01Mar 2018 by Victoria Lekkas
The Lowdown on Lactose Intolerance

The Lowdown on Lactose Intolerance

GI Disorders
You’re at a party and everyone’s having the time of their lives - drinking, dancing, eating. Soon enough, it’s time for the best part of the night. Yep, time for that gloriously rich and succulent mud cake, topped with chocolate swirls and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate – doesn’t get any better than that, right? Well, unfortunately that’s not quite the case for approximately 65% of the world's population who are, to some degree, lactose intolerant. What is lactose intolerance? Lactose intolerance is characterized by the inability to completely digest the sugar found in dairy products, called lactose. Lactose is a disaccharide, meaning it is composed of two single sugar molecules – one unit of galactose, and one unit of glucose joined together. This inability to digest lactose…
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25Jan 2018 by Dr Ryan Harvey
Gut-Friendly Foods

Gut-Friendly Foods

GI Disorders
Your gut is home to an entire ecosystem of gut microbiota (bacteria), which has a holistic influence on your health. There are tens of trillions of microorganisms (consisting of at least 1000 different species of known bacteria) that are responsible for helping our digestive systems break down food, filter toxins, absorb vitamins, support the immune system, and balance hormone levels that affect our moods. As a home doctor I always advise patients to look after their children’s and their own gut health, because so many elements of life can throw gut bacteria out of balance. In most cases you can keep your gut happy and healthy by eating a diet high in probiotic bacteria and prebiotic carbohydrates, as these promote the growth and activity of good bacteria. Together, probiotics and…
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08Dec 2017 by Larina Robinson
What is SIBO? (and how do you know if you have it?)

What is SIBO? (and how do you know if you have it?)

GI Disorders
Do you suffer with chronic diarrhoea or constipation? Experiencing regular bloating and abdominal pain? Or perhaps you’ve eliminated certain foods from your diet but haven’t seen much improvement in your symptoms…. You might have Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO for short. What is SIBO? SIBO is defined as excessive bacteria in the small intestine. Naturally, our digestive tract is full of bacteria but the bulk of them are found in our large intestine, not our small intestine. (1) In comparison to our large intestine, the small intestine has relatively low levels of bacteria. This is the space in our digestive system where food mixes with digestive juices and nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. When bacteria from the large intestine overflow into the small intestine and take over, they…
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03Nov 2017 by Larina Robinson
The Low FODMAP Diet

The Low FODMAP Diet

GI Disorders
Do you suffer from chronic bloating, abdominal pain and altered bowel habits? If yes, then it’s likely you’ll benefit from the Low FODMAP diet. Discover what exactly FODMAPs are, how to follow the Low FODMAP diet, and the importance of methodically reintroducing FODMAP foods into your diet below. What Are FODMAPs? FODMAPs are a group of food compounds that are eliminated on the Low FODMAP diet. The Low FODMAP diet created by Sue Shepherd and her team in Melbourne, Australia, is a temporary elimination diet that aims to reduce symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The acronym FODMAP stands for: ● Fermentable – these types of compounds are broken down (fermented) by bacteria in the large intestine ● Oligosaccharides – “oligo” means “few” and “saccharide” means sugar. These molecules are…
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17Mar 2017 by Chloe McLeod
What is IBS, and how do we manage it?

What is IBS, and how do we manage it?

GI Disorders
It seems everywhere you go, someone new is trying out a gluten free diet, and complaining of feeling bloated, uncomfortable, or suffering from diarrhoea or constipation. Does this mean they have IBS? But wait. What is IBS, and how do we manage it? What is IBS? Approximately 20% of Australians suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, commonly known as IBS. IBS is a chronic condition, meaning long term management is required. Symptoms include stomach cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, wind, constipation and diarrhea. It is also common for there to be periods in your life where symptoms are worse, or are better. How do we manage it? IBS, for most people is triggered by consumption of high FODMAP foods, whilst stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and physical activity all play a role…
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28Feb 2017 by Amanda Moon
The low-down on the Low FODMAPs diet to improve gut symptoms

The low-down on the Low FODMAPs diet to improve gut symptoms

GI Disorders
Most people experiencing excessive gas, bloating, abdominal pain and altered bowel movements (diarrhoea and/or constipation) would have heard of the Low FODMAPs diet by now. Many GPs and health practitioners are regarding it to be one of the best investigative diets for identifying problematic foods. Research shows that people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can significantly improve symptoms by managing the amount of FODMAPs in their diet. What are FODMAPS? FODMAPs is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols. Essentially, FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates (sugars, starches and fibres), which can be poorly digested and absorbed in the small intestine, resulting in movement through to the large intestine. Here, they can be fermented / digested by the millions of bacteria that reside there, producing…
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01Feb 2017 by Adrianna Denke
Probiotics and Prebiotics

Probiotics and Prebiotics

GI Disorders, Health
  Did you know that we have 100 trillion bacteria living in our gut?! While that may leave you feeling a little squeamish, don’t fear! These little guys are on our side, they play important roles in many metabolic, nutritional, physiological and immunological processes which keep us healthy. This includes acting as a barrier to prevent “bad” bacteria from invading and causing illness, and producing nutrients that we can’t make ourselves (vitamin K, B12, folic acid, short chain fatty acids). There is continual evidence which suggests incorporating prebiotics and probiotics into our diet is beneficial for keeping a healthy balance of “good” gut bacteria. So what are probiotics and prebiotics? Probiotics Probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria or yeast) found in certain foods, which when consumed in adequate amounts are beneficial…
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27Jan 2017 by Amanda Moon
Considerations for the Management and Treatment of IBS

Considerations for the Management and Treatment of IBS

GI Disorders
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that affects the nerves and muscles of the bowel. It’s the least understood, but most common gastrointestinal disorder - affecting one in five Australians. IBS isn’t a disease itself, but a label given to symptoms that are not related to other conditions like coeliac disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease etc. Therefore it’s very important to speak with your GP about your symptoms as soon as possible to rule out more serious gut conditions. Symptoms can vary in severity and come and go, lasting for hours, days, weeks or months. For most people, it’s a chronic condition, while for others it can improve and even disappear completely. Some of the most common IBS symptoms include: • Abdominal pain or cramping – often relieved by passing…
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18Dec 2016 by Alana Willis
Should I Go Gluten Free?

Should I Go Gluten Free?

GI Disorders, Health
  With so many gluten free products hitting the shelves, you may start to wonder whether going gluten free will help enhance your health. However, before you go cold turkey on gluten, are there actually any general health benefits to following a gluten free diet? Keep reading to find out exactly what gluten is and why going gluten free may benefit some people but not others. What is gluten anyway? Gluten is a mixture of two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, naturally found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is also artificially added to many processed foods such as gravy and candy bars. Gluten plays an important role in maintaining a foods shape and structure. For instance, gluten is added to gravy to ensure it is thick and…
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