Healing From Poor Gut Health…Dysbiosis, SIBO, Leaky Gut and more…
Let’s explore the role that bacteria plays in the overall health of your gut and digestive system. We’ll explore the widespread effect that an imbalance of these bacteria can have on the body, including mental health, and how functionality can be restored through diet and supplementation.
THE GOOD AND BAD OF BACTERIA: JAXSON’S STORY
Whilst the word ‘bacteria’ usually brings to mind thoughts of unhealthy viruses and germs, our body hosts thousands of bacteria that are necessary for function every day. Bacteria thrive by finding environments that support replication and the digestive system is a perfect option. These systems work in harmony with the ‘good’ bacteria to aid in digestive processes, and the growth of these healthy bacteria can be supported through diet and supplementation. However, ‘bad’ bacteria that throw off this harmony can be introduced into the system by external factors such as poor diet and environmental exposures. As a transgender man, Jaxson experienced multiple extensive surgeries where deep internal organs were exposed to the outside world and included intense medications such as antibiotics, painkillers, and antinflammatories. Whilst these were critical for managing his recovery from the surgery, there were ongoing side effects that were a by-product of this treatment. The antibiotics worked to kill any potentially deadly infections and ‘bad’ bacteria, these medications are unable to discriminate, and therefore ‘good’ bacteria were destroyed as well. A crucial function of ‘good bacteria’ is to limit and reduce the effect of ‘bad’ bacteria when it is introduced into the system. With none available, the ‘bad’ bacteria were able to grow unchecked and resulted in a dysbiosis (overgrowth) called SIBO, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
FUNCTIONAL TESTING AND HOLISTIC HEALTHCARE PROTOCOLS
There are a myriad of tests available that examine the human body and its perceived ‘wellness’. Blood testing is a commonly used diagnostic tool that can test certain levels of nutrients and determine whether there are any deficiencies. When the body is supplemented accurately for any missing components, it can mean a blood test appears well-balanced and ‘healthy’. This then requires further investigation to determine the cause of the symptoms. Whilst clear blood tests can sometimes be seen as the end of the road, it is important to advocate for your own health and feel empowered to keep seeking answers. Stool tests can observe acids, fats, undigested nutrients, as well as multiple bacteria types. Jaxson himself had a clear blood test, but his stool test showed non-existent levels of ‘good’ bacteria, with significantly increased levels of ‘bad’ bacteria, including variants that are synonymous with causing bleeding and food poisoning. With a naturopath’s support, he began a prescribed diet protocol that began with eliminating all carbohydrates, to starve the ‘bad’ bacteria and reduce inflammation from the toxins they produce, with slow reintroductions of food to aid with the growth and restoring the balance of ‘good’ bacteria. This also required the use of nutrient supplements, as well as supplements that were able to be specifically recommended from the results of the stool test to treat the exact bacteria overgrowth in his system. This cleanse also worked holistically with the management of stress levels and allowed for SIBO to be healed over the 2-3 month protocol, with a huge reduction in symptoms.
LINKING DIET AND DOPAMINE
Whilst Jaxson felt ‘healthy’ overall, there was a clear disconnect between his gut and diet, as he craved ‘beige’ foods - highly processed and high-sugar food items. The sugars in common junk food items fuel the growth of ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut, and therefore important nutrients aren’t absorbed as efficiently. This then began to result in widespread symptoms of bloating, fatigue, puffiness, and poor mental health. Dopamine is known as the ‘feel-good’ hormone, and is part of our reward/pleasure biochemical process in the brain. We rely on external environment factors to trigger this pathway, and when we don’t get enough stimulation we can seek elsewhere for a dopamine ‘hit’. Jaxson came to a realisation that he had heavily relied on food (and more specifically, sugar) as a crutch during his long recovery from surgery, spending large amounts of time bedridden with no constant company. He was lacking in stimuli that triggered his dopamine reaction, however sugar is an easy ‘reward’ that can induce dopamine production and this then becomes addictive. As part of the prescribed diet protocol, it was necessary to have a diet free from sugars and starches to starve the ‘bad’ bacteria in his gut. The removal of this reward system withdrew the easy dopamine trigger, and the attachment to food as a source of dopamine was eradicated. This allowed him to seek dopamine elsewhere in more productive and healthy avenues, such as journaling, walking, and gardening, which improved his overall well-being and outlook on life.
MORE FROM LUMINOUS BODY
To listen to the entire Luminous Body podcast episode ‘Healing From Poor Gut Health’, you can play on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For more inspiring stories and messages, head to the Luminous Body website or book a consultation with Dr Jaxson or Dr Hilary.