Gut Health / Gastrointestinal System Disorders

We now know that the health of our gut microbiome is linked to our overall health and more and more research is revealing the extent of its importance for our immune system. In fact, about 70% of the body’s immune system is actually located in the gut, meaning that taking care of the good bacteria…

Both the functioning of the intestinal barrier and the gut microbiome impact the health of your gut, causing gut inflammation and a host of other issues throughout the body. A functional medicine health practitioner can get to the root cause, or causes, of your gut inflammation and help you to take steps to heal. Let’s…

FODMAP, which stands for fermentable oligo-saccharides, di-saccharides, monosaccharides and polyols, are different types of starches and sugars. In addition to balancing a person’s gut bacteria, following a low FODMAP diet is one of the most effective methods to reduce symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and other gastrointestinal disorders. What…

The rate of mental health issues in Australia is increasing. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing conducted in 2007 found that an estimated 1 in 5 (20%) Australians aged 16–85 experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months (ABS 2008). 1 With such a high proportion of our communities reporting mental health…

The Connection Between Rosacea and SIBO Rosacea patients have a higher prevalence of SIBO than the general Australian population. There is a direct link between Rosacea and SIBO, which will be discussed in this article. Rosacea Rosacea is a common chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the central face; typically involving the cheeks, nose, middle part…

The Gut-Thyroid Connection is well researched, with a strong interrelated connection present between the thyroid and gut.  Hippocrates said: “All disease begins in the gut.” 2,500 years later we’re just beginning to understand how right he was.[1] In this article we will explore the Gut-Thyroid Connection, also known as the Gut-Thyroid Axis. Thyroid and gut…

Spore forming and soil based probiotics have many health benefits and are used by us clinically throughout Australia.  By definition, a probiotic is a food, product or preparation containing one or more microorganisms that when consumed, maintain or restore beneficial bacteria to the digestive tract. [1] Probiotics are made of good live bacteria and/or yeasts…

Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability or gut permeability, can create havoc in your body and lead to many unwanted symptoms that make it difficult to live well. Leaky gut is also a common underlying factor in many Autoimmune disease states. The good news, however, is that there are steps you can take,…

There has been a rise the number of people who are choosing to live a gluten-free lifestyle but there is still some confusion around the reasons for their choice and varying severity of their symptoms. Reactions to gluten are varied and not all point to an allergy or adverse outcome. Celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity…

Cholesterol is essential for the normal functioning of the body. Many Australians have elevated cholesterol and are unsure if they are at risk of artery damage, according to the Health Department of WA, 1 in 3 Perth residents have been told by the doctor they have elevated cholesterol.  Keeping your blood cholesterol at a healthy…