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Importance of Good Gut Health

Over the years it has been really apparent that paying attention to the Importance of Good Gut Health pays dividends.
Even though really important, this topic is often overlooked.

Now, you may be asking yourself: “Why should I care about my gut?”
Well, in this post, we’ll be explaining why tending to your gut is more important than you might think.

The Role of the Gut is Mainly Digestion:

However, besides its role in digestion, your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the microbiota. These tiny inhabitants play an important role in maintaining your overall well-being.

The Gut-Brain Connection:

Your gut and brain are in constant communication, forming what is known known as the gut-brain axis.
We often refer to a “gut feeling” or butterflies in our stomach? That’s an example of the Gut-Brain Connection we can relate to.
A happy gut often leads to a happier mind. This can affect your mood, stress levels, and even cognitive function.

Immune System Support:

Your gut has a role in protecting your immune system.
You see, a healthy gut microbiota protects you against potential risks to your health and maintains your resilience against illnesses.
Taking care of your gut is like giving your immune system the support it needs.

The Gut-Weight Connection:

As unexpected as it sounds, the gut does play a role in weight management.
Your gut health can impact your metabolism and how your body stores fat.
A balanced gut microbiota plays a part in maintaining a healthy weight.

Now that we have touched on the Importance of Gut Health, let’s see
What Improves Gut Health

You see, it’s not about drastic changes; it’s about introducing and maintaining good habits. Here are some tips:

  • Add Foods Good for Gut Health: The gut thrives on variety.
    As an example,
    Add a colourful range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins to nourish your gut microbiota.
  • Probiotics: Introduce friendly bacteria to your gut through probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, or kimchi. These help support the microbial balance.
  • Fibre-Rich Foods: Fibre is the much ignored contributor to gut health.
    Whole grains, legumes, and fibrous vegetables will help keep your gut healthy.
  • Hydration: Your gut needs proper hydration. Water helps flush out toxins and supports the smooth functioning of your digestive system.
  • Stress Management: Chronic stress can throw your gut ecosystem out of balance. Add stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, or even a daily walk. We have nutrients that can help you through stress too.

Conclusion:

So from this, you can see just why it is a good idea to add some of these strategies to your daily routine.
You will be rewarded with improved digestion, enhanced mood, and overall well-being.

You will be able to enjoy a healthy life – all because you’ve worked at giving yourself Good Gut Health and you can now see how Your Gut Health Improves Well Being!

You can read more about the Ultimate Benefits of Good Gut Health here

 

P.S.  If you have gut Issues which are really severe, or

If this article prompts you to visit us, then simply give us a
call on 03 9879 9596,
      contact us.
or Book on Line

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Allergies – and Gut Health

ALLERGIES and GUT HEALTH

Do you struggle with allergies when the beauty of Spring is in the air? If your eyes itch when you should be enjoying a sunny, spring day, strange though it may sound, it’s time to heal your gut…

Let me explain…

Allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to something that’s generally harmless, such as pollen or dust mites.  This triggers inflammation and produces allergic symptoms. These can range from hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis), digestive discomfort, eczema, and asthma, to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

While quick-fix medications, such as antihistamines, provide symptomatic relief, targeting the underlying casues of allergy, particularly your gut health and function, can provide long-term health benefits.

Did you know that improving your gut health can increase your tolerance to allergic triggers?
This can help you overcome your allergies and enable you to be outdoors without getting teary, fiery eyeballs.

‘While quick-fix medications, such as antihistamines, provide symptomatic relief, targeting the underlying causes of allergy, particularly your gut health and function, can provide long-term health benefits.’

 

Let’s see how Gut Health affects Allergies

Your microbiome (i.e. your gut bacteria) is a foundation of good health, especially when it comes to regulating your immune system and reducing its reactivity.
In fact, dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria) has been identified as a distinctive feature of allergy.

Research has actually identified differences in microbiome composition between people with allergies and those without.
The imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria has been shown to promote gut inflammation, which also stimulates inflammation beyond the gut.
This includes the release of histamine (an inflammatory chemical produced by immune cells), which causes many of the symptoms associated with allergies. 

Fortunately, you can reduce dysbiosis and improve the composition of your gut bacteria through the use of specific probiotic strains (types of bacteria), which help regulate your immune function to prevent and reduce allergic symptoms.
For instance, the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG®) has been shown to increase the production of anti-inflammatory immune cells. These act against allergy-associated inflammation and support healthy immunity.

Enhancing your gut bacteria composition has also been shown to suppress histamine release.
Together, these benefits may reduce immune hyper-reactivity and decrease allergy symptoms.

Gut Inflammation can Trigger a Leaky Gut.

Gut inflammation, caused by dysbiosis, has also been shown to trigger a leaky gut, which occurs when your gut barrier (cells that form a physical barrier between your digestive tract and the rest of your body) becomes permeable or ‘leaky’.
When the gut barrier is damaged, food particles, bacteria, and toxins may be able to enter your bloodstream. This aggravates inflammation and triggers an immune response that worsens your allergy symptoms.

Fortunately, specific herbs and nutrients can help restore a leaky gut barrier. These include:

  •   Glutamine: An amino acid (a small compound that combines with other amino acids to form protein) that strengthens the integrity of the gut barrier and reduces the passage of contents between your gut and bloodstream.
  •   Vitamin A: is essential for optimal cell growth and maintenance of the gut barrier, with deficiency of this key nutrient preventing the regeneration of gut barrier cells.
  •   Zinc: is another essential nutrient that supports the integrity of gut barrier cells, with deficiency increasing the likelihood of leaky gut development.
  •   Baical skullcap: a herb that has been found to reduce the gaps that form between gut barrier cells (as a consequence of dysbiosis), causing them to become leaky.
  •   Shiitake mushroom: a medicinal mushroom that regulates immune function and reduces inflammation.

 Support Good Digestive Function to Reduce Allergies

Given the strong connection between the health of the gut and immune system, supporting good digestive system function can address some of the underlying factors that cause your immune system to be over-reactive.

The Allergy and Reactivity Reduction Program used at Your Wellness Centre is specially designed to repair your gut and improve your immune tolerance, reducing allergy symptoms.
This approach can help you gain control of your allergies and how your body reacts so that you can once more indulge in the activities that you enjoy.
To find out if the Allergy and Reactivity Reduction Program is right for you, consult with a naturopath at Your Wellness Centre.

‘Given the strong connection between the health of the gut and immune reactivity, supporting good digestive system function can address some of the underlying factors that cause your immune system to be over-reactive.’

Overcoming Allergies

If your nose has done more running during springtime than you have, perhaps it’s time to consider an allergy plan with long-term health benefits.
Maintaining a healthy gut is key to supporting your immune function and building tolerance to allergic triggers, and is therefore central to providing a lasting solution to allergic conditions. 

For guidance on how best to improve your allergies, speak with a naturopath at Your Wellness Centre to see how we can help you in your journey to wellness.

 

 

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Beating Bali Belly: How to Get Your Gut Back on Track After Getting Sick on Holiday

 

How to Get Your Gut Back on Track After Getting Sick on Holiday

 Coming back from a holiday with a sore gut as your souvenir is never fun.

Infections that cause traveller’s diarrhoea can lead to chronic digestive issues if you don’t repair the damage done.

Let me explain.

Traveller’s diarrhoea is simply a form of gastroenteritis (un-affectionately known as ‘gastro’), an intestinal infection that triggers inflammation and injury in your gut.

Like other forms of gastro, it causes symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fatigue and fever, which typically pass with the infection.

However, even in the weeks following the infection, the damage to your intestinal lining can interfere with your gut’s ability to create digestive juices (required to digest your food properly) and house healthy gut bacteria, which make up your gut microbiome (the beneficial bacteria that play an important role in gut health (discussed further here).

Together, the loss of these bugs and the injury to your gut may cause ongoing digestive discomfort, such as chronic bloating or changes to bowel habits.

If left untreated, in some people it may progress to chronic digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (discussed further here)..

‘Traveller’s diarrhoea is simply a form of gastroenteritis (un-affectionately known as ‘gastro’), an intestinal infection that triggers inflammation and injury in your gut.’

If this sounds like you, or someone you know, it might be time to discover the three most important strategies that can help you get your gut back on track with the help of a natural healthcare Practitioner at Your Wellness Centre, outlined below.

Step 1: Start with a Snapshot

Whether you develop chronic gut symptoms after Bali belly depends on a couple of factors.

One is how healthy your gut was, to begin with: if you started off with a lower number of beneficial bacteria, due to factors such as a low-fibre diet or frequent antibiotic use which can disturb your gut bacteria, you may be more likely to develop chronic gut issues following Bali belly.

The second is the type of bug: a super destructive bug can decimate even the healthiest microbiome to the point where knock-on issues start to arise (such as chronic bloating).

Regardless of the situation, if you’ve experienced Bali belly and don’t feel like your gut is back to normal yet, get a snapshot of your gut bacteria through microbiome testing (discussed further here).

This test allows you to assess the damage by revealing every single type of bacteria in your gut (beneficial vs less beneficial) and how they may be impacting your gut health.

his information, you and your naturopath can create a plan together to bring your gut microbiome back into balance.

Step 2: Repair and Regenerate your Gut

After surveying the state of your gut microbiome, it’s time to start repairing your gut using a combination of probiotics, nutrients and herbal extracts.

Probiotic strains including Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) (SB), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG®) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp lactis (BB-12®) have been shown to assist with the consequences of traveller’s diarrhoea by:

  • Preventing infections from escalating (blocking infectious bugs from being able to ‘stick’ to your gut lining and causing havoc);
  • Protecting your gut from tissue injury caused by gastro;
  • Restoring a good balance of beneficial gut bacteria lost to infection or treatment with antibiotics.

It’s important to note that these benefits are unique to the above types of probiotic strains; you can’t take just any old probiotic and get the same results.

As such, it’s always worth selecting probiotic strains that are supported by scientific evidence, especially when it might mean the difference between symptom recovery or relapse (discussed further here about why choosing a specific strain matters).

Similarly, nutrients, such as glutamine and zinc, in addition to herbal extracts, such as aloe vera and boswellia, can also repair the damage to your gut lining, by reducing inflammation and providing the nutritional building blocks your gut needs to heal. As such, by combining the power of probiotics, herbs and nutrients, you can help your gut return to its former glory.

‘It’s important to note that these benefits are unique to the above types of probiotic strains; you can’t take just any old probiotic and get the same results. As such, it’s always worth selecting probiotic strains that are supported by scientific evidence, especially it when it might mean the difference between symptom recovery or relapse.’

Step 3: Eat your Way to Gut Health

Eating to maintain your gut health is fundamental to your recovery process, as this helps to restore your beneficial bacteria and can promote gut healing. Start with following these simple tips:

  • Minimise your intake of inflammatory foods (e.g. alcohol or foods high in sugar), as these can make it difficult for your gut to heal;
  • Aim to eat an abundance of plants, particularly a variety of colourful vegetables, as these contain prebiotics known as polyphenols, which help feed and rebuild your good gut bacteria;
  • Limit foods that cause you bloating or discomfort, such as dairy or wheat, just for a few weeks, whilst the gut rebuilds and regains its ability to digest these foods properly.

These are just a few small ways to better your diet and get back on track after Bali’s belly, but for specific dietary advice to suit your unique needs, speak to our qualified and experienced naturopath at Your Wellness Centre.

Destination: Gut Regeneration!

Nothing can make you appreciate the value of good gut health like a bout of gastro! And with the help of a naturopath, you can score a one-way ticket back to living your life without the lingering effects of traveller’s diarrhoea.

Start by being proactive, getting a snapshot of your gut followed by taking steps to heal the gut in conjunction with a healthy diet, so you can get back to your wanderlusting adventures over at your next expedition!

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Leaky Gut & Gut Health

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?

To put it simply, Leaky Gut syndrome happens when large spaces (or holes) develop in the gut wall.

This allows bacteria, toxins, and food particles to leak into the bloodstream from the gut… hence its name “Leaky Gut”.

The definition of Leaky Gut Syndrome is an “increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to bigger molecules, antigens, and toxins associated with inflammatory degenerative and or atrophic mucosa or lining.”

Generally, the walls of a healthy gut allow very small molecules to pass through so that we can absorb nutrients.

A leaky gut occurs when tight junctions in the gut, which control what passes through the lining of the small intestine, don’t work properly.

This could allow unwanted bigger molecules such as food molecules, which are usually too large to pass through the intestinal barrier, to leak into the bloodstream.

Others pass through in the form of metabolic waste and microbial toxins.

When this happens, the immune system treats these foreign substances as antigens or nasties, setting off an allergic response in which antibodies are secreted in the bloodstream to couple with and immobilise these large molecules.

Let’s take a closer look at the Digestive Tract

The digestive tract is an elaborate system that involves organs from the mouth to the anus.

The small intestine performs an essential barrier function in keeping the body free from allergies.

The intestine’s membrane acts as a wall separating undigested food and the bloodstream. (The digestive tract organs properly break down food into smaller, usable molecules, which then are sent through the bloodstream to nourish the body’s tissues.)

When intact and healthy, the digestive tract organs break down food into smaller, usable molecules, which then are sent through the bloodstream to nourish the body’s tissues.

Some amount of wall permeability is common.

In people with a normal, intact gut, up to 20 percent of undigested protein can pass through the mucous membranes.

Excessively permeability causes problems.

When there is inflammation in the gastrointestinal mucosa, the intestinal wall becomes excessively permeable (lots of little gaps or holes form) leading to ‘leaky gut syndrome.

If bits of food have not been properly broken down due to imbalances in the digestive tract, food molecules, which are usually too large to pass through the intestinal barrier, slip through the gaps in the gut wall and enter the bloodstream.

When this happens, the immune system treats these foreign substances as antigens (antigens can cause food intolerance and/or allergies).

This sets off an allergic response in which antibodies are secreted in the bloodstream to bind with these foreign substances.

Leaky Gut Syndrome may cause the intestinal lining to become inflamed and the microvilli to become damaged or altered.

The damaged microvilli cannot then produce the enzymes and secretions that are essential for healthy digestion and the absorption of nutrients.

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very common problem in modern society.

What could cause a Leaky Gut?

  • Eating excessive amounts of inflammatory foods such as dairy, sugar, and alcohol.
  • Gluten sensitivity.
  • Use of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  • Infections such as candida, intestinal parasites, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
  • Other causes include enzyme deficiencies, toxins, mercury, alcohol, stress, and certain food intolerances.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut

Leaky gut symptoms are not unique. They’re shared by a range of problems. And tests often fail to uncover a definite cause of the problem.

Many are left without a diagnosis and, therefore, untreated, because a lot of the symptoms are quite common.

These symptoms include unexplained food intolerances and allergies, constipation, diarrhoea, wind, bloating, cramps, and heartburn as well as aches and pains.

Leaky Gut Syndrome has been directly linked to being a potential contributing factor in:

  • ADD/ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Asthma
  • Autism
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Depression
  • Eczema
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Food allergies
  • Fungal disorders
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Migraines
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Sinusitis
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Urticaria

Of course, there are natural ways to effectively treat this.

What we need to do now is to get your digestive system back on track.

Help you understand what Leaky Gut means and encourage you to follow the protocol and the diet set out for you.

If you would like more information, simply contact us at 9879 9596 or health@yourwellnesscentre.com.au to see how our naturopaths at Your Wellness Centre can support you along with your recovery.

 

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Good Gut Health in Weight Loss

Gut Bacteria and their Effect on your Weight

If you’ve been doing everything else to lose weight without the success, then it’s worth taking a look at your gut health.

We all know that exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep are all needed for maintaining a healthy weight.

Fundamental to good gut health is Gut Bacteria. So let’s look further at their role in weight loss.

Besides this, evidence is now revealing that your gut bacteria also need to be healthy because it dictates how your body regulates and maintains its weight!

This collection of 37 trillion organisms (mainly bacteria) within your digestive tract is known as your microbiome or gut microbiota.

microbiome pictures

Your Microbiome: Fat Burning or Storing? 

While each person’s gut microbiota is unique, clear trends show the gut bacteria in a lean person is different from that in an overweight person.

Healthy gut microbiota in a lean individual is seen as having a diverse range of beneficial bugs, with very few ‘bad’ microbes that disrupt the health of the gut.

Once the gut microbiota is in this healthy state, these good bacteria send messages to the body to maintain its weight within a healthy range.

This means it could prevent weight gain.

Alternatively, the gut bacteria in an overweight person is often shown to have less of these good bacteria.

This imbalance in the gut is a condition known as “dysbiosis”.

In a state of dysbiosis, bacteria begin to act differently: extracting more calories from food, storing more energy as fat, and triggering inflammation within the gut itself.

All of these factors result in the body storing more fat, especially around the waist (known as visceral fat).

probiotic foods

Increasing Your Good Bugs

Therefore, supporting your microbiome to be as healthy, diverse, and free from bad bacteria as possible may be a crucial step in maintaining a healthy weight.

Probiotics are a potent way to positively influence the health of your microbiome, as they work by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria while reducing the growth of unwanted microbes.

However, it is very important to select the right probiotic strain for your needs, as different strains have different actions and health benefits.

A specific probiotic strain displaying benefit for the microbiome and body weight is Bifidobacterium animalis ssp lactis (B420™).

Evidence shows it improves the health and diversity of the microbiome, decreases the inflammation caused by dysbiosis, and reduces energy uptake from food.

Which together results in overall reductions in weight gain – helping to keep your waist trim.

Your Trim and Terrific Toolkit

Beyond probiotics, employing key diet and lifestyle strategies is also imperative to maintaining ideal body composition:

Regular exercise: such as walking, yoga, swimming, and weights.

This helps to burn fat for energy and can reduce high levels of hormones such as adrenaline that promote weight gain.

Filling up on fruits, vegetables, lean meats, legumes, and healthy fats helps to naturally regulate your appetite and curb cravings.

As a bonus, high fiber foods are the favorite fuel source of your good bacteria!

 

Take the step toward a healthier you!
Call 9879 9596 and book an appointment today!

 

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy Melbourne

 

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Bloating, Flatulence, Constipation, and Diarrhoea

Bloating, Flatulence, Constipation, and Diarrhoea? Need Help?

Your stomach is one of the hardest working systems in your body.

Meal after meal, it hustles to digest your food and extract the nutrients required to sustain you.

Despite its solid work ethic, your belly can experience occasional performance hiccups, leading to digestive symptoms.

While many of these are normal, others may indicate something more serious.

Read on to discover what your symptoms say about your stomach function and ways to improve them.

Bloating Flatulence Constipation Diarrhoea - Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy

Normal, Everyday Symptoms: Transient Belly Bloating

What is it?
Short-lived abdominal swelling due to trapped gas.

What causes it?
During and after meals, your gut produces enzymes and acids that break down food, creating gas during this process.

While bloating isn’t considered normal, it commonly occurs if you deviate from your standard diets, such as eating larger portions, high-fat meals or foods that are more difficult to break down, including excess carbohydrates and fibre.

These place more burden on your digestive processes, subsequently increasing gas production and bloating.

How do you improve it?
While mild bloating generally passes with time, chewing your food thoroughly, consuming smaller meals and spacing out your carbohydrate and fibre intake can help.

Flatulence

What is it?
Farting.

What causes it?
Gas is produced by normal digestive processes, and ‘passed’ at regular intervals.

Additionally, increased fibre, fat or sugar intake can create gas. Your microbiome (gut bacteria) also influences the amount of gas produced as they ferment food to help with your digestion.

How do you improve it?
It is normal to pass wind around 15 times per day. Additionally, the odd smelly fart is no big deal, particularly if caused by an increase in refined, processed foods (who can say no to the occasional slice of pizza?).

However, if you would like to reduce flatulence, moderate your intake of these foods.

Health Caution - Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy

Symptoms That Require Attention: Chronic Constipation

What is it?
The infrequent passage of hard poop (less than once daily), is often accompanied by straining, a sense of incompletely emptying the bowel and discomfort.

What causes it?
Insufficient fibre or reduced fluid intake can slow your transit time (the time it takes for your food to travel from your mouth through to the other end), making you less ‘regular’.

Dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria) can also influence digestive processes and reduce your transit time.

Additionally, chronic constipation is associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects the function of the bowel.

How do you improve it?
Consume more fibre-rich foods, including fruit and vegetables, and drink enough water.

Prebiotic and probiotic supplements, such as the Metagenics Ultra Flora GI Regulate, may also support bowel regularity and provide relief for symptoms of medically diagnosed IBS.

Diarrhoea

What is it?
Soft, loose or watery stool that occurs more than three times daily.

What causes it?
Diarrhoea may be a symptom of a bacterial or viral infection, such as gastroenteritis, or be related to certain medications, particularly antibiotics.

Additionally, IBS and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition involving inflammation of the digestive tract, may cause diarrhoea.

How do you improve it?
IBS and IBD are serious conditions that require a professional diagnosis and care from a Health Practitioner.

However, if your symptoms are associated with antibiotic use, Metagenics Ultra Flora Intensive Care may help to restore healthy intestinal bacteria and relieve diarrhoea.

Malodorous Gas

What is it?
Farts that clear a room.

What causes it?
Your microbiome consists of a range of bacteria (38 trillion microbes!) that help digestion by fermenting your food, particularly fibre.

Imbalances in the levels of different bacterial species can lead to increased gas production with a pungent odour.

How do you improve it?
Metagenics Ultra Flora Intensive Care provides three specific probiotic strains (types of bacteria), Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG®), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (boulardii) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp lactis (BB-12®), which have been shown to help restore a healthy balance of bacteria within your microbiome.

Gut Pain - Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy

Abdominal Pain

What is it?
Sharp, dull, stabbing, cramp-like, or twisting pain in your abdomen. Most people experience occasional gut discomfort, however severe gut pain that is episodic, regular or continuous requires assessment, particularly if accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, changes to your poop, nausea and/or vomiting.

What causes it?
Abdominal pain has many potential causes, the most common being gas pain, food intolerances or allergies, or indigestion. However, abdominal pain can also be a sign of something more serious, including appendicitis, gallstones, ulcers, infections, kidney stones, and many other conditions.

How do you improve it?
If gut pain has become a pattern rather than a one-off incident, seek guidance from a healthcare professional.

Ditch the Gut Glitches

Don’t let your gut feelings bum you out! Instead, switch up your diet and lifestyle habits and rid yourself of symptoms such as bloating, gurgles and gas.

If you regularly experience one or more problematic symptoms, particularly if they’re new or getting worse, consult with a Natural Health Practitioner at Your Wellness Centre for further investigation to devise an individualized comprehensive plan of attack that is suitable for you.

Our healthcare practitioners have a suite of testing available to investigate the driver behind your symptoms.

A stool analysis test enables us to identify all of the bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit your gut and how they contribute to your gut function and digestive symptoms.

You can read more about MetaBiome™ testing here.

 

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy Melbourne

 

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Leaky Gut and Gut Health

Since gut pain, bloating, gastric discomfort and other digestive problems may also have underlying leaky gut problems, I thought you might like to have a read of this information on Leaky Gut.

Leaky Gut

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy - Leaky GutPut simply, Leaky Gut syndrome happens when large spaces (or holes) develop in the gut wall.

This allows bacteria, toxins, and food particles to leak into the bloodstream from the gut… hence its name “Leaky Gut”.

The definition of Leaky Gut Syndrome is an “increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa to bigger molecules, antigens, and toxins associated with inflammatory degenerative and or atrophic mucosa or lining.”

Let’s look at the Digestive Tract

The digestive tract is an elaborate system that involves organs from the mouth to the colon.

The small intestine performs an essential barrier function in keeping the body free from allergies.

The intestine’s membrane acts as a wall separating undigested food and the bloodstream.

When intact and healthy, the digestive tract organs break down food into smaller, usable molecules, which then are sent through the bloodstream to nourish the body’s tissues.

Some amount of wall permeability is common.

In people with a normal, intact gut, up to 20 percent of undigested protein can pass through the mucous membranes.

Excessively permeability causes problems

But when there is inflammation in the gastrointestinal mucosa, the intestinal wall becomes excessively permeable (lots of little gaps or holes form)– a condition called ‘leaky gut syndrome.

If bits of food has not been properly broken down due to imbalances in the digestive tract, food molecules, which are usually too large to pass through the intestinal barrier, slip through the gaps in the gut wall and enter the bloodstream.

When this happens, the immune system treats these foreign substances as antigens (antigens can cause food intolerance and/or allergies).

This sets off an allergic response in which antibodies are secreted in the bloodstream to bind with these foreign substances.

Leaky Gut Syndrome may cause the intestinal lining to become inflamed and the microvilli become damaged or altered.

The damaged microvilli cannot then produce the enzymes and secretions that are essential for healthy digestion and the absorption of nutrients.

Leaky Gut Syndrome is a very common problem in modern society.

Common causes of both Leaky Gut

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy - Gut Benefits of Probiotics

Common causes of both leaky gut and digestive dysfunction are antibiotics, certain drugs, enzyme deficiencies, parasites, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, toxins, mercury, alcohol, stress, and certain food intolerances.

And of course, we all at some time or other have been prescribed necessary antibiotics or even non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

They both damage the natural balance of good microbiota that the bowel requires to operate at its best.

And over time we may start getting the overt symptoms of Leaky Gut.

Of course, there are natural ways to effectively treat this.

If you would like more information, simply let us know by contacting us here. 

 

Take the step toward a healthier you!
Call 9879 9596 and book an appointment today!

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy Melbourne

 

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Gut Health Quiz

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Polyphenols and Gut Health

One of the lesser-known benefits of consuming a diet high in polyphenols is its beneficial impact on your gut bacteria.

Polyphenols help the Gut

They selectively encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria.

They are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in many of your favourite foods like blueberries and chocolate and they act like good food for your microbiome.

It contributes to good intestinal health by supporting the gut microbial balance by encouraging the production of beneficial bacteria and discouraging the growth of bad bacteria.

Benefits of Polyphenols

The portion of these foods that are beneficial to your inner health is the part that your body does not digest at all.

You see, once consumed, only about 5-10% of polyphenols are directly absorbed in the small intestine, while the rest make their way to the colon. 

The undigested part of the polyphenol-rich foods that make it to the colon increases the good guys and decreases the bad guys helping create a healthy microbiome.

And with a healthy microbiome comes more energy better moods better sleep less pain happier belly and more balanced immunity. 

Good health starts with the gut, so eat lots of polyphenol-rich food to keep your bugs happy and so to keep you healthy.

Foods that contain Polyphenol

wine, dark chocolate, berries, avocado, greens, fish, nutsThey are found in foods such as tea, wine, chocolates, fruits, vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil, just to name a few.

You can benefit by specifically including apples, blueberries, plums, strawberries, cherries, raspberry, pomegranate, broccoli, spinach, rosemary, thyme, basil, curcumin, and other spices; dark chocolate, flaxseed meal,  red wine,  resveratrol containing foods,  weak black tea, peppermint tea, green tea.

So worth looking into including more of these to support a healthier gut.

 

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy Melbourne

 

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Gut Health Improves Well Being

What is Gut Health?

Gut health refers to the balance and harmony within your digestive system. It’s about more than just avoiding indigestion or occasional discomfort; it’s about nurturing an environment where your gut can thrive, and consequently, so can you.

Your gut is home to a bustling ecosystem of microorganisms, and this community, known as the gut microbiome, plays a crucial role in your well-being.

 

Benefits of a Healthy Gut

  • A healthy gut can contribute to improved digestion,
  • a stronger immune system,
  • and even a better mood.
  • Improving gut health reduces symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, cramping, constipation, or diarrhoea.

It is important to keep the gut healthy because as Hippocrates said more than 2000 years ago, “All disease begins in the gut”.  It is only now that we are beginning to see just how right he was.

 

Research over the last 20 years is showing that an unhealthy gut contributes to some of our most chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even autism spectrum disorder.

With this in mind, it is prudent that we tend to the gut as part of our daily routine and treat it with the same importance as our outward appearance.You see, a healthy gut makes a happy you.

Nurture our Microbiome

A good starting point is to nurture our natural microbial occupants, our microbiome.

The microorganisms that live symbiotically on the skin, the tongue, and in the coils of the intestines are known as the microbiome. Since there are 10x more of these than cells in our bodies, it is wise to feed not just ourselves but the good bugs in our digestive systems as well.

Wise indeed, especially since they influence our state of health and illness, from gut to brain and immunity to pain. What could later show up are irritable bowel symptoms, joint pain, mood and memory issues, and immune challenges, to name a few.

Unfortunately, it is really easy to destroy our good bugs. Among the culprits are the sugars either overt or hidden sugars in some of the food we choose; stress and toxicity are included here too; as well as antibiotics, medications, and other environmental chemicals which we may expose ourselves to from time to time.

Now, if you happen to have a bit of a problem with the gut: perhaps you experience bloating, tiredness after eating, cramps, reflux, constipation, or diarrhea, then your gut is likely in need of some repair, it is likely to be leaky and in need of some good bacteria as well as some special nutrients.

well being

Here are a few steps to take in caring for the microbiome:

1) Start by Giving your System a Rest

Leave out foods that are sure to irritate an ailing digestive system. Start with leaving out wheat and dairy foods and opting for easy-to-digest steamed vegetables and soups or broths. Pre-digested foods are good too so try making green smoothies.

2) Add some Good Probiotics and Prebiotics

It’s really easy to use a good quality brand of probiotic and take it daily.

3) Eat Foods that Contribute to Good Gut Health

Foods that help in this regard are fermented food such as kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Really valuable because they help introduce enzymes and probiotics that can help with the digestion and absorption of our food.

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy - Herb KaleKale, spinach, silverbeet, dandelion greens are the leafy greens that can be included in salads, soups, smoothies.

Polyphenols are a class of micronutrients that act as an antioxidant and encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in many of your favorite foods. They are found in deep red and orange vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, and red cabbage; also in blueberries and red wine, apples (whole including skin), plums, cherries, pomegranate, peppermint tea, green tea, curcumin, and other spices. They act as a fertilizer for your microbiome.

With a healthy microbiome, your body can actually better break down the nutrients you’re eating, which is your first step on the road to wellness.

And with a healthy inner ecology comes less pain, more energy, better moods, a happier belly, and more balanced immunity.

Ultimately it eventually allows for more dietary variation and tolerance as well!

4) Manage Stress

However, if your symptoms are severe, the above measures will most likely not be quite enough. Truth be told, for many of us with chronic conditions and leaky gut, it often takes an army of helpers. This is where we can step in to help.

If this article prompts you to visit us, then simply give us a
call on 03 9879 9596 or contact us.

Read More:

What is the Microbiome?

 

Your Wellness Centre Naturopathy Melbourne

 

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