It’s been a rampant time for viral infections lately, and not everyone bounces back that smoothly. While the most notable viral infection in recent years has been COVID, it is not the only infection known to cause long-term health issues.

Approximately 30% of people will experience longer symptoms from viral infections (not just restricted to COVID). Some papers I have found say that long covid symptoms may affect up to 80% of people.

Up to 12 weeks after covid infection is still considered to be post-acute infection symptoms, but longer than this enters the realm of long covid.

This can be an incredibly frustrating and debilitating experience as there is often few answers as to what can be done to help, and like many chronic illnesses is poorly understood. The symptoms can also fluctuate from day to day. It’s not uncommon to feel misunderstood or dismissed.

What are the symptoms of long covid? While not an exclusive list of course, I have listed below some of the more common symptoms I have been seeing in my patients who have experienced a health decline after viral infection. While research is still ongoing, this article reviews some of the symptoms of long covid quite thoroughly.

Common post viral symptoms

• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Hair loss
• Irregular periods
• Menstrual flow changes (usually as a heavier and/or clottier flow)
• Body aches and pains
• Endometriosis and adenomyosis flares
• Digestive issues
• POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardic syndrome)
• Pain at ovulation
• Increase in cold sores
• Skin changes e.g. acne flare-up, eczema
• Respiratory symptoms, shortness of breath
• Swollen and painful glands

What makes someone more susceptible to a post-viral illness such as long covid?

There is still not enough known about this but your immune function’s ability to clear the virus, genetics, and history of/susceptibility to autoimmune disease will have a role. While long covid can affect anyone, even children, it’s more common in women and those with a history of immune imbalance.

Given what is being learnt about the importance of the mind-body connection, it’s possible that a history of trauma or emotional stress may also have an impact.

How do you know if your health issues are due to post-viral illness? Unfortunately, common tests will not always reveal an answer. Your symptoms may also come and go, which can be incredibly confusing. Blood tests showing the presence of antibodies can give a clue towards this virus still affecting your immune system and inflammation levels to some degree.

It can help to think back on your health and symptom timeline. If you feel that your health went downhill and hasn’t recovered ever since a viral infection there’s a good chance this has an impact.

How do we recover?

Sorry to say, but it depends. It depends on how it’s affecting you, your genetics, and your health history. Consulting with a practitioner will allow you to get an individualized set of recommendations.

While I cannot give individual recommendations regarding herbal medicines or supplements without consulting with someone there are a few general recommendations I can make.

• Work on your breathing technique such as consulting with a Buteyko practitioner.
• Prioritize rest and sleep.
• Work with someone to help process unresolved fears and emotions. Like chronic pain issues, post-viral illness has a strong mind-body involvement and this is an important aspect for recovery for many.
• Keep inflammatory food to a minimum – for most people, this is wheat, and dairy, but for others, it may be a low histamine diet.
• Bring laughter into your life where possible e.g. watch funny videos or comedy shows.
• Spend time in nature.
• Incorporate gentle movement e.g. pilates and stretching.

It can be very confusing navigating the possibilities of treatments. Working with a practitioner can help you to focus on what is best for you.

Hold onto hope and the belief that your body is working to do its best for you.

The post In it for the long haul… recovering from post viral illness appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health & Wellbeing Podcast #25

After almost a year, I finally bring to you another podcast episode. 2017 has been a big year for me in many ways: Clinic has been busy, I have been working as a lecturer at Endeavour College of Natural Health and also being a Mum. This has all meant that podcast creation has been put on the back burner. But I return with a wonderful episode for you, The Anxious and Sick Merry-Go-Round.

Some of you may feel frustrated, if you feel like you are doing all the right things but your health issues don’t seem to be resolving. Every one of you are individuals and have individual reasons for why you are stuck. However, if you suffer from a tendency to be anxious this may be the reason you aren’t resolving your health issues. Research shows that if you have anxiety you are highly likely to also have thyroid disease, respiratory disease, gastrointestinal disease, arthritis, migraine headaches and allergic conditions.

I’ve invited my next guest to talk to you about the link between anxiety and health issues. Kimberly Charlotte Vucurovic is a psychology trained clinical naturopath who specialises in treating anxiety related health issues. She has worked in the field of natural medicine for 18 years. She runs a busy practice, is an academic lecturer at Endeavour College of Natural Health and is continuing her research by currently completing an Honours in Psychology.

I feel this episode may be an ‘A-ha!’ moment for many people, allowing you to connect the pieces of your health together by understanding the way that anxiety and stress can feed into other health issues, and be fed by other health issues. (And of course, we couldn’t get through an episode without talking about gut health 😉 )

You can connect with Kimberly on her website www.thenmc.com.au and Youtube.

iPhone   Stitcher   Youtube   Soundcloud  Spotify 

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Health & Wellbeing Podcast #20

There’s been a bit of a gap since my last podcast and blog post, but never fear, I am still here! I didn’t fall off the side of the planet, I’ve been spending some wonderful, blissful, quality time with my little cherub Ash. He’s now 5 months old, can you believe how fast that has gone?

This podcast was one that I recorded with Laura Yen from Burton Health back when I was in my last weeks of pregnancy. It’s taken me a good while to get this out, but it’s worth the wait because this podcast is jam-packed with helpful information about sleep and insomnia.

Sleep is a very important part of your health to get right. Alongside things like stress levels, diet and exercise, sleep is one of the basics that need to be addressed in order to be healthy.

In Australia, 13-33% of adults have regular difficulty in either getting to sleep or staying asleep. In NSW alone, almost one-fifth of the population are chronically sleep restricted. That really sucks.

Conventional sleeping medications will certainly get you to sleep, but many people are hesitant to use them because of their side effects and addictive nature.

In this podcast Laura and I talk about the importance of sleep, sleep cycles, what sleep deprivation does to us, and how to improve our sleep.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here:

iPhone   Stitcher   Youtube   Soundcloud

Video

Part 1

0:00 Intro and disclaimer.

1:07 Some sleep statistics and the connection between sleep problems and depression.

2:04 What is insomnia?

3:02 Sleep cycles

06:04 Why sleep is important

07:00 Biphasic sleep, or segmented sleep.

7:50 How can sleep problems affect health?

9:57 Lack of sleep can affect your ability to think clearly, and getting a good night sleep is very important for students.

10:30 Are phones in the bedroom affecting sleep health?

12:28 Sleep deprivation can worsen inflammation and affect gut flora

13:00 Causes of sleep issues: light, shift work, artificial light, noise, temperature, sleeping environment

17:04 Earthing

17:55 Light affects dopamine which can affect insulin signalling and cortisol, and how cortisol can affect sleep

Part 2

0:20 Get into a good routine and start improving sleep hygiene

1:30 How your dinner can affect your sleep

2:10 Sleep routine, and training yourself to sleep

03:10 The blue light from electrical gadgets can affect sleep. F.lux is an app you can get tochange the colour of your computer screen, or you can get orange/amber coloured glasses.

04: 10  Stimulants and sleep

04:50 More on food and sleep: carbohydrates and low-carb diet for sleep; amino acids in foods to help sleep hormones; alcohol

06:15  What time should you go to bed?

08:05 Mindfulness, meditation and journaling

10:45  Sleep debt

11: 45  Address stress in the day, cortisol test and herbs for stress

12:46  Have a nice bedroom

13:47  Supplements and herbs for sleep

Audio

About Laura

Laura is a clinical naturopath practicing in St Leonards and Dural. Her key areas of interest are female hormone disorders, digestive health, stress & adrenal fatigue. Through her clinical experience Laura has identified the prevalence of stress in our everyday lives and sees it as the most common cause or exacerbating factor of her patients health conditions. Laura believes that we need to get back to basics and work on our ability to release and manage stress in order to prevent and treat disease.

Last year Laura set herself the mission to reach beyond the walls of her clinics and send her de-stress message out to Australian and New Zealand households through the Burton Health Tea Club. Each month she sends love letters and tea packages to her members to inject joy and excitement into their days and to remind them to slow down, relax and reconnect while sipping on a cup of organic herbal tea.

You can connect with Laura via her website www.burtonhealth.com.au, on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.

The post Sleep and Insomnia – Podcast #20 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health & Wellbeing Podcast Episode #16

In this episode Lisa and I continue our chat about Adrenal Fatigue, and this time we’re talking what to do about it.

If you experience adrenal fatigue there is a lot that can be done about it. In this episode we give you some guidance about the strategies that may need to be put in place, such as diet change, adjusting exercise levels, improving sleep, and what herbs we love for adrenal fatigue.

The thing about adrenal fatigue is that it’s not a straight forward condition. So while employing these strategies will help, it may be necessary to consult a practitioner who can help you work out the more complicated drivers of your condition.

Check out Part 1 here

Lisa is a Naturopath, lecturer and writer as as well as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant. Lisa has an interest in treating thyroid and adrenal health. Her practice is in Caringbah in South Sydney.

Connect with Lisa:

Website: http://lisacostabirnaturopath.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaCostaBirNaturopath
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisacostabirnaturopath/

Click here to Subscribe on iTunes
Click here to Subscribe on Youtube

Podcast Breakdown

0:00 Intro and Disclaimer
2:00 The stages of Adrenal Fatigue based on tests and how that affects it’s treatment
3:05 Lifestyle recommendations for Adrenal Fatigue Stages
3:58 Over-exercising could be stopping you losing weight and recovering properly
5:54 When it’s lack of activity that starts the fatigue
8:00 Using herbs to support your ability to cope with training for an event
8:57 What sort of exercise to do if you have Adrenal Fatigue
12:10 Stage 3 Adrenal Fatigue misconceptions
14:22 Diet for Adrenal Fatigue: Balanced blood sugar levels, whole foods. adequate protein, nutrient dense diet, to snack or not to snack, caffeine.
17:10 Food intolerances and Adrenal fatigue
17:53 Reducing sugar
18:05 Keeping your gut healthy, fermented foods, gelatin, prebiotics
19:00 Seaweed
19:10 Sleep
24:30 Vitamin C
26:57 Magnesium
29:03 B Vitamins
30:40 Nutrient depletors
30:58 Adequate nutrient levels to begin with reduces the effect of stress (read more here: www.naturopathnsw.com.au/vitamin-c-and-stress-research-update)
32:04 Phosphatidylserine
32:52 Using test results to determine treatment
34:50 Herbs for Adrenal Fatigue.
37:25 Adrenal fatigue is not always straight forward, and it doesn’t have the most accurate name. Seeing a practitioner can help you target your treatment.
39:58 Immune involvement in Adrenal Fatigue and the importance of treating the gut.

The post Adrenal Fatigue – Part 2 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Health and Wellbeing Podcast Episode #15 with guest Lisa Costa Bir

In this episode Lisa and I chat about Adrenal Fatigue – what it is, what symptoms it can cause, what’s actually happening in the body, and how to test for it.

Adrenal fatigue is something many people experience varying symptoms of at some stage, but the condition is often poorly understood and at times passed off as a ‘fake’ condition. In this episode we address this.

Check out Part 2 – what you can do about it, here.

Lisa is a Naturopath, lecturer and writer as as well as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant. Lisa has an interest in treating thyroid and adrenal health. Her practice is in Caringbah in South Sydney.

Connect with Lisa:

Website: http://lisacostabirnaturopath.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaCostaBirNaturopath
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lisacostabirnaturopath/

Subscribe on iTunes
Click here to subscribe on YouTube

Podcast Breakdown

0:00 Intro and disclaimer
0:43 Welcome
1:25 What is Adrenal fatigue and what are the different stages?
3:21 Adrenal fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.
5:16 Triggers of adrenal fatigue (in particular the many forms of stress)
5:52 Inflammation as a form of stress
8:40 Adrenal fatigue affecting ability to heal from injuries, illnesses and infections, e.g. Blastocystis and H. pylori
11:39 Is adrenal fatigue real?
12:36 The role of the neurotransmitter orexin in causing fatigue.
14:17 Testing for adrenal fatigue
18:20 Using test results for targeted treatment
19:17 What are the symptoms of adrenal fatigue
21:10 Blood sugar level imbalances a big part of the adrenal fatigue picture, and can also mimic the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
22:13 Looking at other hormones in adrenal fatigue (e.g. progesterone) and other tests that may be helpful
26:13 More about the role of inflammation in adrenal fatigue/HPA axis dysfunction
30:11 How to get in contact.

The post Adrenal Fatigue – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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Health and Wellbeing Podcast #12 with Guest Kellie Holland from Tonik Health

In the first of two sections on a Naturopathic approach to pregnancy, Kellie Holland from Tonik Health and I chat about some of the most common issues that pregnant women deal with including morning sickness, stretch marks, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and fluid retention. We also discuss some things it’s important to start doing with as soon as possible during pregnancy, and go into detail about the nutrients we need most during pregnancy.

Podcast Breakdown: 

0:00 Intro and disclaimer
0:59 Meet Kellie, and I talk a bit about what we will cover in these pregnancy episodes
3:10 Morning sickness, nausea in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum.
4:06 Ginger for nausea: doses and the different forms you can take it in
5:15 Vitamin B6 for morning sickness
5:48 Keeping your blood sugar levels stable can help reduce morning sickness
6:59 Other factors which can contribute to morning sickness, stress and digestive problems, and dealing with these issues before you conceive.
9:42 Stretch marks
10:39 The oil I’ve been using: Vanessa Megan Mummy’s Tummy Pregnancy Oil 
11:29 Nutrients needed to reduce/prevent stretch marks
13:00 Gotu kola and diet for stretch marks
13:33 Exercise during pregnancy
15:00 Things to get started with early during pregnancy : yoga, flossing, nutrition, probiotics
17:35 Probiotics in pregnancy in helping prevent eczema, management of Group B Strep, digestive health, candida
19:01 Folate (folic acid, folinic acid) – important before conception as well as during pregnancy
19:50 Other essential nutrients for pregnancy
21:31 Iodine
22:05 Vitamin B12
22:51 The different forms of folate (vitamin B9/folic acid/folinic acid)
23:50 Iron
26:49 Selenium
27:19 Calcium
28:52 Vitamin K2
29:29 Vitamin D
32:31 Magnesium
33:46 Pre-eclampsia
35:16 Stress
36:30 Gestational diabetes
41:08 Fluid retention

Click here to subscribe on youtube 

Connect with Kellie

Kellie is a naturopath, clinical nutritionist and medical herbalist based on the Central Coast of NSW where she lives with her husband and daughter. She runs a successful blog on her website at www.tonikhealth.com.au where she also has free healthy and delicious recipes available.

Website: http://www.tonikhealth.com.au/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tonikhealth
Instagram: http://instagram.com/tonik_health#
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonikhealth

See other videos and podcasts I’ve done with Kellie :

Kid’s Immunity

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The post Naturopathic Approach to Pregnancy (Video) – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

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Health & Wellbeing Podcast #2

This is my second podcast and this time it’s all me. Today I’m talking about reasons for fatigue. Energy problems can be caused by a huge range of issues, so I wanted to discuss some of the most common ones. While it’s not a 100% conclusive list, I hope that this gives people a good place to start when they’re trying to work out why they’re so tired.

Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743

Podcast breakdown:

2:30 Mitochondria – The powerhouse of your cells, where energy is made. The health and quantity of our mitochrondria determine our ability to make energy, and they can they are susceptible to oxidative damage, and can be depleted by certain nutritional deficiencies.

5:22 Inflammation, particularly chronic inflammation can affect energy and cause other imbalance.

7:40 Andropause, also known as male menopause

8:16 Some tips on reducing chronic inflammation

9:14 Stress is a major cause of fatigue, usually presenting in the form of adrenal exhaustion of HPA Axis dysfunction.

11:28 Thyroid problems are another major cause of fatigue, especially hypothyroidism.

13:36 Nutritional deficiencies that can cause fatigue, Iron, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc

16:12 Certain medications can affect energy levels

16:46 Inadequate exercise can cause fatigue, but this isn’t always straightforward

18:27 The wrong diet – not enough food, too much food, or the wrong type of food for you.

20:39 Sleep. Most of us aren’t getting enough, or it can be an issue with the quality of sleep. I discuss some tips on sleep hygiene.

23:00 Sleep apnoea

23:40 Shift work

26:30 Obesity and fatigue

28:57 The importance of gut health; gut problems can cause fatigue as well.

30:00 Toxicity affects the mitochrondria- what is toxicity, where does it come from, how can you identify if you’re toxic?

31:13 What do you do if you’ve been tired for a long time and you don’t know why? Start by working out a timeline. If you can’t do this because the fatigue has been going on for such a long time then testing may be helpful. There are several different types of testing available, but you may not need to do all of them.

33:00 Some tips for reducing inflammation and improving energy through diet

34:30 Depression is a common cause of fatigue.

35:29 My favourite herbs for energy

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The post Reasons for Fatigue appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Most people today are living extremely stressful, busy lives, so it is normal to feel tired sometimes. This tiredness generally resolves itself after some rest and relaxation. Increasingly though, persistent tiredness is becoming a major problem for many people. Fatigue is a common presenting complaint in the majority of Australians and New Zealanders, but it is also often misunderstood, and at times even dismissed, particularly if there is no easily identifiable cause.

What Causes Fatigue?

Factors that may contribute to fatigue include:

• Low iron levels
• Inflammation
• Infection
• Hormonal imbalances
• Excess body fat
• Unstable blood sugars
• Stress (physical and emotional)
• Toxicity
• Mitochondrial dysfunction
• Poor sleep
• Diet
• Inactive lifestyle
• Small Intestinal Bacterial
• Digestion, liver issues and Overgrowth (SIBO) malabsorption

As you can see, there are multiple reasons why you may feel fatigued.  If you’re been feeling fatigued for too long, make an appointment and we can identify if the reason you’ve been so tired is one of these reasons.

Essentially, when your body systems are not working at their optimum levels, this can affect you both physically and mentally, ultimately having can effect on all facets of your life. However, Natural Medicines can help.

Marvellous Magnesium – An Essential Mineral for Fatigue

Magnesium, an essential mineral, is used in over 300 chemical processes in your body! Magnesium also plays a key role in the production of energy. Many Australians and New Zealanders are low in magnesium due to dietary insufficiencies. Fortunately, I can help if you are magnesium deficient – I can prescribe a pleasant-tasting magnesium powder that may help with your energy production

Nutrients for Giving Fatigue the Nudge

Other nutrients that can help support cellular energy production and give your energy levels a boost are malic acid, carnitine, coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid, essential fatty acids and B vitamins.

Malic Acid – This nutrient can help boost energy production as it is a key component in our cellular energy production pathways. Malic acid can help facilitate the production of energy and may increase stamina.

Carnitine – Carnitine is an important nutrient that plays an important role in fat metabolism and energy production. It transports dietary fats directly into the mitochondria to be broken down and burnt as fuel for energy production. Carnitine may be beneficial if you want to lose weight and get an energy boost at the same time.

Coenzyme Q10 – Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like compound that is essential for energy production. CoQ10 is beneficial in the management of fatigue as it enhances cellular energy production and is also a powerful antioxidant.

Lipoic Acid – Another useful nutrient for anyone who is tired is lipoic acid. Lipoic acid is important for the transport and conversion of carbohydrates into energy. It is also a powerful antioxidant.

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids – Omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish oils or krill oil are vital for the integrity and stability of every cell in our body. Omega-3 oils stimulate energy production and help lower stress levels.

B Vitamins – B Vitamins are essential, especially when under stress. All the B vitamins are vital for the Krebs cycle to produce energy. A combination that includes magnesium with B vitamins is likely to help you feel energized and able to enjoy life.

You Are What You Eat

If you are tired, make sure you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water throughout the day. The quality and balance of the food you are consuming will have a considerable impact on your energy and vitality. Where possible, avoid overly processed foods and eat organic, natural foods, if available.

Use It or Lose It

Engaging in regular physical activity is also important. Being active can help address some of the underlying problems causing your fatigue.

Recharge Your Batteries!

Holidays give us all the chance to have a well deserved break for rest and recovery, so take the time to enjoy being with loved ones and recharge your batteries. If you want to return from your holidays with more bounce  in your step, then ask today about tailored dietary, lifestyle and exercise advice to help you leave fatigue behind.

The post Has This Year Left You Feeling Absolutely Exhausted? appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

10 Benefits of Pregnancy Massage:

1. It relaxes the mother and decreases stress and anxiety, which reduces stress and anxiety in the baby
2. Improves sleep and reduces fatigue
3. Provides emotional support and a nurturing touch
4. Improves mother body awareness and increases her ability to tune in to her body during pregnancy, birth and labour
5. Improves lymphatic circulation and reduces oedema in hands, legs and feet and relieves headaches and sinus congestion.
6. Improves blood flow to all areas leading to improved nutrition, efficient waste removal and reduced pressure of bulging veins
7. Alleviates stress of weight bearing joints
8. Reduces strain on muscles of the abdomen, neck, shoulders and lower back and assists in maintaining proper posture and reduces muscle spasms and cramps
9. Easier breastfeeding and better milk production due to reduction in tension and muscle tightness
10. Enhances post-natal recovery of muscle tissues, relieves fatigue and facilitates post-partum structural re-alignment of spine and pelvis.

And of course, it feels good.

Positioning

The most well known position for pregancy massage is side-lying.  Women can turn over during the massage to allow a more complete coverage, but if she doesn’t want to roll over it is best to lie on the left side for the duration of the massage.  In the early stages of pregnancy it is possible to lie on your stomach with pillows supporting your breasts and hips amd cradling the stomach.  Most women find this very comfortable and are usually quite excited to get to lie on their stomachs again.  Another variation is the semi-reclining position with the right hip slightly elevated, or a seated massage.

Is it safe?

Yes, when performed by a qualified therapist, pregnancy massage is safe.

Some points to consider:

• There are some acupressure points such as ‘gallbladder 21’ and ‘spleen 6’ that pregnancy massage therapists know to avoid certain techniques on, however these areas can be worked on safely with other techniques.
• The abdomen can be massaged safely however some therapists avoid the belly in the first trimester.  The belly is a very sacred spot in pregnant women, and some first time mums choose not to have their belly massaged, which is also completely ok.
• Wait at least 1 week after invasive testing procedures such as amniocentesis before getting a massage.

Massage is also very helpful during labour.  Some women might not want to be touched when they’re giving birth, but if you do then get your partner, doula or birth partner to massage your arms, neck and back during labour which can help to reduce pain and provide some comfort.

I recommend monthly massages during pregnancy, and this can be continued after birth in the post-partum period.  The upper back is often under strain when breastfeeding, and most Mum’s usually have a lot of knots in their neck and upper back as they spend most on the time craning their necks down to look at their new bub!

If you are interested in pregnancy massage, or perhaps you know someone that would appreciate a gift voucher for pregnancy massage feel free to give us a call.

The post Pregnancy Massage appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The human body is made up of a diverse colony of micro-organisms that live predominately in the mucous membranes of our gut.  The adult intestine contains 300 to 500 different species of bacteria, with 30 to 40 species comprising up to 99% of the total population.

There exists a balance of good and bad bacteria.  In healthy people the good bacteria outweighs the bad.  The most common forms of micro-flora that exist in our gut include:

• Bacteroides
• Bifidobacterium (good)
• Eubacterium
• Clostridium
• Lactobacillus (good)
• Fusobacterium
• Various anaerobic gram-positive cocci

Medical scientists are now acknowledging gut dysbiosis as a phenomenon in disease. A recently published definition of dysbiosis was: a breakdown in the balance between protective versus harmful intestinal bacteria

Our good gut bacterium has several functions.

• To grow and proliferate
• Energy salvage (fermentation of non-digestible dietary contents and endogenous mucus) and production of Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA)
• Production of some vitamins, e.g. K and B12
• Synthesis of amino acids from ammonia or urea
• Control of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation
• Metabolism and enterohepatic circulation of xenobiotics
• Immune system development and regulation
• Pro/anticarcinogenesis
• Resistance to infection – crowding out pathogenic organisms
• Prevention of bacterial translocation
• Control of ion concentration and absorption
• Control of colonic motility and transit time
• Control of colonic pH

What causes Dysbiosis?

When there is an imbalance of good to bad bacteria, dysbiosis is the result.  This can occur from many factors such as:

• Antibiotic use
• Contraceptives (the Pill)
• Steroids
• Altered gastric secretion
• Spastic colitis
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Radiation
• Diet including sulphur, excessive protein, excess refined carbohydrates, lack of fibre, excess fat
• Decreased immune status (especially low secretory IgA)

Why is Dysbiosis bad?

The good bacteria in the stomach are very important for our guts immune health and to protect against invading bacteria.  Bowel flora play an important role in our ability to fight infectious disease, providing a front line in our immune defence, provide a passive mechanism to prevent infection, and produce many vitamins – Vitamin B12 and Vitamin K. Acid-producing lactobacilli and bifidobacteria increase the bioavailability of minerals, which require acid for absorption–calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese. Without a healthy colony of bowel flora, we cannot expect robust health and wellbeing.

There are many health conditions associated with dysbiosis.  Recent research has revealed that dysbiosis is strongly linked with all chronic gastrointestinal, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.  It may also be very important in conditions such as fatigue, poor immunity, cancer and allergies.

The breakdown products of gut bacteria (endotoxins) are involved in immune reactions.  High endotoxins are associated with chronic diseases such as psoriasis, pancreatitis, SLE (lupus) and liver disease.

The more minor symptoms of dysbiosis include bloating, flatulence, nausea, bad breath, vomiting and diarrhoea and/or constipation.

How do I know if I have Dysbiosis?

A test is available in naturopathic consultations which can assess the presence of bad bacteria in the gut.  This test is called the ‘Urinary Indican Test’ or ‘Obermayer test’.  It is performed by mixing a urine sample with two reagents and assessing the colour change according to a chart.

Dysbiotic bacteria in the intestine produce a chemical called indole.  A portion of this is reabsorbed and metabolised to a indoxyl sulfate (or indican) which is then excreted in the urine where is can be assessed by this test.

The test takes approximately 10 minutes and costs $16.50.

The night before the test is performed ensure that you consume some protein and also avoid alcohol and iodine containing foods and supplements as these may give a false positive.

UPDATE: This test is no longer available.

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