Getting to Gut Health: Resources

Gut issues are unfortunately becoming increasingly common for many people these days and they can make life very uncomfortable. I have had chronic gut issues for a year now, thanks to Long Covid and antibiotics used to treat other Long Covid symptoms. On my journey to gut health I have researched a lot of information and thought I would share those resources that I have found most useful – in case they can help you too.

Unpleasant as gut issues are themselves, more worrying is the connection that is being uncovered between gut dysfunction and a whole host of different diseases, including autoimmune diseases. Only relatively recently research has shown links between the gut and the brain, the gut and the skin, the gut and the eyes, the gut and inflammation, the gut and immunity … the list of connections continues to expand. What is becoming very clear is that the health of your gut is fundamental to your overall wellbeing.

Simply put, the function of the gut is to process what we put in our mouths: extracting the good things that we need to thrive and removing things that could be harmful for us. Saliva, chewing, stomach acids and enzymes help break down and digest the food particles so that they can be absorbed into our other bodily systems (blood, liver, kidneys etc). The lining of the gut is vital to control what can be absorbed, to keep the bad stuff out. If that lining is damaged it can start to let the wrong things through (‘leaky gut’) which then starts to cause issues elsewhere in the body and can cause serious diseases if not addressed.

Over the last couple of decades researchers have realised that one of our most important gut functions has been outsourced – to the microbiome. The microbiome consists of trillions of microorganisms of thousands of different species, including not only bacteria but fungi, parasites, and viruses. In a healthy person, these microbes (or biota) coexist peacefully, with the largest numbers found in the small and large intestines but also throughout the body, in the mouth and on the skin for example. The microbiome has even been labeled a supporting organ because it plays so many key roles in promoting the smooth daily operations of the human body.

So really we are not just eating for one, we are eating to feed the trillions and keep them happy and in balance. Our most beneficial microbes love it when we eat fibre because this helps them (and us) to thrive. Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are all good sources of this fibre, often called prebiotic fibre as it is food for the biota. If we eat too much sugar and processed foods, this favours ‘bad’ microbes that can cause issues if they become too dominant. This imbalance is referred to as ‘dysbiosis’ and is usually what is going on when you have gut issues. Switch to a predominantly plant-based diet and your microbiome will thank (and reward) you.

 

This is important to understand because it means that the answers to resolving your health issues may be in your kitchen, your garden and your supermarket rather than at the chemist or hospital.

If you are interested in finding out more about our microbiome, leaky gut, and effects on our immunity, inflammation and other aspects of health and/or disease, here are some of the resources that I found especially useful:

Goodness Lover:  Sarah Otto is an Australian nutritionist who was motivated to share her knowledge after she overcame her own struggles with autoimmune disease and chronic fatigue by restoring her gut. She is passionate about sharing the little-known tools that heal guts and change lives. She and husband Matt have produced docuseries courses on different aspects of the microbiome, health conditions and natural remedies, along with protocols and recipes. Many of the health professionals that are interviewed have also been on similar health journeys themselves. There are lots of podcasts and health articles too.

Food Revolution Network: committed to inspiring and advocating for healthy, ethical, and sustainable food for all through education about plant-powered foods. Founded by John Robbins who was groomed to be the heir to the Baskin-Robbins ice-cream empire, which was founded by his father. John walked away from it all 35+ years ago when he realised that he simply didn’t want to devote his life to selling ice cream that makes people unhealthy. So he decided to make a change and forge a new path promoting healthy eating and healthy living. His son Ocean Robbins now continues this mission.

Monash University FODMAP: if you are having gut issues you may be directed by a doctor or nutritionist to go on a low FODMAP diet to help relieve some of the symptoms. There are lots of different sites that provide info on what you can and can’t eat. This can be particularly restrictive, especially if you are also avoiding gluten, dairy, fibre … I found the Monash University FODMAP App to be a game-changer because it has a traffic light system that shows you that you can eat many more things – just in smaller amounts. The amounts are cumulative so you have to be careful what you eat with what – and Monash have a whole heap of recipes that take care of that for you. The App does cost $14.99 but the money goes back into the research. You can access the recipes for free on their website.

Microbiome Analysis: often eliminating troublesome foods for a while, with probiotic and other supplement support followed by gradual reintroduction of foods can reset the balance of your microbiome. But if you’ve tried that and it isn’t working, I can thoroughly recommend getting a Microbiome Analysis done to help you to understand what the key microbes are doing in your gut. It is not routinely available (mine was sent to Australia via Nutrisearch in NZ) and it costs ~$500 but it is so worthwhile in being able to better target your treatment. You get a report showing all the common good and bad microbes with a traffic light indicator as to where they sit compared to desired or normal levels. My good microbes were definitely all over the place, none of the major bad microbes that would be screened for in a normal stool test were present, but there was one ‘opportunistic’ bacteria, that hadn’t been previously identified, had ‘taken its opportunity’ and was at extreme levels in my gut (and causing my issues).

Natural Antibiotic – Biocidin: standard antibiotics are very good at quickly killing off bad microbes and certainly have their place in medicine, but they aren’t selective and kill off all the good microbes as well. So each time you take a course of antibiotics you are causing gut dysbiosis. Even if you are healthy it can take a long period of time for your microbiome to recover. There is a natural antibiotic (18 plant extracts and oils) called Biocidin that has been around for a long time now (since 1989) and shown to be as effective if not more effective than other antibiotics. Its main advantage is that it doesn’t just wipe out everything, it helps the body eliminate the nasties and selectively supports the beneficial microbes.

Feel Fresh Nutrition: Some of the research on the microbiome is still fairly new and not all doctors will be aware of it. I can thoroughly recommend Jill Meyer at Feel Fresh Nutrition as a nutritionist who can guide you through your healing journey, and give you access to microbiome analysis and gut supportive treatment.