The number of people who have reached out to me and shared how the podcast has changed their practice, understanding, and life seriously can't be understated. Unfortunately, after three years and so many personal changes, I've decided to put the podcast on a hiatus. I feel so many mixed emotions about this, and given my personality, it's hard to take a step back but I look forward to bringing you more amazing content in the future. I talk about: 1)    How nutrition science is rarely...

Pain is a predominant feature in the majority of functional gut disorders. The higher risk of anxiety and depression when coping with any chronic illness, including GI disorders, as well as anxiety and depression impacting symptoms and symptom perception in many GI conditions are all very important aspect of medical care. This week I interview Dr. Katia Tonkin on the role that cannabis plays in medical care – including in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and pain. Dr. Tonkin is a...

Long-COVID is defined by The National Health Service as having symptoms that develop during or after a COVID infection which continue for more than 12 weeks. This week I interview Marlee Coldwell, RD on how long COVID presents and ways that it can be managed in our patients. Marlee has been working with patients who have complex digestive health issues and food intolerances for the past 5 years. Marlee specializes in providing nutritional support for digestive disorders including IBS, IBD,...

Hypermobility spectrum disorders are estimated to be among 3% of the general population. So, every GI practitioner should be aware of hypermobility and the symptoms, because whether we recognize it or not, we’re seeing these patients all the time.This week I interview Cheryl Harris, RD on the overlap between hypermobility and GI disorders to help guide practitioners towards recognizing it in their digestive health patients. Cheryl Harris, MPH RD has been a dietitian for 20 years and has...

Nutrition is central to a functioning immune system. It impacts our ability to fight precancerous cells, ward off pathogens, heal injuries, and support our bodies through disease. This week I interview Doug Cook, RD on the role that nutrition plays in our immune function. Doug Cook is a registered dietitian with over 21 years of experience. With a Master of Health Science in Nutrition, he specializes in functional and integrative nutrition. Doug dives deep into the research on nutrition and...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disease where fat accumulates in the liver, and can progress to inflammation (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH), and hardening of the liver (cirrhosis). It is a silent disease, often completely symptomless, however, trying to catch it early is important due to its progressive nature. This week I interview RD Neha Shah on what NAFLD is, how it may be reversed and the overlap between gut issues and NAFLD. Neha has been specializing...

Two previous guest of our Let’s Gut Real Podcast, Dr. Drossman and Johannah Ruddy, join us again today to talk about their newly released book. Gut Feelings: The Patient's Story Personal Accounts of the Illness Journey A Guide for Patients and Doctors Gut Feelings: A Patient’s Story. Now available on Amazon.   Dr. Drossman received his M.D. degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and subspecialized in biopsychosocial medicine and Gastroenterology. He received his gastroenterology...

Did you know that it is more common to have anxiety and depressive symptoms if you have IBS compared to if you don’t have IBS? This week I interview dietitian Heidi Staudacher to discuss how patients can often end up in a vicious cycle where they have gastrointestinal symptoms that lead to mental health problems and then that further leads to more gut symptoms. Heidi Staudacher is an accredited practising dietitian and has had extensive experience in the clinical management of people with...

Although the etiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is poorly understood it is a progressive disease characterized by inflammation of the bile ducts. This week I interview RD Brittany Roman-Green and we discuss primary sclerosing cholangitis, its relationship to ulcerative colitis and what the current research says about it. Brittany Roman-Green is the founder of Romanwell and is an IBD focused registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, and behavior change...

Enzymes are important for any living organism and play a huge part in the day-to-day operations of the human body. Enzymes provide a number of very vital processes – not only for digestion but for the nervous system, muscles, and many other important bodily functions. This week I interview Anjie Liu and David Hachuel creators of FODZYME® to discuss how digestive enzymes can specifically help with IBS symptoms. Co-founded by Anjie Liu and David Hachuel, MPH, Kiwi Biosciences is a...

Diet culture has a profound impact on our beliefs about nutrition and health. It can impact our behaviours and may lead to disordered eating which can have far reaching impacts on our bodies ability to digest food and further lead to uncomfortable digestive symptoms. This week I interview Jessica Begg, RD on how emotional eating and binge eating influences our digestive symptoms. Jessica Begg is both a Registered Dietitian as well as a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Jessica’s double...

With diets like keto and carnivore gaining traction, I've had many people ask - what impact do plants specifically have on our microbiome and human health?  Today I interview Dr. Veronique Braesco, Dr. Petra Louis, and Dr. Ian Rowland, researchers that have contributed to the latest scientific update summarizing the impact of plant-based diets on the gut microbiome and published through the Alpro Foundation. The Alpro Foundation has been a scientific platform for over 25 years dedicated to...

Research around digestive health is constantly changing, and it is one of those areas where we don’t necessarily know all the answers. This week I interview RD Abby Langer on fighting nutrition misinformation and debunking some popular digestive health claims. Abby Langer has been a Registered Dietitian since 1999. Abby is passionate about all aspects of nutrition, from physiology to teaching to cooking. Her approach to nutrition is permissive and relaxed, and she is a true believer in...

Concussions can have a profound impact on our brains and are not always the result of a direct blow to the head. This week I interview Erik Bustillo, RD on concussions, what they are, how they impact the brain, how they can happen, nutrition supported recovery and the impact they can have on mental health. Erik Bustillo, MS, RD, FISSN, CISSN, CSC, CPT practices as a Registered Dietitian, Strength Coach, Fitness Trainer, and Health Coach. He attended Florida International University and...

Our diet, the balance of our gut microbiome, and fibre intake can have significant impacts on our digestive health and disease outcomes. This week I interview Dr. Genelle Healey on the use of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) treatment for IBD patients. Dr Genelle Healey undertook her PhD in Nutritional Science at Massey University in New Zealand. Her research looked at what influence habitual dietary fibre intake has on gut microbiota response to a prebiotic (fibre) intervention. Prior to...

Were you recently diagnosed with celiac disease? Having celiac disease can mean something different for each patient. There are many different symptoms and yet some people may not experience any symptoms at all. This week I interview RD Selena Devries about different ways to advocate for yourself if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease and helpful ways to encourage your transition into eating gluten-free. Selena Devries is a registered dietitian from BC Canada.  She completed her...

It’s not always easy to identify what may be causing infant colic or infant allergy reactions. Infant food sensitivities are common and can result in projectile vomiting, reflux, mucousy/bloody stool, and more - which can be very distressing to parents and lead to unnecessary dietary restrictions. This week I interview Dr. Trill Paullin on Infant Food Sensitivities, how they arise and what we can do to help manage them Dr Trill is a Molecular Biologist and mother to two daughters who...

Feeling full, nausea and vomiting are all symptoms of gastroparesis, yet other gut conditions can present like this too – so how do we know which it is? This week I interview Dr. Linda Nguyen on gastroparesis and other digestive disorder look-alikes like IBS, functional dyspepsia, cyclic vomiting syndrome and how she works with patients to improve their quality of life.

IBS, a functional gastrointestinal disorder, is not well understood by the medical community. Encouraging patient centered care while taking a psychosocial approach to treatment can be immensely beneficial for the outcome. The psychosocial approach to patient care, which looks at both the psychological and social aspects of a patient’s life, impacts a patient’s symptoms and overall quality of life.

Did you know, how you experience bloating can say a lot about what is going on in your gut? Bloating and distension can give us clues as to what is going on in your gut and how to best help! This week I interview Tamara Duker Freuman, RD on IBS symptom language and why it's KEY to understanding what bloating means. Plus, we cover different gut disorders and how bloating and distension present in each - getting clear on how to discuss bloating and determine best strategies for care.

Pseudoscience and misinterpretation of research help to spread misinformation about dairy in the media. In addition to this misrepresentation, diary is a highly debated food due to the lack of connection between consumers and the agricultural industry. Does it contain hormones? Does it cause inflammation? People fear what they don’t understand or know about dairy.

Ever notice how negative thoughts can impact your gut symptoms? Many times, our circumstances and how we experience them influence our gut symptoms leading to hypermotility (IBS-D) and other people experience it as hypomotility (IBS-C). Learning to re-frame a negative experience can help to manage IBS symptoms.

Digestive symptoms in eating disorders is common. Does one influence the other? This week I interview Rachael to discuss how restricted eating influences gut motility, and can worsen digestive symptoms – and how that can create a vicious cycle in disordered eating!

Now more than ever, mental health and behavioral health are important. Working with a GI psychologist is typically short-term, but significantly helpful in improving your quality of life, coping with stress and decreasing the severity of your GI condition. Today, I interview Dr. Megan Riehl who is a GI psychologist who specializes in psychogastroenterology and anxiety related-disorders.