Why Am I Interested In Gut Health & Nutrition?

Gut health has been a hot topic for some time now. You might have heard of the GUT-Brain axis or gut-brain connection, or terms like gut microbiome, good gut bugs, healthy bacteria, prebiotics, probiotics, nutrient absorption, gastrointestinal health, soluble fibre and insoluble fibre. It’s mind-boggling — or GUT-boggling!

Gut Health Issues

There are also many issues that can develop in our gut or digestive tract. A few I’m familiar with include Diverticular disease and diverticulitis, diarrhoea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease, bowel cancer, leaky gut and Coeliac disease. These can lead to weight loss, pain, nutrient deficiencies and absorption problems, and sometimes more serious complications. I want to briefly highlight a few conditions I’ve personally encountered, in the hope it may help someone reading this. Let’s start with a common one — IBS.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

I was diagnosed with IBS in 2005/2006, and while I won’t go into details, I’ve had many years of living with it. Health New Zealand has a great overview of irritable bowel syndrome. Although the cause isn’t known, people with IBS generally have a more sensitive bowel, and food moves through the intestine either too fast or too slow, leading to diarrhoea or constipation. It’s more common in women than men, affects about 1 in 7 people in New Zealand, and is more common in those under 50.

A low FODMAP diet can be helpful for people with IBS. FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. Without getting too technical, reducing certain sugars (carbohydrates) may help. Monash University has an excellent 3-step FODMAP diet guide and food list and has done extensive research on how different foods affect the bowel. IBS symptoms can overlap with Coeliac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and although it’s possible to have two conditions together, it’s not common. Coeliac Disease, however, is an autoimmune condition and a serious one.

Coeliac Disease

Coeliac Disease can lead to significant complications including iron-deficiency anemia and other nutrient deficiencies. People often experience fatigue, and some may have sudden weight loss or malnutrition. This happens because the villi (finger-like protrusions) in the small intestine become flattened, reducing the surface area available for nutrient absorption. Health New Zealand has a good overview of Coeliac Disease, including a helpful diagram. These are just some of the symptoms. The following is from a friend who speaks about real life experience:

“If my son has just the tiniest crumb of gluten with his meal he can vomit/diarrhoea for literally hours nonstop. This is combined with intense stomach pain, excessive sweating, headache, dehydration, dizziness, and then he needs to sleep. He will wake up extremely weak with hangover-like symptoms. He has anxiety about eating anything that is not from a packet which states gluten free certified. He then doesn’t absorb nutrients until his gut has healed from that incident. If he gets another ‘attack’ within a month the symptoms are worse again due to not fully healing from the initial episode.” – Karena

It can be really hard for people who have Coeliac Disease to eat out. Being gluten free has become popularised and has meant it has lead to confusion about how serious Coeliac Disease is. It is not just as simple as you will get a bit bloated and feel tired.

Diverticular disease and diverticulitis

Diverticular disease can cause pain and changes in bowel habits. Small pouches called diverticula form in the bowel wall. When one becomes sore, swollen, infected or inflamed, that’s diverticulitis. I especially wanted to mention this because I’ve cared for someone experiencing it. We found that Slippery Elm helped manage symptoms and calm inflammation. If you’re experiencing similar symptoms or are concerned, please talk to your GP first. And if you’re considering supplements, speak to someone like me or a knowledgeable person in the store. Again, Health New Zealand has a very good overview of Diverticular disease.

Probiotics Can Help

The last thing I would mention here is that probiotics are a good option if you have been on antibiotics or if you have had a stomach upset. They can help support recovery, immune system and gut health!