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TRAINING SUCCESSFUL PRACTITIONERS

Mind those Microbes

It is all about diversity – When it comes to the inner workings of your microbial world:

Karen Ward, Naturopathic NutritionistThe majority of my work is supporting clients with digestive distress which has become all too common. The latest statistics are that over 20% of people worldwide suffer from IBS alone and these statistics are only increasing. In relation to Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Ireland currently over 20.000 people are living with either Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis, which too is increasing.

A balanced microbiome or the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract is crucial to mental function and emotional health too.

Why is this? Because your brain depends on biochemicals (neurotransmitters) to process both thoughts and emotions. If your gut bacteria are upset and out of balance you are more likely to feel upset and out of balance too and have increased tiredness, poor memory and brain fog or even feel depressed or anxious.

I often find the main pattern in my clients diet is over consumption and over dependency on certain foods such as wheat, dairy and processed foods. As a result many peoples diets lack diversity, have low fruit and veg intake and low antioxidant and fibre intake.

So why is this problematic? Due to this overconsumption of wheat and dairy at the 3 main meals of the day it can contribute to changes in the gut’s ecosystem or the microbiome. The reason for this change – our microbial inner-world relies on certain foods to boost their growth and most importantly to enable them to produce certain health promoting compounds such as Butyrate which actually kill cancer cells and help the large bowel cells (colonocytes) to regenerate.

Like any ecosystem the more diversity in species the healthier the ecosystem, our gut microbiome is no different. Our human microbiome has lost its diversity due to the reduction of diversity in our diets and now just a few species seem to dominate.

By changing what you feed your microbes and by adding a combination of foods rich in inulin, beta glucan, as well as adding more colour (blueberries, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes, etc) we can actually shift our gut ecosystems, which results in health benefits that include improved glucose control but also a reduction in inflammation, pain and improved mood too.

CNM Dublin Open DayTherefore by changing from a diet rich in refined carbs and excess dairy and meat consumption to an increased array of plant based foods you can dramatically improve your health one microbe at a time.

Join me on the 12th of September to learn;

  • What is Crohns
  • What are the factors involved in its development and the role antibiotics and food play in the emergence of the disease
  • How I used food to manage my Crohns symptoms by ‘feeding my microbiome’
  • Tips on what you can do to improve your gut and overall health by choosing foods that nourish your microbes.

Book your Open Day ticket here

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