Winter goal: get good gut health
Health fans are extolling the virtues of prebiotics and probiotics. Gas, bloating and stools are up for discussion, even in polite circles. Yep, 2016 is all about gut health. So, what is it and why is it so important? By Meg Crawford
HANNAH BRANTLEY, A qualified nutritionist and the owner of Solstice Nutrition in Cremorne, comes from a food background. She was a chef for a number of years, but became obsessed with nutrition when she found herself feeling mentally foggy, depressed and suffering from a host of digestive complaints that conventional medicine wasn’t sorting out.
It turns out that Brantley was suffering from a chronic case of small intestine bacteria overgrowth, otherwise known as SIBO. Brantley healed herself with a range of practices which now form the foundation of her practice. “I had to reseal my gut lining by eliminating food intolerances and rebuilding the gut wall, reducing inflammation, repopulating my gut with good bacteria and then maintaining good gut health by feeding the good bacteria with prebiotics.”
The body is host to around 100 trillion different forms of living micro-organisms (including bacteria and parasites), most of which are in your gut. Bacteria in the gut, or microflora, are divided into “good bacteria” and “bad bacteria” and when their fine balance gets out of whack, you get sick.
“Our microbes govern everything from our weight to our mood, hormones and skin health,” Brantley says. “When they’re not in balance [due to stress, lack of sleep and exercise and too much booze, refined carbs and sugar], the main symptoms will be bloating, gas, diarrhoea, constipation (or the two alternating), brain fog, anxiety, skin issues and fatigue.
“When everything’s back in balance, you can expect to feel energetic, light, alert, sharp, balanced, calm and have a general sense of wellbeing,” she says. Learn more about gut health at Brantley’s Fermenting and Gut Health Workshop (Big Bang Studios, Unit 1/177 Beavers Rd, Northcote 3070. weteachme.com. 6.30-9pm. $100. Wed Jun 1) or consult with her at Solstice Nutrition, 79 Stephenson St, Cremorne 3121. 04 8815 6747. www.solsticenutrition.com.