A medically diagnosed condition, IBS is a functional digestive disorder affecting @ 11% of the population.  Diagnosis normally occurs after testing has ruled out other conditions, and your symptoms are contained within the IBS criteria.  IBS has no medically recognised effective treatment.

Naturopathically, IBS is not seen as a single condition.  Rather it is viewed as an umbrella term that encompasses a cluster of related conditions, that simply present with similar symptoms.  These conditions can and often have a vastly differing set of causes.

By putting aside the label, we come back to the # 1 naturopathic principle.  Work with the patient, not the disease.  What this means, is looking at your specific symptoms, and your specific causes in order to work to restore optimal function.
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Here in clinic at SmartGENES, we look to unpack these causes by focusing on lifestyle, functional and nutritional factors that impact gut function.  Some of these factors include:

​There are a number of testing options available.  For the most part these are sent away to labs overseas as they are unavailable in New Zealand.  Complete Microbiome Mapping (GI Map) is a targeted and comprehensive testing option, with samples being sent to Australia for analysis.

There are hundreds of different types of bacteria living in the gut. Ensuring we have healthy colonies of the good strains of bacteria helps to prevent dysbiosis (incorrect gut flora), supports immune health, protects against the development of food sensitivities and maintains the health of the intestinal mucosa.  They also metabolise certain foods and aid in the synthesis of nutrients such as folate and vitamin K.

Top Gut Foods
Probiotic Foods - adding good bacteria into our diet

• Yoghurt - a fermented milk (without sugar or sweetners)
• Miso - fermented soybeans
• Sauerkraut - fermented cabbage
• Keffir - fermented milk.  Can be made with any type of milk or even coconut water
• Kimchi - similar to sauerkraut with cabbage, radish, cucumber + spices
• Fermented vegetables - a wide variety of vegetables can be fermented - carrots, beetroot, zucchini, asparagas, beans, eggplant & capsicum
• Kombucha - a fermented black tea
• Tempeh - a fermented soybean product. Great in stirfries
• Buttermilk - a fermented milk product
• Natto - fermented soybean

Prebiotic Foods - for creating the right environment in the gut

• Jerusalem Artichoke
• Dandelion Greens
• Leek
• Asparagus
• Chicory Root - as a coffee substitute or in a powder form
• Acacia Gum - a thickener and emulsifier for use in home cooking

As well as those that help, many common dietary and lifestyle factors are well known to compromise digestive health and function.  Are you compromising your gut health with these:
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• Medications:  including proton pump inhibitors, antacids and histamine-2-antagonists decrease the acidity of the stomach environment.  This may result in decreased gastric digestion of foods, thus increasing the likelihood of the development of food sensitivities, irritation and inflammation, and comprised nutrient absorption.
• Medications: anti-inflammatory medications can cause localised inflammation of the digestive tract, compromising the structure of the intestines and increasing intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
• Medications:  antibiotics - also destroy the good bacteria of the digestive tract.  This may result in overgrowth of bad bacteria or fungus in the digestive system.  Ultimately this can lead to intestinal inflammation and increased intestinal permeability
• Excessive consumption of alcohol decreases the good bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria and fungus to flourish = inflammation and increased intestinal permeability
• A high intake of refined sugar in the diet decreases the good bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria and fungus to flourish = inflammation and increased intestinal permeability
• Low dietary intake of prebiotic fibres which feed the good bacteria of the gut can reduce numbers and allow growth of the bad bacteria and fungus.

Vanessa Winter
BHSc, BEd, Dip.Herb.Med., Dip.Nat.,NMHNZ