Why Short Chain Fatty Acids are the Key to Optimal Health

Short chain fatty acids (S.C.F.A's), sounds like something that you should be avoiding all together. But you couldn't be more further from the truth.https://www.facebook.com/Thenaturopathshop/videos/2196534210567444/?ref_page_id=1518149341739271&acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5C%22[]%5C%22%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

So what are SCFA's?

SCFA's are made in your colon. They are produced by your gut bacteria, when you consume carbohydrates and I'm not taking about refined carbs either- more on this later). SCFA's are a 6 carbon chain (hence the name short) and can either be of 3 metabolites- butyrate, propionate, acetate (there are a couple of others but they only make up 5% of total SCFA's).Butyrate can be used instantly by some cells in your colon; while the rest can transported to your liver and enter the rest of your system by your blood.

The benefits of SCFA's..............

Studies have shown that SCFA's reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity (basically metabolic syndrome) and some colon cancers.Research has also shown that SCFA's are anti-inflammatory, and that people who had ulcerative colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), had lower than normal levels of SCFA's.

How Do I Increase my SCFA's Levels?

SCFA's are influenced by diet. Yes, the food you eat. As I mentioned before; SCFA's are made by your bacteria when they digest certain carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are mostly found in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and legumes.All these foods also have one thing in common, they contain high amounts of fibre.

What FIBRE????

Yes! Here's the glitch.....you might be currently following a low FODMAP, SIBO, or a High FAT/Low Carb diet. All of these diets dramatically reduce your intake of natural fibre. You can avoid this by really focusing on the vegetables you can eat, so this doesn't happen. This is why long term Low FODMAP diets aren't recommended for long periods.This can be the hardest part when you are healing your gut. Especially if you have IBS/SIBO and feel like you bloat even from water. This is because your gut lining is hyper-sensitive and you need to go extremely slowly when you are starting to re-introduce regular foods.Legumes are a fantastic source of fibre, but many people just can't tolerate them. So after you have done adequate healing of your gut (can be different for everyone). You can start with brown lentils, drain the can, and freeze them into ice cube trays. This way you are just introducing a tiny amount daily.There are many types of fibre, but some fibres in food are also called 'prebiotics'. This term is used a lot more these days. The way I like to explain it is that prebiotics are 'feeding' your gut bacteria, which will make them grow big and strong. This method is excellent when you have low numbers in a beneficial bacteria (all you need to do is eat the right foods to build them up again). The end result will be that you have built up your gut ecosystem naturally with foods.

Foods That Feed Your Gut Microbiome

Listed below is a snap shot of foods that feed your healthy gut bugs - these foods contain either inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides.Jerusalem artichoke, yacon tubers burdock roots, chicory roots, dandelion roots, garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, globe artichoke.Legumes, Brassica-family, vegetables, fresh beans, rye sourdough, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, LSA mix.Polyphenols also feed your gut bugs. Polyphenol foods are:black elderberries, black currants, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, plums, raspberries, apples, black grapesFlaxseed meal, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, purple carrots, red carrots, purple potatoes, red cabbage, spinach, red onions, broccoli, carrots, red lettuceRed rice, black rice, red and white quinoa, whole grain, rye brad, olives and olive oil

How Do I Measure SCFA's?

This can be done only by stool testing. There are quite a few on the market that give you varying results. But you can easily find more about your SCFA's levels by completing a CDSA (Comprehensive Diagnostic Stool Analysis) or by a UBIOME test.If you would like to know more about SCFA's or specific stool tests; fill out the contact form below and I will get back to you.[contact_bank form_id="2" form_title="show" form_description="show"][/contact_bank]REFERENCESCheng et. al. (2017) Effects of Functional Oligosaccharides and ordinary dietary fibre on intestinal microbiota diversity, Frontiers in Microbiology, 1-11Edwards et. al. (2017) Polyphenols and Health- interactions between fibre, plant polyphenols and the gut microbiota, Nutrition Bulletin, 42, 356-360Ros-Covian et. al. (2016) Intestinal short chain fatty acids and their link with diet and human health, Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol.7, Article 185, pg.1-9Singh et. al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health, (2017), Journal of Translational Medicine, 15:73, 1-17      

How to improve your digestion naturally...

Digestion is such an integral component of optimum health, and you would be surprised at how many people I see in my clinic that have low digestive function.Decreased digestion can occur for a few reasons:

• Medication (especially proton pump inhibitors)
• Inflammation - due to an infection or auto immune condition
• Auto immune disorder- Coeliac, Crohn's, Fibromyalgia, SLE, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Food intolerances- lactose, fructose, wheat/gluten intolerance (let's just call it carbohydrate intolerance)
• Age- Decreased nutrient absorption can decrease when you get older
• Low stomach acid
• Pancreatic malfunction
• Stress
• Parasites
• Gut dysbiosis- leaky gut, SIBO, IBS (you don't have enough of the bacteria that help you digest your food)

These causes can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable, but can also lead to nutrient deficiencies, brain fog, irregular bowel habits and lack of energy.Before we get stuck into what you can do to improve your digestion naturally. I would like to cover the basics of digestion, and what parts of the digestive system are needed for complete absorption.

The Digestive System Team

Mouth- The first portal of entry....food is chewed so you can make it smaller to swallow (duh!) and this process also helps your digestive system absorb it better.Your mouth has salivary glands which produce an enzyme called amylase. Amylase breaks down starch (a type of carbohydrate).

Stomach

I always think of the stomach as a big mixing bowl. Food and liquid is churned and made smaller by waves produced within the stomach cells, and lipase is released to start digesting fats. The stomach is also the home of hydrochloric acid and pepsin. These along with other gastric juices help break down protein.

Pancreas

The pancreas has such an important role in the digestion process. Pancreatic enzymes digest fats, carbohydrates and protein (all 3 together are called pancreatic juice). Up to 1200-1500mL of pancreatic juice is released from your pancreas PER DAY! Your pancreatic juice is released into your small intestine.

Liver & Gallbladder

The liver has many jobs to do; but today we are talking about digestion. So I will keep it simple!The liver makes bile and the gallbladder stores the bile (and then releases it when needed). Bile is released to help breakdown fats and turns cholesterol into a soluble form.

Small Intestine

This is where all the action happens! Digestion AND absorption occur within the small intestine. The intestinal wall houses brush border enzymes, that help digest carbohydrates and proteins. Most of the enzymes mentioned earlier are released in the small intestine as well.The small intestine also house a small amount of gut microbes. These microbes assist with breaking down foods via fermentation and make much needed Short-Chain-Fatty-Acids (SCFA). 90% of absorption of nutrients occur in the small intestine; the other 10% occur in either the stomach or colon. Any unabsorbed foods left in the SI, pass onto the large intestine.

Large Intestine

The colon completes the rest of the food absorption and produces vitamin K and some B vitamins. The other key role of the colon is for defecation of your stool. Majority of your gut microbes live in your colon, and they help break down foods further and decompose bilirubin (which gives you the brown colour!)Obviously there is a lot more involved than this, but it does give you an overview of where enzymes and gastric secretions occur.

Natural Treatments 

I always suggest to use what you have at home first, or try and incorporate some natural digestive support to assist with digestion. Let's take a look at what's on offer.....

Chew Your Food

This one if FREE! I know I very often don't chew my food enough before I swallow. How often have you worked during your lunch break or picked at food while in the kitchen preparing the main meal for the day (and not actually sitting down and taking rest while doing so)??Not only are you helping your digestive system by making your food easier to digest, but you're also slllllooooowing down.......digestions slows down when you're on the go!Mindful eating has gained some attention in the last few years. This is where you take note (no, don't get your note pad out), and appreciate the food that you are eating by being aware of the smell, taste and texture. This process definitely slows you down and will ensure that you aren't rushing.

Meal Timing

This doesn't really effect your daily meal times. This is only a problem if you eat late at night and go to bed soon after.

What Can Increase Digestion?

Pineapple

Pineapple contains the phytochemical, bromelain. Pineapple contains natural enzymes, by supporting the pancreas. Studies have shown that bromelain has anti-cancer properties, reduces inflammation, and inhibits the growth of the gram negative bacteria E.coli (which can cause diarrhoea).Recent studies have demonstrated that bromelain can relieve dyspepsia symptoms such as stomach pain and flatulence.

Herbs

There are SO MANY herbs that support your digestion. Here are just a few:

• Ginger
• Gentian
• Fenugreek
• Fennel
• Globe artichoke
• St. Mary's Thistle
• Peppermint

Many of these are available in a herbal tea form. Otherwise you can either find them in a capsule form or seek a naturopath that can make a herbal tincture up just for you!

Probiotics

As I mentioned earlier; bacterial microbes in your gut are needed to break down food in your small intestine and colon. If you have low levels of gut microbes, you can easily add probiotics to your diet. This could be as easy as introducing yoghurt to your diet or taking a probiotic supplement. Just remember not all probiotics will assist with your digestion. They need to be strain specific to match your condition.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics feed your gut microbes (so they grow happy and strong!). Prebiotics are found in the form of fibre. So by eating more fibrous foods you will not only assist digestion, but you will also be feeding the gut bacteria that helps you BREAK DOWN food. Prebiotics not only help with digestion; they also create short chain fatty acids. Studies have shown that SCFA's help with obesity, diabetes and non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Prebiotics are found in:

• Berries (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry)
• Asparagus
• Onion
• Legumes
• Flaxseeds
• Almonds
• Inulin

Reduce Stress Levels

Stress can work in a couple a ways....it can stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and slow down the digestive process, because you are in 'flight' mode of the stress response. Or stress can stimulate the release of bile, which then can feed gram negative bacteria in your gut and cause an imbalance (dysbiosis).Knowing your stress triggers is beneficial; but also adapting mindful eating, using your breath and making time for you are essential.Of course, sometimes it's not so black and white. To find out if you have adequate digestive enzymes and short chain fatty acids, you can have a stool test done. If you would like more information, contact me below.[contact_bank form_id="2" form_title="show" form_description="show"][/contact_bank]        

Stress & Your GUT

Stress often gets a bad wrap. It's our bodies natural defence mechanism kicking in to allow us to deal with external dangers (you know...when you want to run away from the sabre-toothed tiger) and mental stress (exams, money concerns, balancing work and family). If your cortisol didn't kick in when you felt or experienced any of these situations, we wouldn't cope at all!It's only when stress is long term that things start to get a bit tricky. Long term stress can leave you not only exhausted and feeling drained. but it can impact your body on a physical level as well. It just can be a lot harder to see (until the damage is done).There has been a lot of research on the Brain-Gut connection and how the gut is often referred to as the '2nd brain'. The brain and gut communicate with each other via the central nervous system (the vagus nerve) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis (HPA).Your gut not only contains 70% of your immune system, but it produces 90% of your serotonin (your happy hormone) and other feel good hormones such as dopamine and GABA.

So it's no wonder that when our gut is not feeling great, we don't feel so great either!

When you are stressed you release cortisol from your adrenals. But cortisol (bless its little cotton socks..) can promote intestinal barrier dysfunction. To bring it back a few steps, our gut has a protective layer (intestinal barrier), that is there to not only help absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat.  It also acts as a wall to keep out the nasties such as bacteria, fungi, environmental toxins and parasites.

Stress affects the gut in the following ways:

• Gastric secretion (your digestion slows down)
• Gut motility (this could slow down or speed up your digestion)
• Gut function and mucosal blood flow
• Visceral sensitivity (stomach pain)
• Increases inflammation (that word again)

Continual stress exposure can lead to the following digestive conditions:

• Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Inflammatory bowel syndrome
• Food allergy
• SIBO

So what can you do to reduce stress when it's out of control??Let's do some exploring........

1. Do what brings you joy!

Honestly....have you stopped doing something because you're too busy?We often put other family members first before our selves. But a little self care is needed, and trust me. If you come down like a tonne of bricks, the rest of the family will to.List 3 things that you love doing, pick one and start doing it.

2. Meditation

Yeah, yeah....I know you've heard it all before. But there is so much research to prove that it works (that's why it keeps popping up all the time!) If you aren't feeling too confident in starting by yourself. There are now Apps available that can give you guided sessions. Have a look at these...HeadspaceSmiling MindHealthline

3. Get back into nature

Fresh air, no distractions, physical activity and feeling the earth beneath your feet. What more do you need?

4. Delegate

Spread the burden! How many times do you say you're ok, when you're clearly not?This is when family and friends come in handy.

5. Talk to someone

Sometimes by talking over what is troubling you can make you feel so much better. Friend, family member or seek professional help if need be.

6. Time Management

This is a goody if you need to be in 2 places at once or there are a lot of deadlines coming up. It's an oldie, but a goody.

7. Community

See what help is available within your community. The local library is a great place where community events and resources are kept. And a lot of them will be FREE!

REFERENCES

Cahn, Br. et al. 'Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat', Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2017 Jun 26;11:315. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00315. eCollection 2017.Farmer, Adam D. Holly A. Randall and Qasim Aziz, 'It's a gut feeling: How the gut microbiota affects the state of mind', Journal of Physiology, 592. 14 (2014) pp 2981-2988Gladwell. VF et. al. 'The Great Outdoors: how a green environment can benefit all', Extreme Physiology & Medicine,  2013 Jan 3;2(1):3. doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-3.Konturek, P.C., Brzozowski, T. , Konturek, S.J. ' Stress and the gut: Pathophysiology, clinical consequences, diagnostic approach and treatment options'. Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2011, 62, 6, 591-599Pokorski, M & Suchorzynska, A. 'Psychobehavioural Effects of Meditation', Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2017 Jun 25. doi: 10.1007/5584_2017_52  

Bloated Belly Blues

In my younger years I used to have an ironing board stomach (actually the ironing board look went up to my collar bone). And the words 'muffin top' were not something that I resonated with. That was until I had my 3rd child, and I just had to look at food for my stomach to inflate like a balloon.I do believe that there has been muscle weakness in that area and this has been a reason for my relaxed tummy look, but the biggest cause was because I had SIBO.SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. And it means just that the gut bacteria that should be in your large colon, are now playing happy families in your small intestine.So what does this have to do with bloated tummies???A lot actually. It now means that the bacteria that are in your small intestine are out of balance. And these new kids on the block love feeding off the food we eat. Mostly carbs!So when they have also relished in the pasta you just ate, so are the unwelcomed bacteria. And they then release gases after eating, which then causes your tummy to also fill up with air and look bloated!The foods that mostly trigger a bloated belly are:- bread, crackers, biscuits, cakes. Anything with wheat and gluten.- milk, cream, soy, cheese- alcohol- refined sugars, sweeties, lollies etc.- additives and preservatives-legumesOther symptoms of SIBO are:- constipation and/or diarrhoea- food intolerances-headaches-fatigue-acne Rosacea and other skin conditionsTo treat a bloated belly naturally you can eliminate the unwanted bacteria by using herbal antibiotics; and avoid foods that feed the bacteria until the gut lining heals and the cause of your SIBO has been rectified.If you would like to know more about SIBO, please fill out the contact form below.[contact_bank form_id=2 show_title=true show_desc=false]