Gut Dysbiosis – what is it and what to do about it?
Gut dysbiosis is something we hear about more and more often these days as it is becoming increasingly recognized due the fact that, through research, we are learning more and more about how crucial gut health is for our overall health.
What is gut dysbiosis?
Gut dysbiosis is an imbalance of microorganisms in our gut microbiome and there are many reasons why this might happen. When dysbiosis is present, it means that we have lost some of the microbial diversity in our gut, which means also a loss of beneficial species, as well as an increase in potentially harmful species, and an increase in inflammation. If left untreated, gut dysbiosis may lead to a wide variety of health issues that could include anything from allergies and hayfever, to skin problems, to issues with immune function, to digestive issues such as IBS and even to the development of autoimmune conditions.
Intestinal Hyperpermeability
When there is dysbiosis, there is usually also intestinal hyperpermeability (also known as “leaky gut”). This refers to the tight junctions in the intestinal wall becoming less effective and allowing certain substances to cross over and cause us problems that we might not otherwise experience if our intestinal barrier were not so permeable. The gut barrier amounts to a surface area of around 400 square metres, and its functions include the prevention and electrolyte loss, and preventing the entry of any harmful substances and microorganisms.
What contributes to gut dysbiosis?
There are many factors that can contribute to dysbiosis and some of these include:
High stress, especially for prolonged periods
A diet low in fibre and prebiotics and probiotic foods
A diet high in sugar and trans fats
High consumption of alcohol, smoking and recreational drug use
Use of medication such as antibiotics, NSAIDs, oral contraceptive pill, PPIs
What can be done to improve gut dysbiosis?
Stress management is an incredibly important factor when it comes to correcting intestinal hyperpermeability. Most people are aware of the types of activities they can add to their daily routine in order to aid with stress management. This is where herbal medicine comes in as part of naturopathic treatment, and works incredibly well to assist with stress management.
Some medications are life-saving and need to be used indefinitely, but many medications were only ever designed to be used acutely and for the short term. The types of medications designed to only be used for a relatively short period of time include antibiotics, NSAIDs and other analgesics, and PPIs. Have a chat to your doctor if you’re wanting to come off any medications.
Dietary changes are also a significant part of naturopathic treatment. These changes are made in order to assist with improving all aspects of gut health and function, as well as improving other aspects of the person’s health and their overall health and wellbeing. Many people will even find that they are reacting to many different types of foods, including many healthy foods, when there is intestinal hyperpermeability present. Many of my clients will find that they react to more and more foods as time goes on prior to naturopathic treatment, and when they begin taking specific herbs, supplements and utilise other strategies to aid with addressing the underlying causes of their digestive issues, they will find that over time they become less reactive to different types of foods, and they are able to re-introduce at least some, if not all, of these foods into their diet over time.
Book in for a naturopathic consult to help address these issues at the root cause. Naturopathic treatment of gut dysbiosis and intestinal hyperpermeability involves using herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, dietary modification and lifestyle changes in order to help calm and soothe the inflammation and repair the tissue within the digestive system, thus creating an environment that is much more conducive to the rebalancing of the microbiome. Naturopathic treatment addresses the whole person, not just individual body systems, and therefore quite often other aspects will be addressed such as stress and any other issues that the client may be presenting with.
If you would like to explore the incredible benefits of naturopathy, click here to book your consult.
About Magnolia Naturopathy
Magnolia Naturopathy is owned and operated by Brisbane naturopath and herbalist Iwa Brown. At Magnolia Naturopathy, we offer online telehealth naturopathy consultations to assist our clients all over Australia to reach their health goals. Contact us here to find out more, or book your online telehealth naturopathy appointment here.
