One common digestive complaint that people have is bloating. The background for this problem, to some degree, is North American diets and processed food intake. I want to address bloating that is brought on by small intestine bacterial overgrowth. This is a common problem that I am encountering in patients more and more. Bacteria populate our intestinal tract helping with food breakdown and absorption as well as the manufacture of B vitamins and Vitamin K. They help strengthen our immune system at the level of the gut and help prevent absorption of large protein molecules which could contribute to food allergies.

There are good bacteria and bad bacteria that make up your bacterial flora. If our intestines are populated with ‘bad’ bacteria, these bacteria can compete with our good bacteria and cause us problems. Bacteria can ferment food meant for the human host by their inappropriate location in the small intestine. This fermentation causes hydrogen or methane gas which can lead to IBS symptoms of bloating, gas, and belching, heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain and in some cases diarrhea or constipation. Other symptoms can include systemic symptoms like headache, joint pain and fatigue. Bad bacteria can also compete with us for nutrients including B12 and iron which could leave us in a deficient situation.

These bacteria eat carbohydrates in the form of all sweeteners and starches (grains, beans, and starchy vegetables). Prebiotic nutrients such as inulin, fructooligosaccharides and arabinogalactan are consumed by these bacteria as well. Thus when dealing with this problem, one must eat a diet that starves the bacteria but feeds the person. These bacteria can damage the digestive function not to mention the absorptive structure and integrity of the small intestine. This process contributes to food allergies via increased permeability of the gut.

How does one know if they have this problem? Ask your MD for a hydrogen/methane breath test. When these bacteria ferment carbohydrates they produce methane and hydrogen gas that can be measured. Treatment once established that SIBO is a problem is extensive. Antibiotics can be used for a short course therapy (14 days). If using natural medicine that act like antibiotics (allicin being one example) treatment is for 30 days. Treatment also requires a prokinetic drug which keeps the bacteria from stagnating in the small intestines and an extensive diet (specific carbohydrate or GAPS diet) for a matter of months. Comprehensive treatment also includes probiotic bacteria and small intestinal healing agents (l-glutamine, zinc carnosine to list a few examples). Please talk to your MD or consult with your naturopathic doctor if you feel you have this problem.

Reference: The Townsend Letter Feb/March 2013 Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Often Ignored Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Allison Siebecker, ND, MSOM, L.Ac and Steven Sandberg-Lewis, ND, DHANP.

I was recently asked the question ‘What nourishes you?’ and I took pause for a moment to really think about the question. When I think about nourishing my authentic self, first of all, I really have to separate myself from all the conditioning I have grown up with and been surrounded by my entire life. It is tuning out the voices that are from the outside world telling me what I need to do or be. It involves separating myself from everyone’s opinions but my own. It is trusting the inner voice inside of myself that speaks to me in every moment. It is honoring my own unique expression in this life no matter that it may not match other’s ideas about what I should be doing with my time or energy.

Nourishing myself means doing those activities that feel good to me; in the physical sense it means preparing whole foods on a daily basis, choosing fresh organic produce that has the most life energy. Taking the time to really mindfully prepare my food, eat my food, give thanks for it, give thanks for all the invisible people that were involved with getting it to my table- the growers, farmers, workers, transporters, etc. It means drinking filtered water and making a beautiful cup of herbal tea. It means knowing that this food nurtures and heals my body and marveling at the amazement of that; being thankful and knowing that all is well!

What activities nourish me? Because I am an empath, I have to say I need a lot of alone time to restore my spirit. I need to fill myself up by taking some silent time for rest, contemplation, meditation, reading spiritual books- this is a necessity for me…I belong to a meditation group that is very important to me; these people hold similar beliefs to me and appreciate the same values that I hold true to my heart. Being held in a circle of unconditional support is healing to my heart and soul. Spending time with my family is incredibly nourishing to me. The love that I feel for them is beyond description.

Nourishing me requires a big hit of nature. I always take time to go the mountains or at least go farther from the downtown core where I can find a stream, hear the wind in the trees, or have a canopy of trees around me; being in nature harmonizes my frequency like nothing else- no phones required. It allows me to recalibrate to a more serene setting so when I go back into the downtown core, I can start to harmonize the environment around me and bring more serenity to each and everyone around me.

How do you authentically express your spirit in a way that nourishes you? Expressing your spirit is paramount to leaving your mark on the world. This can be a big or small expression or even very subtle; perhaps a comment made that lifts another individual up. Just noting that your life is not about you rather about how many people’s lives you touch in a positive way using the authentic expression of your spirit is important to note. This last question can be contemplated or reflected upon, refined and then revealed as you begin to know more about yourself and get in touch with your authentic spirit. What feels good to you? What do you have passion for? Do more of that!! (Writing is a form that I choose to express my spirit in.) How do you nourish yourself and express your authentic self? Please leave a comment to let me know!!!!

When I went to school to become a naturopathic doctor, we certainly did extensive study on nutrition however I don’t remember a strong emphasis on having a balanced pH or perhaps I missed those classes. I realize now how important acid/alkaline balance is for optimal health. Every person that comes through my office doors has one thing in common>>they are consuming a diet too high in acid foods. In fact, western culture as a whole consume far more acid foods (~80%) than alkaline foods (~20%). Ideally, our diet would have 60-80% coming from alkaline foods and only 20-40 % coming from acid foods. What is pH anyways and why does it matter?

pH stands for potential of hydrogen (the measurement of hydrogen ions in  a particular solution)  and the acid/alkaline balance relates to the chemistry of your body’s fluid and tissues. This relationship between acid and alkaline is quantified on a scale of 0-14 with a pH of 7 being neutral, pH of less than 7 classified as acidic and a pH above 7 classified as alkaline. Optimal blood pH is ~7.365 so slightly alkaline. When a food is metabolized, an acid or base is left. Our diet should contain more alkaline foods to promote a slightly alkaline pH.

Alkaline foods include all the green veggies especially the leafy variety> think kale, collards, bok choy, lettuce, spinach. All the brassicas are alkalinizing and cancer fighting> think broccoli, cauliflower, kale, watercress, turnips, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi. Raw tomatoes are alkaline but cooked are acidic. All grasses including wheatgrass are alkaline. Root vegetables are alkaline such as sweet potatoes, white potatoes (not french fries), radishes, and all other vegetables such as sweet peppers, celery, carrots, etc. Beans and peas are considered to be alkalizing as well. There are many resources online to give you a comprehensive list of alkaline foods. Raw almonds are alkalinizing. Grains are more acidic but two that are considered more neutral or slightly alkaline include millet and buckwheat. Stevia is a sweetener that is considered alkaline.

Deep breathing and meditation support a more alkaline environment.

Acid foods which contribute to a more acidic pH include animal protein >red meat, poultry, fish, dairy products (cheese, yogurt, milk, etc), coffee, tea, sugar, nuts (moreso if salted, roasted), refined grains, rice, oats, wheat, legumes such as soybeans, chick beas, black beans, sugar, vinegars (except apple cider). Anything processed is acidic, alcohol, condiments, soy sauce. Fruits are more acidic although lemons, limes, and grapefruit are more alkaline in function and thus contribute to a more alkaline pH. Dried fruits are acidic. Drugs and cigarettes are acidic as is a lifestyle full of stress. I’ll write more about pH next time. Until next time, eat more veggies…