While we’d love to be able to provide one-on-one consultations to everyone suffering from IBS, SIBO, constipation, diarrhea and other digestive conditions, we know that is not humanly possible. So, we decided to invest a lot of time and effort into creating in depth but easy to understand blog articles on many of the key concepts related to what our clients need to know. We sincerely hope these blog posts help you with your gut healing journey.
Click here for a short-cut to some gut-friendly recipes or search below to find content on a particular topic.
Finding out you’re harbouring a parasite in your GI tract can be a little scary. And whether it got there after food poisoning, overseas travel or drinking contaminated water, you want to get rid of it ASAP before it does anymore damage. If you’re not keen on antibiotics or have tried them unsuccessfully already, then let me show you how to treat intestinal parasites naturally.
Read MoreConstipation is a condition that affects 10-20% of the population, most of whom suffer in silence. And while chronic constipation is a symptom of more serious underlying gut dysfunction, keeping the bowels moving and pooping while identifying and treating the underlying root cause is a critical part of the healing journey. Fortunately, there are natural foods for constipation relief.
Read MoreClearing chronic constipation and healing a damaged gut is a journey full of trial and error, and lots of HARD work. After writing a similar post for gut mistakes more generally, I thought it was important to address those specific to chronic constipation.
Read MoreWhile I was writing my healthy eating guide to Los Angeles for meandmytravelbugs.com, I thought that an IBS gut-friendly edition would be helpful for those who have IBS and love to travel as much as I do. I've created it mainly because eating 'healthy' doesn’t always mean gut-friendly for those with IBS symptoms. Anyone with SIBO who’s ever eaten a raw salad and kombucha will know what I mean.
Read MoreStudies have shown that as many as half of those with IBS, also suffer from psychological disorders including anxiety and depression. And while many sufferers have been told their gut symptoms are ‘all in their head’ (including me at one point), science has recently discovered the relationship might actually be the other way around. What’s happening in your gut, directly affects what’s happening in the brain, your mood and how you respond to stress.
Read MoreLast week I spoke with Stephen Anderson from The Holistic Practitioner Podcast about the connection between travel health & chronic digestive issues.
Read MoreThere’s something particularly frustrating (and dangerous) about belly fat. It’s the type of fat we notice and the one we stereotypically associate with “being fat”. It’s also commonly the result of visceral fat, the kind that surrounds your internal organs and increases your risk of a whole range of unwanted health problems. And as any belly fat sufferer will find, it can be extremely difficult to shift if you’re still following old dietary advice commonly found in mainstream media.
Read MoreWe see a lot of clients in our clinical practice that have finally decided to beat constipation. Many have been labelled years ago as having IBS-C or Functional Constipation and encouraged not to look any further. For those that don’t take that advice, we almost always find an underlying (and treatable!) condition. Here are the three most common constipation root causes we see everyday.
Read MoreEveryone’s tired these days. And while we know that a lack of good quality sleep isn’t the only culprit, it’s certainly one that needs improvement for most of us. The restorative and healing benefits of sleep are so great that it’s one of the five foundational pillars of any of my clients’ treatment protocols. But what can we do to improve the amount and quality of sleep we get each night?
Read MoreIf you’re the type of person who tries to maintain a perfectly healthy diet and regularly exercises but still struggles with digestive issues, then this post is for you. What we eat and how it makes us feel can be huge indicators for our underlying level of health. And it’s not just junk food that might make you feel terrible. For anyone with a gut infection, foods we all think of as ‘healthy’ can exacerbate symptoms, letting you know your digestive system is out of balance and that something more is required to heal your gut.
Read MoreSymptoms of a compromised digestive system go far beyond irritable bowel syndrome and its best friends; constipation, diarrhoea, gas and bloating. And if it’s true that all disease begins in the gut, what are the less obvious warning signs that yours is out of balance? Realising that poor gut health might be the root cause of a whole bunch of conditions you thought were unrelated can be a breakthrough moment for most people.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever opened the fridge at 10 p.m. looking for that sweet treat, you’ve probably asked yourself, maybe even out loud, " Why do I crave sugar? ” And because it’s a common side effect of digestive and hormonal dysfunction (more on that later), it’s a question I regularly get asked by clients. I remember it all too well when I was struggling with gut health issues and an incessant need to eat another brownie
Read More‘Losing weight’, or as I prefer to call it - ‘losing body fat’, is by far the most popular resolution made every New Year’s day. But it’s also undoubtedly one of the least successful. And, contrary to popular belief, the reason might not be your lack of willpower after all. The real reason might actually be hidden in the health, or otherwise, of the colony of microbes residing in your intestines - your microbiome. So what is the connection between gut bacteria and weight loss?
Read MoreThere ARE natural IBS treatments beyond just diet. While diet is a great place to start your IBS healing journey, anyone who has been down this path will know that diet alone is not generally enough to achieve the lasting healing you deserve. Yes, diet is exceptionally important for short-term symptom management, but a more comprehensive protocol that also covers lifestyle factors and targeted supplementation is where the big gains are made.
Read MoreLast week we talked about why you should never settle for an IBS diagnosis and how IBS is not a single disease with a single cause. We now know that it’s a whole host of diagnosable health issues, which is why we must look further for complete healing. And while the exact root cause, or combination of causes, is unique to each person, this week I want to share with you the five that I most commonly see in my ‘IBS’ clients.
Read MoreIBS is a BS diagnosis. There, I said it. But I say it from a place of genuine compassion because I want to help you understand what it really is. The symptoms you experience as someone diagnosed with IBS are very real and have a massive impact on your quality of everyday life. It can stop you from feeling comfortable with leaving the house, looking after your family, going to work, seeing friends or doing that exercise class you used to love.
Read MoreHealing your damaged gut is a journey full of trial and error, and lots of HARD work. I know that right now you are probably experiencing countless overlapping symptoms, and there are countless healing modalities and approaches out there, all competing for your attention. And they all seem to work so differently for different people. Not to mention the complete minefield presented by forums, Facebook groups and random online success stories.
Read MoreWhen a Brisbanite heads to Melbourne, she is excited about two things: the food and the shopping! I’m going to focus on the food here because that’s what us gut-health peeps really care about (maybe even more than Chapel Street and Chadstone?) and share all of the places that I sampled and can recommend.
Read MoreAustralia’s first SIBO Summit was held in chilly Melbourne on 8th October 2016. I had the absolute pleasure of attending and rubbing shoulders (well, almost!) with Dr Alison Siebecker, my favourite SIBO guru from the USA, Dr Nirala Jacobi, Naturopath and creator of SIBOTest, and Dr Jason Hawrelak, our very own Aussie probiotics advisor. As an added bonus to my recent 3-part SIBO blog series, here are my top 20 takeaways from the day that I hope can help you with your healing journey.
Read MoreWe know that SIBO is hugely underdiagnosed and potentially responsible for up to 85% of IBS cases (1); people who are told that there is nothing identifiably wrong with them. But how can this be? Why is SIBO so commonly missed or overlooked? A big part of the problem has to do with SIBO testing; who to test, when to test, how to test and most importantly how to interpret the SIBO breath test results.
Read More
