Do I have dysbiosis? Dysbiosis refers to a microbial imbalance on or within the body; in other words, an imbalance of good versus bad bacteria. It most often occurs in the digestive tract (leading to unpleasant symptoms, such as bloating, excessive wind, IBS symptoms etc). However, it can also present on any exposed surface or…
Effects of antibiotic use on the digestive system Antibiotic resistance is perhaps the most well-known side effect of long-term use of antibiotics – a type of drug resistance, where a micro-organism can eventually withstand exposure to the antibiotic as a result of over-prescription and reliance. However, there are actually many other side effects that can…
What is Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease (also known as granulomatous colitis and regional enteritis), is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, as detailed below. Named after a physician, Dr Crohn, who first described it in 1932, it most commonly presents during adolescence…
What are probiotics? Probiotics are live micro-organisms (often bacteria) that are thought to have a positive effect on the health of the host organism (i.e. our bodies) and, in particular, digestive tract health. They are more commonly referred to as “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” Most probiotics are bacteria similar to those naturally found in…
Do I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Irritable Bowel Syndrome (or IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal problem, which leads to unusual sensitivity and muscle activity. It is very common, afflicts mainly women and tends to develop ebfore the age of 35. It is also often referred to as spastic colon, spastic colitis, mucous colitis or nervous…
Everyone’s had bad breath at some time in their lives, particularly first thing in the morning. But when it becomes a chronic problem, it can cause embarrassment and have a negative impact on your quality of life. For instance, in terms of work interactions and socialising. Identifying the cause of bad breath is often the…
What is bad breath? Bad breath can come in many forms, levels of severity and can even be triggered by many a wide range of factors. Simply speaking, it is an unpleasant odour eminating from the breath of a person. Chronic bad breath is referred to as halitosis. Less commonly, it is also called fetor…
Which foods are good for digestion? We all know how important it is to eat well if we want to have a healthy digestive system (particularly as we get older and enzyme levels decrease), but it’s not always clear what you should eat to actively promote optimum digestive health. Poor digestion Our digestive tract is…
What is Candida albicans? Candida (also sometimes referred to as a thrush, yeast or fungal infection) is a single cell, plant-like fungi. It starts life as a yeast, which everybody has in their digestive systems and other mucous membranes from birth. It also lives on the skin. In terms of how it acts in the…
Good health begins in the gut Many health experts agree that good health begins with balance in the body, particularly in the digestive system. Inside our bodies there are twenty times more bacteria than living cells, and maintaining the correct balance of good bacteria versus bad bacteria is a crucial part of avoiding illness and…
