Digestive Health

Learn how I can help to improve your digestive health.

Helping people with digestive issues is a real passion of mine. Around 2009 I had been suffering with some significant health complaints, which were unresolved through conventional methods and little did I know that the wide spread health issues I was suffering with such as extreme fatigue, lowered sex drive, erratic mood, poor immune health, muscle loss and fat gain all stemmed from 2 pathogenic bacteria I must have picked up a few years before.

I was fortunate enough at the time to work with one of the first Functional Medicine Practitioners in the UK – someone I went to study under for a few years and now work with on a professional level.

From that moment I was hooked on the effects that the gut can have on the rest of our physiology and the importance of optimising gut function for almost any goal.

Our understanding of Digestive Health

Over the past 10 years or so there has been an explosion in our understanding of the digestive system and we are still only beginning to scratch the surface. Developments in how we can now analyse bacteria in the gut and the rest of the digestive system means that we are now able to see the systemic effect that bacteria has on the rest of our physiology. It is said that we have around 2-10x the amount of bacteria in our body compared to the number of cells in our body, that’s a lot of bacteria.

What we are now understanding is that we have a synergistic relationship with these bacteria and when that relationship breaks down it can lead to all types of dysfunction, not only in the digestive system but also in all the other areas of the body as well.

I am fortunate in the sense that I am able to utilise some of the most up to date technology available to help us assess your digestive health. This technology is not yet available through conventional testing, however it is the technology that is being used to develop our understanding of the deeper workings of gut bacteria and our digestive systems within the most up to date medical research.

6 weeks on and after a 30 day modified elimination diet and supplement protocol, I can confirm that I have a flat tummy and no bloating, I am going to the toilet on a regular basis and sleep between 6 and 8 hours a night, my aches and pains have gone and have lost a stone. I feel amazing and it is all down to Steve’s dedication and commitment to get to the root of my problem.

What can poor digestive health cause?

Previously bacteria were seen as the route of all evil, yet we now know that different bacteria play critical roles in how our body functions, particularly orchestrating our immune system and even playing a role in inflammation, metabolism, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes, weight gain, and appetite levels, the list is continuously growing. I think it is fair to say that our digestive system is crucial for optimal health and reducing our risk of all chronic diseases.

Locally the digestive system can lead to symptoms associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), such as bloating, distension, irregular bowel movements etc. Imbalances in the gut can also lead to other symptoms like heartburn and acid indigestions.

Moving away from the gut, the digestive system is also crucial for immune health, in fact the majority of the immune system is housed in and around the digestive system, thus immunological issues and imbalances are often a result of issues within the digestive system.

Digestive health also impacts hormone balance through a number of different mechanisms, not only are certain hormones activated by certain bacteria in the gut, but signals from the gut in relation to immune and inflammatory responses can also suppress or increase the production of certain hormones, often leading to imbalances that result in systemic symptoms that we might not think are in any way associated with the digestive system.

We also have an extensive network of neurons that run from the brain to the gut, where interestingly the majority of the signals run from the gut to the brain. It is well established the gut can also influence how we think, effecting mood and behavior.

Ultimately we have to consider digestive health in almost any physiological imbalance in the body and perhaps even psychological imbalance as well.

Digestive Health Specialist London

Since the meeting, it has revolutionised how I think about food. My Symptoms have been controlled just by now knowing what I can or can’t eat and gaining an understanding to why I feel the way I did after eating certain foods.

The main causes of poor digestive health

Poor digestive health can be caused by a number of issues. These issues can range from acute incidents like picking up an infection or perhaps even acute emotional stress. Also, more chronic issues like chronic emotional stressors as well as what we eat, how we eat, when we eat, medications (particularly antibiotic use), supplement use and more.

I find that in most cases of significant digestive upset, it can often be tracked back to a period in your life where you were under significant stress physically or emotionally. That moment or even the treatment involved in that moment acts as a trigger that leads to the development of chronic symptoms associated with poor digestive health.

This is why I find that performing a health timeline with my clients is so important as it enables us to find triggers which can sometimes help guide our approach to once again establishing some level of balance in the digestive system.

In my own personal experience, I was able to track back to a 6 month window about 3-4 years previous where I had a significant car accident, was in the final few months of University, and picked up an infection whilst in Egypt. From that point my health and vitality gradually deteriorated. With that history and appropriate testing we were able to pick up on a common hospital born pathogenic bacteria called Clostridium Difficile and another common pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter Pylori.

Once these infections were resolved and balance was restored to my digestive system, my health bounced back immediately. Digestive dysfunction can occur for a number of reasons and this is why a holistic approach to optimising your gut is one that often elicits the most effective long-term results.

Phoebe Robinson-Galvin - Stunt Performer

6 weeks after listening to Stevens advice I no longer had a face of acne. Some weeks after that I was no longer battling IBS each day. And some weeks after that my exhaustion levels had changed dramatically. I feel like I have my life back. I had spoken to many people over the years and no one previously was able help me. Steve’s knowledge of the body is, in my opinion, unmatched.

How I can help you improve your digestive health

My approach to digestive health is the same as any other physiological issue in the body. First I will assess your nutrition, lifestyle, symptoms, health history and medical history. From there I can determine what your best starting point might be.

With some individuals this may involve implementing some digestive health based nutrition and lifestyle recommendations. For others, we may consider advanced lab testing to help determine if there are any infections, imbalances, immune/inflammatory reactions or insufficiencies that may be influencing the health of your digestive system.

By combining my skills as a nutritionist with that of Functional Medicine, I believe I am able to give you a well-rounded approach to optimising your gut health. This approach not only helped me overcome my digestive health issues, but has enabled me to help numerous people with issues relating to their digestive health too.

If you are interested in working with me, please don’t hesitate to fill out the contact form below.