Digestive problems: making the connections

Just because we can get used to symptoms such as bloating, gas and constipation does not mean that these conditions are normal or inevitable.

If not addressed, what starts as a gut issue can develop into a serious condition, such as malabsorption of nutrients, joint pain, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain and/or depression. Gut disorders contribute to food sensitivities, chronic inflammation and compromised immunity.

How have you been feeling lately?

If your answer includes any of the following – bloated, gassy, tired, loose stools or constipated, belly pain – you may be experiencing intestinal permeability, sometimes called ‘leaky gut syndrome’. This is a condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to leak through the intestinal wall, triggering an immune response and preventing the absorption of nutrients.

The same symptoms may also suggest Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). While an overpopulation of bacteria in the small Intestine is not necessarily pathogenic, it must be regulated as these bacteria should not be present in such great numbers (unlike the colon, which harbours the greatest number of bacteria).

“Leaky Gut” and SIBO can cause nutritional deficiency, pancreatic insufficiency or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).  These conditions are often misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a catch-all syndrome which in most cases is not taken seriously and are not treated (unlike SIBO).

Until recently, “Leaky Gut”, SIBO and SIFO (Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth, or Candidiasis) have been poorly understood and underestimated. Put simply, they mean: too many bacteria and fungi entering and multiplying where they shouldn’t be causing major problems.

To resolve gut issues, the various factors that lead to imbalances must be identified.  To do this, we can examine how you eat, your carbohydrate and sugar intake, your acid-base balance and the balance of your microbiome (gut flora). Comprehensive laboratory tests may be recommended to assess the microbiome balance in the gut. Based on the results, we are able to target a personalised treatment.

A tailored nutritional programme and herbal treatment can provide adequate solutions to digestive problems.