Constipation - What moves your bowels?

Regular bowels are an important sign of good health. Our bowels are a primary function of elimination and detox. When this is backed up, we start to use secondary organs of elimination such as your skin, or lungs...which is not ideal. ⠀

Do you suffer from constipation? Check out the bristol stool chart if you haven't seen it before. Constipation could mean daily hard to pass stool, or not going for several days. ⠀

Why are you constipated?

1. There could be an imbalance of bacteria in your gut, aka SIBO, or yeast overgrowth.

2. You could have stagnation of bile from the liver/gallbladder, which is very important to stimulate bowels. ⠀

3. You could have a low fibre diet (but this gets quite complicated for those who have experienced constipation for awhile - due to point #1 typically). ⠀

4. You are not stimulating movement of bowels by moving your whole body. Exercise and twists are key here. ⠀

5. You are STRESSED! If our body is stressed our muscles tighten, including our digestive tract.

What moves our bowels?

1. Get into a routine - We detox during the night for the most part, since our body is at rest, so the morning is when the cycle should be completed, aka a bowel movement. If you wake at the same time each morning, after a good night sleep, your body should start getting into a rhythm and you shouldn’t need extra support. Try it!

2. Try extra support - Try a mug of warm water with lemon. It helps to stimulate liver detox and the warm water gets your intestines warmed up (like a warm up before a big run). Your morning coffee may do the trick as well since it is bitter. Bitters stimulate stomach acid, enzymes and bile secretion, all essential for proper digestion and bowels.

3. Exercise and twist - The simple twist I’m doing above is one way to stimulate the bowels. It’s like wringing out a towel and moves things through. Exercise gets lymph moving, helpful for detox.

4. Hydration - The bowels absorb water to bulk up the stool. This then creates a signal to stimulate a bowel movement. Hydrate with lots of water throughout the day (ideally not ice water, and not just during meals!)

5. Get rid of bad bacteria - Methanobacteria are among those typically high with constipation. Bifido bacteria tend to be low with constipation. These are only 2 patterns I see in practice as it depends on the individual. We ultimately need to eliminate an overgrowth with antimicrobial herbs and a specific diet, then increase the beneficial bugs with supplements or food.

6. Stimulate bile flow - Bile is crucial for proper bowel stimulation. If it is trickling out too often and irritating bowels it can cause diarrhea, and if it is stagnant in the gallbladder (or liver if you don’t have a gallbladder) constipation tends to happen. Simple diet hacks, fibre, cholagogue herbs, and nutrients such as lecithin, and phosphatidylcholine all help to stimulate bile. Cholagogue herbs include milk thistle, burdock, dandelion or artichoke.

7. Relax - I know this is easier said that done but this is key! Deep belly breathing goes a long way to stimulate the vagus nerve ultimately stimulating your bowels.

Questions about constipation? Let me know!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

Estrobolome - The Gut-Hormone Connection

Improving your digestion goes beyond keeping your gut happy. It is connected to a number of different “systems” in our body, one being your hormones, estrogen in particular. When this isn’t in balance it can affect mood, weight, cycle, libido, acne and even bone health. 

What is the Estrobolome?

The gut microbiome is the collection of bacteria, both good and bad, in the digestive system. Ideally there should be no imbalance in the bacteria, called a dysbiosis, but due to diet, antibiotics, stress, or environmental exposure it is common for an imbalance to occur. 

Among many roles, the gut microbiome plays a crucial role in regulating circulating estrogen levels. Specific microbes in the microbiome, called the estrobolome, specifically do this. The microbes in the estrobolome produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which deconjugates estrogens into their active forms. This increases estrogens that are reabsorbs and capable of binding to estrogen receptors in the body and influencing those hormonal physiological processes. This process is known as phase 3 estrogen detox and when there is the right amount of beta-glucuronidase, estrogen homeostasis is maintained. When dysbiosis occurs, the estrobolome up-regulates or down-regulates beta-glucuronidase leading to a deficiency or excess of estrogen in the body. I most commonly see an estrogen excess. 

Common signs of excess estrogen which can be influenced by estrobolome are:

• bloating, especially before your period

• irritability 

• acne

• breast tenderness

• heavy periods

• headaches or migraines 

• PCOS picture 

Issues with deficient estrogens post-menopausal influenced by the estrobolome are:

• increased risk of osteoporosis

• increased risk of cardiovascular disease 

• increase risk of obesity 

What affects the estrobolome?

Anything that disrupt the gut microbiome typically affects the estrobolome as well. 

• Poor diet and lifestyle are the most common triggers for dysbiosis. Certain bacteria feed on certain food we eat (sugar and gluten as common examples), grow and in tern tell the brain to eat more of that food, causing an overgrowth. Studies have shown that a shift in the diet can induce microbial shifts within 24 hours. Focus on organic food when you can, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts and fibre. 

• Antibiotics and birth control pills both have been found to alter the microbiome and estrogen levels, leading us to believe it is affecting the estrobolome. 

• A broad spectrum probiotic can influence the microbiome to shift positively. Antimicrobial herbs may be effective at eliminate an overgrowth. Talk to an ND like me to discuss if these are advised for you. 

• Calcium-D-Glucurate is a supplement that is a beta-glucuronidase inhibitor. This allows estrogen to remain conjugated, in its inactive form, to be safely eliminated from the body. This is very handy for someone with known estrogen excess. 

This gut-hormone connection proves to me that gut health is again at the root of many health concerns. We don’t want to forget proper liver support or hormone support with certain herbs, but it is important to not skip the gut! 

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

SIBO - Test Don't Guess

Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) may be more prevalent than we think. Research shows that 50-84% of IBS patients test positive for SIBO. This is with old testing methods that would show many false positives, therefore my assumption is that it is even more prevalent than we think. All it may take for someone to develop SIBO is a bout of food poisoning! That’s it! For some it is more complicated than that.

I have discussed the main reasons someone may have SIBO in a previous post, but let’s jump right into how you accurately diagnose SIBO. In my practice I ask a lot of questions in the first visit. This is because we can gain a lot of clinical information about what may be going on by just getting all the information. A physical exam, specifically an abdominal exam in these cases, is my next step in gathering information. SIBO has a handful of specific symptoms I am looking for which guide my treatment plan. But SIBO also a handful of symptoms that are unique to the individual and can be systemic, for example joint pain, rosacea, hypothyroidism.

Test Don’t Guess

If your symptoms indicate to me that you may have SIBO, before jumping into treatment, it is very helpful to test for it. Not only will this confirm, or deny, a positive result, but it will also guide what type of antimicrobials I’ll use and for how long depending on what the results show. The higher the results, the more rounds of antimicrobials we typically have to do.

The SIBO breath test is the most accurate non-invasive way to diagnose SIBO right now. Research continues to be done to advance our testing methods. The best option is a breath test that is a 3-hour lactulose breath test looking at both Hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) levels. This is the type and amount of gas that is produced if you have SIBO. Hydrogen SIBO typically presents as diarrhea (among other symptoms), and methane SIBO typically presents as constipation. The 3 hour test ensures you are testing the entire length of the small intestine, where only a small amount of bacteria should be, not an overgrowth. Stool testing, which we may do for other GI complaints, is only relevant to the large intestine. There is no accurate test yet for a 3rd type of SIBO, hydrogen sulphide. However, there are patterns on the results and patterns in symptoms that may indicate this type. This is not testing for Candida, however it is common for these to present together.

Ultimately if you test positive for SIBO, I treat it. However, 2/3 of patients have shown to relapse post-treatment. There are number of reasons for this but this is why it is always important to treat the patients and not the condition. I aim to treat the root cause along with the SIBO - if we can. Sometimes this isn’t possible depending on the case, so we do are best. It can also take time, and even different circumstances, for example a less stressful job perhaps, to treat the root. 1/3 of cases are luckily non-recurring and the patients feels better quickly and for good. Phew!

All in all, testing is very helpful to me as a clinician if I suspect a bad case of SIBO. It takes the guesswork out of the treatment and ensures a more accurate and quicker treatment result. Treating SIBO is a team effort but the more information we have the better it can be!

Are you interested in getting tested for SIBO? Let me know!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

The Foodie's Guide to Gluten-Free

I WISH these were gluten free…

As a practitioner that sees a lot of gut health issues, and conditions associated with it, it is likely that I will ask you go try going gluten free. I do this, not because I am trying to be the stereotypical Naturopath portrayed in movies, or because you are celiac, but because it can truly have a negative effect on some people’s health if there is a sensitivity. No, it doesn’t effect everyone, or at least everyone the same, but for those with a more chronic condition that they are seeking help with, it is a great place to start. There is research that shows gluten can increase zonulin in the gut, which I’ve spoken about before, which causes a more “leaky gut.” Gluten can cause different reactions, including the obvious bloating and cramping, to swelling, headaches and fatigue.

Gluten-What?

What the heck is gluten though? Gluten is the protein in certain grains, including wheat, spelt, kamut, rye and barley. It is what makes it stick together well. It is not in oats, millet, buckwheat, corn, rice, quinoa, sorghum. In years past, trying to find gluten free bread that didn’t crumble immediately was almost impossible! Luckily now there are so many great options to choose from. I am creating a guide for those patients of mine that need some guidance, but also all those out there wondering whether this is something they should try for their health. (Hint…if you are asking yourself that, you should probably try it!) Halifax has a few less options than bigger cities, so let me know if there are other favourites I may not know about.

My Gluten-free Tips

1. My number 1 tip for going gluten free is to not worry so much about replacing every type of gluten product you have. You can do a lot with a lettuce wrap, sweet potato, cauliflower or bed of rice. Try a burger on a lettuce wrap, or seasoned ground meat in romaine. Or even sloppy joes in a roasted sweet potato. You will end up buying less gluten free products and eating more whole foods :)

2. Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to for gluten free flours for baking. No more complicated recipes needed with a binding agent such as xanthum gum, since their blends are all ready to go and come out tasting great!

3. Eating out when you are gluten free has become easier as well (except for brunch…that’s still hard for me sometimes!). A lot of restaurants have gluten free options or substitutes so all you need to do is ask. A go to for me is just their meat/fish, potato and veggie dish. There is usually always something like that.

Favourite Gluten Free Products

• Baking Flour: Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour - the best baking flour I find. It works so well for mostly anything you are baking. (blue bag better than red bag as you need to add the xanthum gum to the latter)

• Oats: Regular oats - Unless you are celiac, you can use regular oat flakes. These are a go to for me for quick pre-made breakfasts and snacks. I love my oats!

• Pasta: Cantelli or Barilla gluten free pastas are good grocery store brand options. GoGo Quinoa Pastas are sometimes available and a good option. Kids also tend to like the 100% legume pastas you can find now (eg. Chickapea pasta), which provide a good source of fibre. Be careful with this though if you are sensitive to beans or bloat with too much fibre.

• Crackers: Blue Diamond Artisan Nut-Thins/Almond crackers, Mary’s crackers are great options as well as several options at Costco that are great. Breton even has gluten free crackers in the regular cracker section.

• Bagel: O’Doughs Thins - Found at Superstore in the freezer section. They are delicious with a little peanut butter for a quick breakfast if you are craving more carbs (but not with the calories - bonus!). Their sandwich buns are pretty good as well. Little Northern Bakehouse has good bagels as well.

• English Muffins: Glutino brand - I’m not a big english muffin gal but I’ve been told these are a go to for some people.

• Bread: This one is a toss up depending on what you are looking for. Some options are - Little Northern Bakehouse Gluten Free bread is apparently really good, especially their Honey Oat Bread; Promise brand from Sobeys; Costco Gluten free bread (comes in a pack of 2 loafs); fresh bread at the market (look around, you may find a gem). Glutino and Udi’s are best for making stuffings etc, since they are still a bit crumbly.

• Burger buns: O’Dough Hamburger Buns - I discovered these in the summer and I was very impressed! If you aren’t going for the lettuce bun, try these. There are many other options in the freezer sections.

• Wraps: Superstore has its own wrap that is decent; Sobeys carries ones that aren’t frozen in the health food section. Some can get expensive so look around.

• Pizza: Sabatassos Gluten-free Pizzas - Since I can’t eat dairy, these came highly recommended by a great source. Found at Costco and they are apparently amazing! Lots of other options now at your local grocery store.

There you have it, some great options for those of us that are gluten free! I promise it isn’t so bad. I love to cook and I’ve made out alright 😉

Any favourite products of yours I’m missing here? Let me know!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen