Let's Gut Real - Easy to Digest Nutrition Science

Pain is a predominant feature in the majority of functional gut disorders. The higher risk of anxiety and depression when coping with any chronic illness, including GI disorders, as well as anxiety and depression impacting symptoms and symptom perception in many GI conditions are all very important aspect of medical care. This week I interview Dr. Katia Tonkin on the role that cannabis plays in medical care – including in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and pain. Dr. Tonkin is a medical oncologist who worked at The Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton Alberta Canada for 20 years and in London, Ontario Canada for 6 years prior to that. She became interested in medical cannabis in 2016 as many patients started asking about cannabis. After researching into it, Dr. Tonkin felt cannabis was likely to help many patients with a wide variety of problems. She started treating patients in April 2017 and wants to contribute to clinical research to further medical knowledge into appropriate uses of medical cannabis, as well as educating health care providers on the proper use of cannabis. She works out of Optimum Wellness Center as well as other clinics as a medical prescriber. We talk about: Tonkin’s background as a clinician and how they became interested in the role cannabis plays in medical care. What cannabis is. The components of the plant that have therapeutic impacts. The role of a medical prescriber. How cannabis, that is medically prescribed, differs from cannabis you might find in stores and why ’self medicating’ is not the best strategy to realize the benefits of cannabis The conditions we have evidence for using cannabis with (including anxiety, depression and pain) How these overlaps with gastrointestinal disorders. How to find a medical prescriber. Connect with Dr. Katia Tonkin at Optimum Wellness Centres in Edmonton, Alberta.

Long-COVID is defined by The National Health Service as having symptoms that develop during or after a COVID infection which continue for more than 12 weeks. This week I interview Marlee Coldwell, RD on how long COVID presents and ways that it can be managed in our patients. Marlee has been working with patients who have complex digestive health issues and food intolerances for the past 5 years. Marlee specializes in providing nutritional support for digestive disorders including IBS, IBD, SIBO, fatty liver disease, and much more. Marlee is the team lead dietitian for Ignite Nutrition, one of Canada’s top digestive health nutrition practices. With her specialized knowledge of gastrointestinal health, she also helps to train and support other dietitians to work with those who have unique and complex food intolerances and GI disorders.  In 2019, Marlee also wrote a cookbook called ‘Insulin Resistance Diet for Beginners’, which showcases her other great passion, women’s health and PCOS management. We talk about: ·      What long COVID is ·      How many people experience it ·      What the symptoms are ·      How we see it influencing our IBS patients and how nutrition can help ·      The influence of COVID on the GI tract ·      The taste and smell changes, how they influence people’s nutrition, and if there is anything to help ·      The inflammatory immune-mediated symptoms like rashes, brain fog, joint pain, chronic fatigue, gut pain, and diarrhea ·      Why people have been curious about a low histamine diet when it comes to long COVID ·      The overlap between MCAS and long covid, and why people are being managed like MCAS patients ·      If using a MCAS approach can ´fix´ long COVID Connect with Coldwell on at ignitenutrition.ca on Instagram here @ignite.nutrition.inc

Hypermobility spectrum disorders are estimated to be among 3% of the general population. So, every GI practitioner should be aware of hypermobility and the symptoms, because whether we recognize it or not, we’re seeing these patients all the time.This week I interview Cheryl Harris, RD on the overlap between hypermobility and GI disorders to help guide practitioners towards recognizing it in their digestive health patients. Cheryl Harris, MPH RD has been a dietitian for 20 years and has specializing in digestive disorders for 15 years. She was recognized as one of the top nutritionists in the DC metro area by the Washingtonian and was selected as the “Emerging Dietetics Leader of the Year” for Virginia. She has presented and written widely on digestive concerns and was honored to teach part of the AND Certificate of Training in Gluten-related disorders. She is honored to serve on the International Consortium for Ehlers-Danlos and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Diet and Nutrition Working Group. We talk about: how Cheryl started working in GI What EDS is How digestion is impacted by EDS How EDS is currently managed Some important nutritional considerations in the management of EDS Conditions that overlap with EDS including POTS and MCAS What POTS is Why these conditions overlap and how the presentation of multiple lesser-recognized conditions complicate management for patients How nutrition plays a role in POTS How dietitians & other health care providers can better screen for, recognize and refer to ensure patients get a more timely diagnosis. What some of the red-flags are and who should they refer to. Connect with Cheryl on her website at harriswholehealth.com on her email at cheryl(at)harriswholehealth(dot)com or on Twitter or on her Facebook here as well!

Nutrition is central to a functioning immune system. It impacts our ability to fight precancerous cells, ward off pathogens, heal injuries, and support our bodies through disease. This week I interview Doug Cook, RD on the role that nutrition plays in our immune function. Doug Cook is a registered dietitian with over 21 years of experience. With a Master of Health Science in Nutrition, he specializes in functional and integrative nutrition. Doug dives deep into the research on nutrition and science to provide his patients, and the public expert up-to-date information, questioning the way that we’ve ‘always done it’ through his blog www.dougcookrd.com and on his podcast Pursuit of Health. I always personally learn so much from him - especially in the way of brain health, and micronutrients. I appreciate that perspective because a lot of times when I’m looking at patients I’m strictly focusing on digestive symptoms. So, it’s nice to kind of take a step back and learn from colleges who actually do their research. We talk about: How Cook decide to become a dietitian The importance of critically reviewing the up-to-date research instead of trusting the way that things have always been done How nutrition plays a role in immune function What a functioning immune system means in contrast to the idea of people wanting to ‘boost’ their immune system Some of the key nutrients we should be aware of and why Some of the gaps often seen in people’s diets in regards to nutrition & immune function How the gut plays a role in immune function and where nutrition fits in What gut permeability/leaky gut is, why is it so trendy right now, and what the science actually says Some nutrition basics for improving gut permeability and supporting good immune function Connect with Cook on his website at www.dougcookrd.com on his podcast Pursuit of Health on Instagram @your.nutrition.education on Twitter or on his Facebook here as well!