bowel.
Lifestyle suggestions
- Stress: Studies have found that stress triggers a fight-or-flight response that releases hormones in various parts of your body, which in turn affects your microbiome. To make matters worse, altered gut microbiota then affects the regulation of neurotransmitters, increasing stress levels further.
- Sleep is so important for the body to carry out some of its maintenance work. Healing, repairing and recovering are essential processes for our overall health. Lack of sleep and stress may increase inflammation and impair bowel function.
- The gut microbiome is easily disrupted by environmental toxins so try and opt for organic produce, more natural household products and skincare to minimise exposure to the toxic load.
Health Action Plan
The functional medicine model uses a systems-biology approach to understand the underlying causes of IBS. Some of these include:
- Motility disorders
- Imbalances in the microflora, also known as dysbiosis
- Overgrowth of certain bacteria that are associated with systemic illness
- Inflammation of the gut lining
- Leaky gut causing systemic inflammation
In the functional medicine model, we also pay a lot of attention to the mental, spiritual and emotional aspects of people’s health. Our bodies are a reflection of what’s going on in our emotional life, so the importance of mindset cannot be underestimated.