Let's Gut Real - Easy to Digest Nutrition Science

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 sensational or extreme. As well as the importance of doing what feels good for your body - without making it dogmatic. 2) The value in trying to eat as many plant foods as you can each and every day. The importance of choosing a variety of foods that are acceptable to your palate, culture, budget, and lifestyle. 3) The value of having a member on your health care team that advocates for you, whether that's your dietitian, pharmacist, doctor, or physio. If you're struggling to advocate for yourself and your medical needs, it is important to find an allied health provider that can get the best care possible for you. Connect with me on my website at www.andreahardyrd.com, my clinic website at ignitenutrition.ca, on Instagram @andreahardyrd, or Twitter or Facebook here as well!

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 medical oncologist who worked at The Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton Alberta Canada for 20 years and in London, Ontario Canada for 6 years prior to that. She became interested in medical cannabis in 2016 as many patients started asking about cannabis. After researching into it, Dr. Tonkin felt cannabis was likely to help many patients with a wide variety of problems. She started treating patients in April 2017 and wants to contribute to clinical research to further medical knowledge into appropriate uses of medical cannabis, as well as educating health care providers on the proper use of cannabis. She works out of Optimum Wellness Center as well as other clinics as a medical prescriber. We talk about: Tonkin’s background as a clinician and how they became interested in the role cannabis plays in medical care.What cannabis is.The components of the plant that have therapeutic impacts.The role of a medical prescriber.How cannabis, that is medically prescribed, differs from cannabis you might find in stores and why ’self medicating’ is not the best strategy to realize the benefits of cannabisThe conditions we have evidence for using cannabis with (including anxiety, depression and pain)How these overlaps with gastrointestinal disorders.How to find a medical prescriber. Connect with Dr. Katia Tonkin at Optimum Wellness Centres in Edmonton, Alberta.

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, SIBO, fatty liver disease, and much more. Marlee is the team lead dietitian for Ignite Nutrition, one of Canada’s top digestive health nutrition practices. With her specialized knowledge of gastrointestinal health, she also helps to train and support other dietitians to work with those who have unique and complex food intolerances and GI disorders. In 2019, Marlee also wrote a cookbook called ‘Insulin Resistance Diet for Beginners’, which showcases her other great passion, women’s health and PCOS management. We talk about: · What long COVID is · How many people experience it · What the symptoms are · How we see it influencing our IBS patients and how nutrition can help · The influence of COVID on the GI tract · The taste and smell changes, how they influence people’s nutrition, and if there is anything to help · The inflammatory immune-mediated symptoms like rashes, brain fog, joint pain, chronic fatigue, gut pain, and diarrhea · Why people have been curious about a low histamine diet when it comes to long COVID · The overlap between MCAS and long covid, and why people are being managed like MCAS patients · If using a MCAS approach can ´fix´ long COVID Connect with Coldwell on at ignitenutrition.ca on Instagram here @ignite.nutrition.inc

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 specializing in digestive disorders for 15 years. She was recognized as one of the top nutritionists in the DC metro area by the Washingtonian and was selected as the “Emerging Dietetics Leader of the Year” for Virginia. She has presented and written widely on digestive concerns and was honored to teach part of the AND Certificate of Training in Gluten-related disorders. She is honored to serve on the International Consortium for Ehlers-Danlos and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Diet and Nutrition Working Group. We talk about: Connect with Cheryl on her website at harriswholehealth.com on her email at cheryl(at)harriswholehealth(dot)com or on Twitter or on her Facebook here as well!

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 science to provide his patients, and the public expert up-to-date information, questioning the way that we’ve ‘always done it’ through his blog www.dougcookrd.com and on his podcast Pursuit of Health. I always personally learn so much from him - especially in the way of brain health, and micronutrients. I appreciate that perspective because a lot of times when I’m looking at patients I’m strictly focusing on digestive symptoms. So, it’s nice to kind of take a step back and learn from colleges who actually do their research. We talk about: Connect with Cook on his website at www.dougcookrd.com on his podcast Pursuit of Health on Instagram @your.nutrition.education on Twitter or on his Facebook here as well!

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 in gastroenterology and hepatology for the past 16 years. She initially began her career as an inpatient dietitian at Stanford Health Care, counseling patients by bedside recovering from gastrointestinal surgery. She later came into the Digestive Health Center there to inaugurate and build Nutrition Services for all programs within the GI and Liver Clinics. She is now at UCSF, specializing in GI, IBD, and intestinal rehabilitation. Neha also owns a GI and liver nutrition private practice, Neha Shah Nutrition, with the intent to bring specialized GI and liver nutrition care to the community. In addition to patient care, Neha has authored over 20 articles in reputable journals related to GI nutrition. She is co-founder and is Director of Operations of the international South Asian IBD Alliance and is a member of the Crohn's and Colitis Medical Advisory Committee of Northern California. Her goal is to continue to be involved with GI initiatives to advance nutrition care to improve outcomes. We talk about: Connect with Shah on her website at www.nehanutrition.com on Instagram @Nehagastrord or on her Twitter here as well!

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 training at the University of North Carolina where he founded the UNC for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. Currently he is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry in Gastroenterology at UNC. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology, Past-President of the American Psychosomatic Society (1997) and Founder and President of the Rome Foundation for 29 years. In addition, he founded the Drossman Center for the Education and Practice of Biopsychosocial Care as an entity to help train physicians in relationship-centered biopsychosocial care with an emphasis on communication skills and enhancing the patient-doctor relationship. Dr. Drossman is joined today by co-author Johannah Ruddy who is a national expert, researcher, and writer on teaching communications skills to patients and providers. Johannah currently serves as the Executive Director of the Rome Foundation. She has 22 years of executive leadership experience working with a variety of non-profit organizations nationwide and a strong background in writing for patients as well as a speaker at GI practices, medical centers, and conferences in the area of provider communication and patient advocacy. She holds a Bachelor of science degree from the University of New Mexico in Political Science, a Masters of Education from New Mexico Highlands University and is a doctoral student at Campbell University. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina with her husband of 21 years and their two sons. Dr. Drossman, Johannah Ruddy and I talk about: - Dr. Drossman’s and Mrs. Ruddy’s backgrounds and how they came to work together - Disorders of gut brain interaction - Typical patient experiences with these diagnoses and the reasons why they hold so much stigma - Each of their biggest learnings as practitioner and patient in doing these interviews - Common mistakes/pitfalls practitioners experience in working with patients and how this may be a disservice to our patients - The key things clinicians can take away from this book, with a focus on patient centred care. - How patients advocate for themselves to feel heard in their journey You can find their new 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 which is also available on Amazon: https://romedross.video/patient-story You can find their previous book: Gut Feelings- Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions, A Guide for Patients and Doctors which is available on Amazon: https://romedross.video/GutFeelingsWebsite Check out the video version of the audio recording excerpt featured in this presentation: https://romedross.video/LesleyGutFeelings4X Connect with Johannah on Instagram @johannahruddy on Twitter @JohannahRuddy or on LinkedIn. Learn more about the Theromefoundation.org or here: https://romeonline.org

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 clinically functional gastrointestinal disorders. Heidi completed her PhD at King’s College London in 2016 in which she investigated the use of the low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome and its impact on symptoms, the microbiota and diet quality. Her research interests include understanding the effect of different dietary components on gut microbiota, and therapeutic diets for gut disorders and their influence on gut microbial composition. She is passionate about conducting high quality research in the field of diet and gut health. We talk about: Connect with Staudacher on Twitter or on her website at foodandmoodcentre.com.au as well!

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 specialist. Brittany's the national coleader of the diet and nutrition national scientific advisory committee for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and the national leader of the registered dietitians in IBD practice group for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Brittany has lived with ulcerative colitis for over 20 years and also has IBS and PSC. We talk about: 2020 International Organization for the study of IBD guidelines Connect with Roman-Green on her website at romanwell.com on Instagram @weareromanwell or on her Facebook here as well! You can also checkout their IBD starter kit that's full of tips for advocating for oneself when you have IBD.

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 human-centered biotech company developing elegant scientific solutions for extraordinary gut relief. FODZYME® was developed with a group of world-class experts in enzymology, biotechnology, medicine, and nutrition, FODZYME® was released to the world in Spring 2021. On a mission to make more foods painless, the team is working on a novel polyol-targeting enzyme to address the polyol group of the FODMAP family in development. The new solution will be transforming polyols like sorbitol and mannitol into sorbose and mannose that are more readily absorbed in the gut. We talk about: Connect with FODZYME® on their website at fodzyme.com on Instagram @fodzyme or on Twitter or on their Facebook here as well!

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 qualifications make her uniquely suited to helping clients address the psychological issues that underpin their challenges with eating. She has been working in the area of disordered eating and within eating disorders treatment programs since 2006. Jessica works from a trauma-informed, emotion-focused, weight-inclusive and weight-neutral, anti-diet or non-diet approach. Jessica’s approach allows her clients to live their lives to the full by unshackling their beliefs about diet culture. She is currently living in Vancouver where she practices clinical nutrition counselling. We talk about: Connect with Jessica on her website at shiftnutrition.com or on Instagram or on her Facebook or on Twitter here as well!

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 supporting research and the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge on plant-based nutrition and its impact on health and environment amongst academics, healthcare professionals and key stakeholders in nutrition. The ultimate aim is to help drive the transition to more healthful plant-based diets for human and planetary health. Underpinning Alpro Foundation’s scientific integrity is an independent Scientific Advisory Board of 8 leading academic experts who provide direction and advice and ensure the scientific credibility of the education tools. Professor Ian Rowland is the chair of this Scientific Advisory Board. Professor Ian Rowland is editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Nutrition. Until his recent retirement, he was the Hugh Sinclair Professor of Human Nutrition at University of Reading. He holds a BSc and PhD in microbiology from University College London. Prof. Rowland’s main research area is the role of diet (in particular probiotics, prebiotics, phytoestrogens, and phytochemicals) in the prevention of colon, breast and prostate cancer. In his current research, he is investigating the role of fruit and vegetable intake on markers of cancer risk. In 2005 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Gent in Belgium for his work on nutrition and cancer. Professor Rowland has published over 300 papers. Petra Louis is a molecular microbiologist with an interest in the human gut microbiome, diet and health. She obtained her Diploma in Biology and PhD in Microbiology from the University of Bonn, Germany, where she conducted research on osmoadaptation in halophilic bacteria. Véronique Braesco holds a PhD in human nutrition. Her academic carrier in Public Research at INRA, as senior scientist, has been focused on vitamins. She then headed the Nutrition Research Department of the Danone Group. In this position, she managed the design and implementation of scientific strategies, in particular in the field of probiotics. She was later responsible for the Human Nutrition Research Centre in Auvergne, dedicated to studying the role of diet in healthy aging. She is now at the head of VAB-nutrition, a consulting firm specialized in human nutrition that she created in 2007. We talk about: The most recent Scientific update with the Alpro Foundation is about the 'Interaction of Plant-based diets and gut microbiota'

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 living your best life without dieting. She has written in depth about debunking fad diets and nutrition myths and focuses on body respect and intuitive-style eating. When she’s not working, Abby loves running, spinning, discovering new foods, and spending time with her husband and two daughters. We talk about: Connect with Langer on her website at abbylangernutrition.com on Instagram @langernutrition or on Twitter or on her Facebook here as well!

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 earned his B.S. in Dietetics & Nutrition and his M.S. in Applied Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Nutrition from Concordia University Chicago. Additionally, Erik is the current Co-Vice President and a Fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) as well as a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN), a Certified Strength Coach through the National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF), and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). Erik has experience in research and working with professional, collegiate & tactical athletes, weekend warriors, avid CrossFitters, and in an outpatient setting helping individuals with weight loss/gain as desired outcomes using motivational interviewing and seeing medical nutrition therapy patients. We talk about: Connect with Erik on Instagram or on Twitter or on his Facebook here as well!

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 commencing her PhD, Genelle worked as a New Zealand registered Dietitian caring for patients with various diseases including gastrointestinal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), renal disease and diabetes. In 2017, Genelle moved to Vancouver to start a postdoctoral fellowship at University of British Columbia. The focus of her research is to better understand the impact nutrition, particularly fibre, has on the gut microbiome and disease outcomes for patients with IBD. During her postdoctoral fellowship she utilized models of IBD to investigate the therapeutic potential of novel nutritional interventions with the hope that these therapies can one day be used to positively impact the health and wellbeing of patients with IBD. Specifically, she has demonstrated that exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) enriched with fibre leads to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome, less inflammation and better disease outcomes compared to EEN without fibre. We talk about: Connect with Dr. Healey on her researchgate profile or on Twitter

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 dietetic training at Kelowna General Hospital in 2013 and was, shortly, after diagnosed with celiac disease myself. Through her diagnosis, she started to volunteer with the Canadian Celiac Association and ended up working on their national board of directors as well as their professional advisory council with other celiac dietitians and gastroenterologists. She is also trained in the low FODMAP diet for IBS through Monash University. Her own diagnosis and follow up led her to discover gaps in care for celiac disease which led her to private practice with a focus on the dietary management of celiac disease. With her online nutrition practice, she helps celiacs fall back in love with food. She helps them resolve persistent symptoms despite a GF diet, help the newly diagnosed get off on their best foot, and help celiacs eat out with confidence. We talk about: Connect with Selena on her website at Healthbean.ca on Instagram @Celiac_dietitian or on her Twitter here as well!

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 had severe infant food sensitivities and reactions to proteins transferred from my diet to her breast milk. After she processed the painful fact that she could hurt my children through breastfeeding, she started researching how to produce breast milk they could properly digest. She discovered that many parents experience the same troubling situation. Through this experience, she wanted to create a place for parents to find answers to their questions about infant food sensitivities and empower them to continue their breastfeeding journey. That was how Free to Feed was born. Free to Feed is starting this mission by first creating an at-home test strip that will allow mothers to analyze their breast milk for allergens. We talk about: Connect with Trill on her website at freetofeed.com on Instagram @free.to.free on Twitter or on her Facebook here as well!

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. Dr. Linda Nguyen is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and Clinic Chief in the Digestive Health Center. Her clinical and research interests include GI motility disorders and disorders of gut brain interaction, with an emphasis on gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia and chronic abdominal pain. Her current research includes identifying biomarkers to better diagnose motility disorders, understanding the role/impact of physiologic testing on clinical care, exploring novel therapies for gastroparesis and expanding the role of neuromodulation in the treatment of GI motility disorders and pain. She is also passionate about quality of life, professional development and physician wellness. We talk about: You can learn from Dr. Nguyen on Twitter @ LindaNguyenMD

We discuss how 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. This week I interview Johannah Ruddy on the psychosocial approach to IBS treatment. Johannah Ruddy is a national expert, researcher, and writer on teaching communications skills to patients and providers and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Rome Foundation. She has 22 years of executive leadership experience working with a variety of non-profit organizations nationwide and a strong background in writing for patients as well as a speaker at GI practices, medical centers, and conferences in the area of provider communication and patient advocacy. Her new book, co-authored with Dr. Drossman, Gut Feelings- Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions, A Guide for Patients and Doctors is now available on Amazon. She holds a Bachelor of science degree from the University of New Mexico in Political Science, a Masters of Education from New Mexico Highlands University and is a doctoral student at Campbell University. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina with her husband of 21 years and their two sons. We talk about: Connect with Johannah on Instagram @johannahruddy on Twitter @JohannahRuddy or on LinkedIn. You can find her book: Gut Feelings- Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions, A Guide for Patients and Doctors which is now available on Amazon: https://romedross.video/GutFeelingsWebsite

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 a patients bloating means. Plus, we cover different gut disorders and how bloating and distension present with each - getting clear on how to discuss bloating with patients so you can 'sleuth out' what is going on! Tamara Duker Freuman is a registered dietitian and is nationally known for her expertise in digestive health and medical nutrition therapy for gastrointestinal diseases. She works out of East River Gastroenterology & Nutrition (www.eastrivergastro.com), a private Manhattan-based practice known for its expertise in disorders of the gut-brain axis and specialized diagnostics. In addition to her clinical work, Tamara is a high-profile nutrition writer whose advice on healthy living and dietary management of digestive disease has been read by hundreds of thousands of people each month. Tamara is the author of one of my favorite books - The Bloated Belly Whisperer. If you haven’t read it, you absolutely need to. Today, she is here to talk to us about everything bloating related. We talk about: Connect with Tamara on her website at www.eastrivergastro.com on Instagram @tamarafreuman or on Twitter or on her Facebook here as well!