#292 Dr. Jason Hawrelak is a research scientist, educator, naturopath, and Western herbalist with more than 18 years of clinical experience. Jason practices at Goulds Natural Medicine, a 136-year-old natural medicine apothecary and clinic located in central Hobart. He did his Honours and Ph.D. degrees examining the causes of dysbiosis and the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics, and herbal medicines to modify the gut microbiome and has written extensively in the medical literature on these topics – including 16 textbook chapters.

He is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and was recently awarded a Fellowship from the American College of Nutrition for his significant contributions to the teaching and practice of nutrition in Australia and North America. Jason is also a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. He is the Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products and online resources for clinicians, and health-conscious members of the public, to learn more about the human microbiome and how they can positively influence these ecosystems.

In this episode we cover

• The GUT FEELINGS Randomised controlled trial where Jason’s team assessed the impact of a probiotic, and a prebiotic-rich diet on mood.
  
  

• Gut microbiota alterations that may be observed in those experiencing depression

• The link between the microbiota and Autism spectrum disorder

• The inconsistencies in the data about a specific “ASD dysbiotic pattern

• The main tools Jason is using to modify these different imbalances

• We discuss Jason’s Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course.  Head on over to the show notes where I will provide a link and a special coupon code to receive 20% off until the course begins.
  
  

Show notes

• For Australian residents visit the following page and use LYNDA20 to receive 20% off the course Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course

• For the ‘rest of the world’ visit the following page and use LYNDA20 to receive 20% off the course Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course

#271 Dr. Gurevich is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist. She is currently co-owner of two large integrative medical clinics, one in northwest Portland and one in northeast Portland. She runs a very busy private practice specializing in treating inflammatory bowel disease as well as IBS/SIBO and functional GI disorders.

She lectures extensively and teaches about both conventional and natural treatments for inflammatory bowel disease as well as SIBO and IBS. She is one of the foremost experts on the intersection of IBD and IBS and how treating one resolves the other. 

Dr. Gurevich also acts as a mentor in the naturopathic community educating about GI disorders. She supervises residents and consults with physicians about their most difficult GI cases. Dr. Gurevich was nominated as one of Portland's Top Docs by the Portland Monthly in both 2014 and 2016.

In this episode we cover

• What biofilms are - normal biofilms vs pathological biofilms
• Where they typically form
• The bacterial species that are commonly associated with biofilms
• How Ilana is testing for it
• Biofilm removal strategies
• Turd Nerds - the podcast
• And so much more

#254 Mark Pimentel, is Professor of Medicine at Geffen School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He is also the Executive Director of the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Pimentel completed 3 years of an undergraduate degree in honors microbiology and biochemistry. This was followed by his medical degree, and his BSc (Med) from the University of Manitoba Health Sciences Center, where he also completed a residency in internal medicine. His medical training includes a fellowship in gastroenterology at the UCLA Affiliated Training Program. Active in research, Dr. Pimentel has served as a principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous basic science, translational and clinical studies in such areas as IBS, and the relationship between gut flora composition and human disease. His work has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, American Journal of Physiology, American Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Gastroenterology and Digestive Diseases and Sciences, among others. Dr. Pimentel is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology) and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

In this episode we cover

• Exciting new developments with SIBO research
• What the research says on PPI’s increasing the risk of SIBO
• Current treatment for hydrogen sulphide treatment
• Why methane overgrowth (IMO) is so stubborn to treat
• Sibo diet post active treatment - how long to keep people on it
• The impact of ageing on the small intestine and the link between Scleroderma and antivinculin antibodies
• The preferred substrate for SIBO breath testing
• The Microbiome Connection book
• And so much more

#212 Steve is an engineer who developed the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to help combat the incredible digestion issues he had since he was 13 years old. Then, he ordered his first supplements and started his first diet, but by 23 he was crying daily in bloating pain. The panic attacks, depression, and constipation were threatening his “successful” life as a consultant.

After years of struggle, Steve discovered the secret to gut health and started the SCD diet with his co-founder, Jordan. They’ve now released their own range of supplements and give detailed plans of the SCD diet so that other people can feel the benefits of good gut health, too.

• What are Short Chain Fatty Acids and why do they matter
• How butyrate heals the gut
• If certain diets such as high protein, low carb (or other) impact production of Butyrate
• Can you get Butyrate from food
• Who should supplement it
• Strategies to improve short-chain fatty acid production
• and so much more

#291 Dr. Goldenberg is passionate about how we evaluate and utilize evidence. He is an active researcher with numerous publications in high-impact scientific journals such as JAMA and the BMJ and is an Associate Research Investigator at the Helfgott Research Institute. He is faculty for the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine and the Helfgott Research Institute where he teaches critical evaluation of the medical literature and advanced evidence synthesis. His love for teaching integrative evidence-based medicine led him to found the DrJourncalClub website and Podcast. He received his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University and his Bachelor's in Molecular Biology with honors from the University of Pennsylvania.

He is a past  President of the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians and a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Gastroenterology. His clinical focus is on integrative approaches to gastroenterology conditions with a special focus on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. He sees patients virtually at the Goldenberg GI Center. His interest in evidence has taken him from clinic to courtroom, recently co-founding three businesses focusing on brain injury litigation and forensic epidemiology.

In this episode we cover

• What is hydrogen sulfide and what is its function in the body
• When does hydrogen sulfide  become a problem and what may one experience if they have H2S overgrowth
• Joshua's insight from his current research on Hydrogen Sulphide SIBO
• How is Joshua currently testing for it? He sheds light on the new at-home handheld devices for SIBO testing
• Treatment strategies for Hydrogen sulphide SIBO
• And so much more

#198 Dr Victoria Sampson obtained her Bachelor in Dental Surgery from Barts and the London, where she was also chosen to represent the UK in a four month training program at the renowned Karolinska Institute in Sweden. She then completed her Foundation Training in central London, ranking in the top 100 newly qualified dentist in the country. Victoria pays particular attention to the connection between the mouth and the rest of the body, and sees the mouth as a mirror of general health. She uses biomarkers and inflammatory markers in her work to diagnose and monitor patient throughout their treatment, often working with other specialties to treat patients as a whole.Victoria takes a preventative approach to dentistry, attempting to make treatment as minimally invasive as possible.

Victoria has been at the forefront of change in dentistry, by undertaking research projects in multiple fields of dentistry and taking a special interest in the relationship between the mouth and the body. She has published numerous papers both in the UK and internationally, with her most recent publication in the British Dental Journal being the most cited and viewed article ever published. In both 2019 and 2020, Victoria has been recognised for her achievements, as one of the finalists for the award for Best Young Dentist in England by the Private Dentistry Awards as well as winning best Young Dentist Award by the British Endodontic Society in 2019. She has also won the national prizes from the British Society of Dental Maxillofacial Radiology and the Association of British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons for her research. Victoria has successfully acquired the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties from the Royal College of Surgeons (England), and is currently completing her diploma in Facial Aesthetics as well as Restorative Dentistry.

In this episode we cover

• How the mouth is a mirror to the rest of the body
• How the oral microbiome is linked to various conditions such as diabetes, cvs disease, alzheimers, obesity, SLE, RA, ulcerative colitis/ chron’s, fertility and erectile dysfunction
• What changes the environment of the mouth; thus the oral microbiome
• We discuss mercury fillings and the controversy that surrounds
• Victoria expands on her research between COVID19 and oral microbiome/ oral health 
• We discuss practical strategies to maintain optimal oral health and to keep pathogens at bay
• And so much more

#196 Dr. Julie Greenberg is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor and Registered Herbalist RH(AHG) who specializes in integrative dermatology. She is the founder of the Center for Integrative Dermatology, a holistic clinic that approaches skin problems by finding and treating the root cause. Dr. Greenberg holds degrees from Northwestern University, Stanford University and Bastyr University. She lectures at naturopathic medical schools and speaks at conferences across the U.S. on the topics of hair, skin and nails.  Dr. Greenberg is the Program Chair for the Naturopathic & Integrative Dermatology Series on LearnSkin.com, a 20 course CE program for doctors that discusses evidence-based alternative approaches to treating dermatological conditions.

In this episode we cover

• How common is acne? Are we only seeing it in teenagers?
• Why can acne occur in perimenopausal/menopausal individuals and even neonates
• The different types of acne
• What drives acne
• How is mTOR pathway involved and what is the influence of the gut
• Diagnostics and strategies practitioners can use to support the those experiencing acne
• And so much more

#204 Before starting Unstoppable Girls, Tracey had a successful career in Marketing and Advertising. Tracey was inspired to create Unstoppable girls as she reflected on her own childhood and teen years. After suffering trauma as a young girl and realising the impact this made on her throughout her teen and adult life, Tracey knew the importance of having a strong sense of self and self-worth, as well as positive role models. Tracey passionately believes that if we can develop our girls’ mental armour (courage, self-belief, confidence and compassion) to own who they are, understand their strengths, their uniqueness, and their worth, then they have a much greater chance of a positive experience during their teen years. As a teen, and young woman, Tracey set up her own retail business which she ran successfully for 4 years until  at the age of 23 yrs she decided to study Business with marketing at Univeristy where she went on to win a National competition that saw her land a graduate training place at a top advertising agency in London. She climbed the Corporate ladder and went on to become a Managing Director of a leading Marketing agency working on world class brands like Qantas, Virgin, Vodafone, Volkswagen, amongst others. After 20 years in the Corporate world Tracey retrained and studied Psychology of coaching and qualified as an Executive and life coach. After working through her own childhood trauma and now being a mother of two girls, Tracey knew that for her girls and all girls to truly thrive, they needed to develop a rock solid inner foundation as well as having strong, positive adult mentors in their life.

In this episode we cover

• Why Tracey was driven to start unstoppable girls
• What challenges do girls struggle with 
• What challenges do parents face in raising teen girls
• What support is there for parents
• What does it mean to be an unstoppable girl/what is an unstoppable mindset 
• What can parents do to support their girls through the often turbulent teen years
• What is the difference between self esteem /self worth and confidence 
• And so much more

#238 Kelly Brogan, M.D. is a holistic psychiatrist, author of the NY Times Bestselling book, A Mind of Your Own, Own Your Self, the children’s book, A Time For Rain, and co-editor of the landmark textbook, Integrative Therapies for Depression. She is the founder of the online healing program Vital Mind Reset, and the membership community, Vital Life Project. She completed her psychiatric training and fellowship at NYU Medical Center after graduating from Cornell University Medical College, and has a B.S. from M.I.T. in Systems Neuroscience. She is specialized in a root-cause resolution approach to psychiatric syndromes and symptoms.

In this episode we cover

• What is Kelly’s perception of the label “mentally ill”
• • What’s a different lens with which we can view illness
• The Five Psychiatric “Pretenders” that we need to be aware of
• What it means to be woke
• • Kelly shares her spiritual awakening
• What spiritual bypassing is and the consequences of it
• How we can lead from the heart/soul during such challenging times
• And so much more

#194 Dr. Whitney Hayes is a naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist located in Portland, OR. She has a great passion for treating imbalances in digestive health. She’s been treating patients for over 10 years with a focus on digestive disorders, including IBS, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, microscopic colitis and especially SIBO. Her favorite patients to treat are pediatric cases with digestive imbalances. She’s a member of the GastroANP and is currently volunteering her time with a group of other ND doctors on the GastroANP to write a board certification test for Naturopathic Gastroenterology. 

#211 Angela is a Naturopathic clinician and mother of two beautiful children.  She has been in clinical practice specialising in women’s and children’s health, hormones and fertility for over 24 years. When it comes to fertility, Angela has remarkable success helping hundreds of couples to overcome their fertility hurdles and reclaim their dream of parenthood. Angela is widely published in this area.

Angela takes a comprehensive and highly personalised approach, utilising pathology testing, clinical analysis and diagnostic insight to understand and decipher your needs and design the best approach to treatment for you. Angela uses medical pathology as a means to provide evidence before acting on treatment, which shifts the practice of naturopathy from an intuitive art to a practical and evidence-based science. Angela has completed extensive advanced training and is a sought-after university lecturer, keynote speaker, author and educator to her peers worldwide.

In this episode we cover

• Postnatal Depletion or Exhausted Mum Syndrome, what do these terms mean?
• Symptoms of postnatal depletion
• The lesser-known reasons why mums are exhausted postpartum and beyond
• Who is at increased risk of PND
• Can PND or Exhausted Mum Syndrome be prevented?
• Baby brain  - we address the reprogramming that happens to the mother's brain and the role it serves
• Postnatal Depletion for Dads or partners - is this a thing? What causes postnatal depletion in men (or partners)? Are the partners commonly forgotten about?
• Strategies we can implement to help mum and dad avoid or resolve postnatal depletion or burnt in parents or couples with several kids.
• and so much more

#242 Gabriela Rosa is a world-renowned fertility specialist, reproductive health educator, and sexuality researcher. Since 2001, Gabriela and her team of clinicians blend evidence-based science into a holistic, supportive, education-focused approach to fertility treatment. Her proven and effective methodology delivers a 78.8% live birth rate even when other treatments have previously failed.

In 2021, Gabriela launched the TalkSex™ with Gabriela Rosa podcast to educate and explore through holistic conversations with other researchers and experts the world of desire, pleasure, and satisfaction, aiming to create a new path of self-discovery for those on and off the fertility journey.

In this episode we cover

• What inspired you to start the podcast “Talk Sex” 
• Sexual challenges couples face when trying to conceive, particularly when the journey has not been easy.
• The emotional and psychological consequences
• What the research states about sex when trying to conceive
• Strategies to help keep sex fresh, loving, less heavy, and fun and to preserve the relationship
• And so much more

Gabriela would love to give the love and guts listener a free physical copy of her latest book, Fertility Breakthrough: Overcoming infertility and recurrent miscarriage when other treatments have failed. The customized coupon code Love&Guts or love&guts

#209 Kiran Krishnan, a research microbiologist, has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition market for the past 18 years. He comes from a university research background having spent several years with hands-on R&D in the fields of molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa. Kiran established a Clinical Research Organization where he designed and conducted dozens of human clinical trials in human nutrition.

Kiran is also a co-founder and partner in Nu Science Trading, LLC.; a nutritional technology development and research company. He is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs. He is a frequent lecturer on the human microbiome at medical and nutrition conferences. He is an expert guest on national and satellite radio, has appeared in several international documentaries, and has been a guest speaker on several International health summits as a microbiome expert. He is currently involved in 16 novel human clinical trials on probiotics and the human microbiome.

In this episode we cover

• How stress directly and indirectly impacts the gut
• How stress is toxic to the brain
• Why we see changes in the cerebral architecture in those with anxiety and depression
• What stresses are we referring to and what about eustress
• How the gut microbiome involved
• How the oral microbiome involved
• How certain probiotics impact stress
• Some strategies to help manage stress
• And so much more

#295 Rhiannon is a highly experienced, degree qualified naturopath and nutritionist, and practitioner educator. Specialising in all hormonal health issues including perimenopause, endometriosis, PCOS, PMS & PMDD, male & female infertility, IVF support, pregnancy care and postpartum & paediatric healthcare, Rhiannon and her team at RH: Reproductive Health expertly support couples and individuals in their efforts to navigate their specific circumstances.

RH:Reproductive health is committed to the successful integration of natural and conventional medicine, and believe ideal outcomes are achieved for patients when all their health care providers are working together. 

Rhiannon and her team regularly working alongside Melbourne’s top fertility doctors, obstetricians and gynaecologists to achieve the best outcomes for their patients. As testament to this, Rhiannon is routinely invited to present on the topic of collaborative patient care to medical professionals and naturopaths alike.

After nearly twenty years in busy clinical practice, Rhiannon provides professional mentoring and education for functional medicine practitioners in both group and individual settings. This highly specialised area is outside the scope of standard education and as such, her reproduction and hormonal masterclasses and mentoring programs are a rare opportunity for practitioners to further their skills.

In this episode, we cover:

• How perimenopause is diagnosed
• Markers of early change we may see in hormone pathology
• Strategies to implement throughout perimenopause to optimise hormones, minimise symptoms and improve long-term health outcomes.
• All things soy: should we be fearful of it? Common misconceptions. (safety, contraindications, benefits)
• Menopausal Hormone Therapy: What are the different types? (safety, efficacy, and indications)
• And so much more

I can not tell you how excited I am to have Splash Blanket as our Love & Guts sponsor. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I have many of these divine blankets and have been using them for intimacy, tummy time, toilet training and the list goes on so if you are sick of wet patches, spills, and stains ruining furniture, bedding, and just being an overall bad vibe? Say hello to your new best friend: Splash Blanket!"

"Although Splash Blanket burst onto the scene with their ingenious design for intimacy blankets—luxuriously soft and super sexy—it's not just for playtime in the bedroom. Splash Blanket is your go-to, versatile solution for a whole range of different situations."

 "Customers swear by it for birthing, postpartum recovery, free bleeding, free nappy time, and even for incontinence in both kids and the elderly. With Splash Blanket, mess worries are a thing of the past!"

"Ready to make a splash with Splash Blanket? Dive into the world of mess-proof living by visiting their website today! And don't forget to use code GUT15 for an exclusive 15% off!"

#235 Emily started her career as an archaeologist specialising in prehistoric human nutrition before training as a Nutritional Therapist to translate her enthusiasm for human nutrition into personalised, cutting-edge nutritional and lifestyle medicine. Emily has five years of clinical experience within the industry from running her own private practice, working within the supplement industry, and lecturing in Nutritional Therapy around the country.

#269 From a path of illness to discovery and eventually recovery, Dan Sipple has ridden the wave firsthand and knows the system inside and out.

As a result of his personal experience and clinical expertise, he has a unique ability to recognise where, to begin with every individual he works with. Dan’s method does not feature cookie-cutter protocols and recipes for wellness, but rather offers fully customised treatment plans for his patients which he considers the backbone of his approach and successful clinical outcomes.

Dan is a fully qualified Naturopath, Nutritionist, and herbalist with a Bachelor of Health Science. He is a registered member of the Australian National Therapists Association (ANTA).

His multimodality approach features elements of both Allopathic and complementary & alternative medicine (CAM) and he regularly employs Western diagnostics in accompaniment with functional & integrative testing to help him reach the best possible patient outcomes.

Dan is passionate about the areas of gut & microbiome modulation, hormone optimisation, autoimmune disease, stealth infections, immunity, and anti-aging medicines.

Dan is an avid researcher, and enjoys playing guitar, gardening, hunting, the ocean, and the outdoors. He is a proud Father of two boys and resides in the Mollymook area of the South Coast, NSW.

In this episode we cover

• What autoimmunity is
• The role of the thymus in autoimmunity
• The role of peptides in autoimmune disease and how they have been used in treatment
• Where Dan has seen their use as particularly beneficial
• Strategies for addressing autoimmunity both pharmacological and naturopathic approaches
• And so much more

#201 Dr. Karin is a board-certified Naturopathic physician, graduating from Bastyr University. She received her undergraduate degree in biomedical science from Grand Valley State University, where she excelled as a student-athlete. After her collegiate experience and witnessing the traumatic unfolding of 9/11, Karin was called to serve in the military as a Naval aviator and deployed to Afghanistan in support of OEF in 2010.

Dr. Karin’s practice is focused in integrative neurology, and embraces a philosophy centered around forming and maintaining resilience in health. She believes that any path to wellness is the correct one, and by using the tools we instinctively possess combined with the art and science of medicine, we can uncover the deeper root of disease and work on an individual basis to improve the state of health.

As a peer-reviewed published author, Dr. Karin focuses personal research on the neuroimmunology of resilience and enjoys serving as a liaison between her education and clinical practice. Dr. Karin’s personal experience caring for her father has grown into a professional passion to provide individualized care for caregivers, feeling strongly that they are the core tenant of health in their communities and homes, and often speaks with support groups in her local area.

In this episode we cover

• What Parkinson's disease is
• Causes, including some lesser known
• How is the gut involved? Did you know that constipation precedes the motor symptoms common in Parkinsons by about 20 years
• The hallmark symptoms of PD
• Patterns seen in the gut that either precede the onset of parkinsons or are there while present? What measures can we take to prevent the onset of disease
• If symptoms can be reversed 
• What health providers should know
• The role that care partners play in the overall health and wellness of PwP
• and so much more

#186 Today I am sharing a conversation I had with my husband Guy Lawrence to wrap up 2020. I’ll let the podcast do the talking but I do hope that you get something out of our conversation, even if its only to enjoy our musings.

Show notes

• Guy Lawrence - Let It In podcast
• Leah Hechtman - The Reproductive Microbiome

#250 Dr. Paula Smith-Brown is the Clinical Science Lead at Microba and an Adjunct Lecturer at the Centre for Microbiome Research at The Queensland University of Technology. She is a PhD-qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian who combines her experience as a microbiome researcher and healthcare professional to translate the latest science on the gut microbiome into practical clinical application. Dr. Paula Smith-Brown has a specialist interest in infant and child nutrition and allergies and intolerances in all ages and is the founder of the ABC nutrition clinic.

In this episode we cover

• The prevalence of allergies in children
• Why children in Australia are getting more early-onset eczema and allergies
• The importance of the microbiome in immune development
• What families who can not breastfeed can do to support a child's health
• Why not all topical nappy cream preparations are great 
• Why timely introduction of complementary foods is important
• Strategies to prevent allergy
• And so much more

#182 Leanne is a Microbiome Coach at Microba, an Accredited Practising Dietitian and qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist.  Leanne has a passion for gut health, with a particular interest in the gut-brain interactions in gastrointestinal disorders, mental health and neuro-developmental conditions.  She is currently conducting a clinical trial investigating the gut-brain connection in children with autism as a part of her PhD through the University of Queensland.  Leanne is herself a a mum of two boys with autism and improving their health and happiness, and being able to pass this knowledge on, is a key driver for her work.

In this episode we cover

• What is Autism and how does it affect the lives of people living with it
• The difference between adhd and asd
• What are the risk factors, what is known about the “causes” of autism
• What is the gut-brain or microbiome-gut-brain axis
• What alterations are observed in the gut microbiome of children with ASD (bacteria and metabolites
• How can testing the gut microbiome be beneficial
• Leanne explains the clinical trial she is a part of
• And so much more

#181 Dr. Tania Dempsey is an expert in chronic disease, autoimmune disorders and mast cell activation syndrome. Dr. Dempsey is sought after internationally for her knowledge of chronic immune dysregulation, and has attracted patients from Israel, England, Thailand and France. Dr. Dempsey uses integrative medicine to get to the patient's root cause(s) of their illness.  Her purpose is to understand why people get sick and to help patients understand their body and why it fails them when it does.

Dr. Dempsey received her MD from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her BS degree from Cornell University. She completed her Residency at NYU Medical Center/ Bellevue Hospital and then served as an attending physician at a large multi-specialty medical practice in White Plains, NY, before opening Armonk Integrative Medicine. Dr. Dempsey specializes in autoimmune disease, MCAS, and chronic illness.  She is a staff member of Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is also a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) and the American College of Physicians, and holds a certificate in Vanguard Endocrinology. Dr. Dempsey is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine.

In this episode we cover

• The link between MCAS/ MCAD and Covid 19 illness
• Other pre-existing conditions predisposing people to becoming long-haulers of Covid-19 illness
• Why some people continue to have symptoms for many months after the acute COVID-19 infection
• Strategies that should be considered early in the course of COVID to prevent the development of post-covid syndrome
• And so much more

#185 Kiran Krishnan, a research microbiologist that has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition market for the past 18 years. He comes from a university research background having spent several years with hands-on R&D in the fields of molecular medicine and microbiology at the University of Iowa. Kiran established a Clinical Research Organization where he designed and conducted dozens of human clinical trials in human nutrition.

Kiran is also a co-founder and partner in Nu Science Trading, LLC.; a nutritional technology development and research company. He is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs. He is a frequent lecturer on the human microbiome at medical and nutrition conferences. He is an expert guest on national and satellite radio, has appeared in several international documentaries, and has been a guest speaker on several International health summits as a microbiome expert. He is currently involved in 16 novel human clinical trials on probiotics and the human microbiome.

In this episode we cover:

• The differences between innate and adaptive immunity
• The role of the gut microbiome in the immune response
• The impact Free LPS on the immune system
• How commensal microbiota is required to fight viral infections
• The difference between a virus and bacteria
• How the success of vaccines depend on one's immune capabilities
• How to effectively improve SCFA, especially butyrate production
• Ways we can support our immune system, via the gut
• And so much more

#236 Austin Perlmutter, M.D., is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, educator, and consultant. He received his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed his internal medicine residency at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland Oregon. His focus is on helping identify and resolve the biological basis for “stuckness” in the body and brain, especially around decision-making. He hosts the Get The STUCK OUT podcast and is a co-producer of the Alzheimer’s, the Science of Prevention Docu-series. His writing is featured online on MedPage Today, Doximity, KevinMD, Medium, Psychology Today, MindBodyGreen, and DrPerlmutter.com, and his work connecting COVID-19 with immune-related depression appears in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. 

In this episode we cover:

• Some of the known or ‘theorized” mechanisms that underpin depression
• How systemic inflammation, behavioural changes and psychological stressors related to Covid-19 can increase the risk of depression
• The impact of Covid-19 on BDNF and what the consequences of this are
• How the pandemic has influenced our diet and what impact this is having on depression
• How sleep influences our risk of depression
• Psychedelics
• Strategies to help prevent the onset of depression or to support those who are experiencing depression
• And so much more

#237 Georgia is a naturopath and nutritionist with 17 years’ experience who's clinical practice specialises in women’s health, particularly hormone imbalance and fertility and conception issues as well as pregnancy and postpartum support.

She has a Masters in Human Nutrition,  Bachelor of Health Science (Comp Med) and Advanced Diploma in Health Science (Naturopathy, Nutrition, Herbal Medicine) and has also completed post graduate training in Women’s Health with Dr Andrew Orr and is part of The Experts Group specialising in PCOS, Endometriosis and Fertility.

In this episode we cover

• What are the 4 phases of the female menstrual cycle
• What are the hormonal changes that occur in each phase 
• How does oestrogen and progesterone affect histamine
• What are the immunological and microbiome changes that occur in each phase 
• What other gut changes (beyond microbiome) occur 
• What are imbalances/pathologies that can occur with each of these and how do they present in the female clinically 
• How does histamine intolerance / imbalances /MCAS particularly affect females clinically (pre-, peri- and post-menopause)
• Strategies that clinicians need to consider: immunological (focussed on histamine) imbalances in relation to female health?
• And so much more

#261 Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor and bestselling author of the books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual — practical guides to treating period problems with nutrition, supplements, and body-identical hormones. A graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (1997) and the University of Calgary (evolutionary biology), Lara serves on several scientific advisory committees including The Centre for Ovulation and Menstruation Research (CeMCOR) at the University of British Columbia.

She is a popular speaker and has delivered keynote presentations for the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association (AIMA), the Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS), the University of Otago, Endometriosis New Zealand, Endometriosis Association of Queensland (QENDO), and the Evolutionary Health Society of New Zealand (EHA). Lara currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone and period-related health problems.

Kira Sutherland is a Naturopathic Sports Nutritionist to some of the world's best athletes. She also lectures and mentors upcoming practitioners in the field of sports nutrition, and offers online courses for supporting athletes, trainers, and sports enthusiasts how to nourish the body to achieve peak performance and fitness.

Using her 25+ years of clinical experience she has combined her knowledge of Naturopathic medicine with education in sports nutrition to create a truly wholistic approach to optimising performance for athletes and those striving for optimum health - especially women. Having lectured both within Australia and internationally on all things Naturopathic and sports nutrition, she is passionate about teaching people to take care of their bodies for the long term, not just treating them in the present moment. Kira believes that the role of a practitioner is to empower and teach clients to take care of themselves, to give them as much knowledge as possible.

In this episode we cover

• The missing health science for mid-life women and the science sex gap 
• The dynamics between insulin, mitochondria, and cellular metabolism
• How the nutritional advice often suggested for men and young women does not always apply to mid-life women
• The role of muscle and mitochondria in health and metabolism
• Updated weight loss strategies for women over 40
• If the ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting is appropriate for this demographic
• The metabolic Health and Vitality for Women Over 40 online course. How you access it?
• And so much more

#192 Dr Rosalba Courtney (DO, PhD) is an osteopath, researcher, author and teacher.

Rosalba has a PhD on the topic of dysfunctional breathing and breathing therapy and has published widely in the scientific literature and contributed to textbook chapters. Rosalba is passionate about both the art and science of breathing. She believes that breathing combined with movement, mind-body techniques, other health practices has enormous potential as a tool to heal the mind and body. She is actively involved in ongoing research on broad topics related to breathing and health.

Rosalba has developed a system called Integrative Breathing Therapy based on the models and tools she developed during her PhD and subsequent research. She has trained health professionals from many disciplines including physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language pathology, osteopathy and integrative medicine in the theory and applications of breathing therapy for their field.  She is currently developing her first online certification course in Foundations of Integrative Breathing Therapy for Health Professionals.

Rosalba also runs online and face to face programs for individuals and groups. These programs include Breath Mind Body, Functional Breathing Retraining, Healthy Breathing Healthy Child and Altitude Power Breathing.  She sees private patients at the Breath and Body Clinic in Avalon and at Genbiome in Edgecliff, Sydney.

In this episode we cover

• What breathing issues or dysfunctions she commonly sees in children and why some of these occur
• Signs that a child’s breathing may need attention
• The importance of nose breathing and the impact of nitric oxide
• What mouth breathing does to the oral microbiome
• Rosalba’s thoughts on mouth taping for children
• Strategies that help to restore functional breathing and break vicious cycles
• How humming is such a great strategy on so many levels
• And so much more

#230 Dr. Allison Siebecker is a professor of Advanced Gastroenterology, an international lecturer, researcher, award-winning author, and the 2021 lifetime achievement Borborygmus award recipient from the Gastroenterology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Siebecker has specialized in SIBO since 2010, is a SIBO patient herself, and is a pioneer of integrative SIBO treatments and education, including her free educational website siboinfo.com

In this episode we cover

• New Hydrogen Sulphide Research - including testing, symptom picture, treatment etc
• Hydrogen Sulphide research
• Allison's thoughts on the title Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth versus methane SIBO
• The link between mould and tough cases of SIBO
• We discuss biofilm disruptors - are we using the correct ones?
• and so much more

Show notes

•  Join me for the Next Steps for Treating Tough SIBO Masterclass Summit 
• The SIBO Recovery Roadmap for patients
• The SIBO Pro Course for practitioners
• H2S SIBO Registry (please submit your H2S cases here for research)
• Biofilm Phase-2 Enhanced Free Webinar by Dr. Anderson

#247 Dr. Drossman received gastroenterology training at the University of North Carolina where he founded the UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. Dr Drossman is currently the Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry in Gastroenterology at UNC. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology, Past-President of the American Psychosomatic Society (1997). Dr. Drossman has established multiple organizations to advance patient-centered education and treatment of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI). He founded the Rome Foundation, and served as president until 2019, and is currently the President Emeritus and Chief of Operations. He has served as Senior Editor of Rome I, II, III, IV and is co-senior editor of Rome V to be released in 2026. 

As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Drossman consults or manages the care of difficult-to-diagnose and -treat patients with DGBIs. As Founder and President of DrossmanCare (Center for Education and Practice of Biopsychosocial Care) Dr. Drossman produces educational materials to teach communication skills and patient-centered care. He has published peer-reviewed articles and videotapes on medical interviewing and the patient-doctor relationship. He also facilitates workshops and communication skills training programs and has received numerous awards, as an educator and practitioner.

 Most recently he co-authored a book with a patient advocate called Gut Feelings: Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and the Patient-Doctor Relationship for patients and clinicians. Dr. Drossman has written over 500 articles and book chapters serves on six editorial and advisory boards, was Associate Editor of the journal Gastroenterology and was the Gastroenterology Section Editor of the Merck Manual for 17 years. His research relates to the clinical, epidemiological, psychosocial, and treatment aspects of gastrointestinal disorders, and he has been principal investigator in several NIH-funded epidemiological outcomes, clinical trials, and abuse grants in DGBI and has done brain imaging in IBS.

In this episode we cover:

• What is constipation
• The different types of constipation - including primary and secondary
• Dyssynergic defecation - drivers and signs and symptoms 
• What investigations are carried out by a gastroenterologist to confirm this
• Treatments commonly recommended or administered by gastroenterologists or GI motility specialists
• Why effective communication skills and patient-centered care are needed
• What are some ways that patients can improve their communication with doctors
• Get your hands on the book Gut feelings
• And so much more

#246 Angela Carroll is a sought after Business, Speaking and Performance coach, helping Natural Health Care Practitioners to grow and scale their business without the burnout. Angela has worked in the Natural Medicine industry for three decades. She has run her own Practice and trained and educated over 10,000 Natural Health Care Practitioners on evidence -based Natural Medicine and how to run a successful Practice for the past 18 years in her role as a senior educator, speaker, podcaster and seminar and webinar host. Angela is a qualified Naturopath, Herbalist, Acupuncturist, in addition to being a full-time certified coach and NLP Master Practitioner and TimeLine therapist, and is an expert and creating programs. Helping Practitioners to grow a business they love, feel confident in, and attract clients who pay, stay and refer is an ongoing passion.

In this episode we cover

• The different challenges that health practitioners face and the patterns they follow
• The different levels of practitioner and practice growth
• The challenges that are common at each of these levels
• solutions for these challenges
• How practitioners can engage clients into doing what it takes to get results
• And so much more

#260 Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor and bestselling author of the books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual — practical guides to treating period problems with nutrition, supplements, and body-identical hormones. A graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (1997) and the University of Calgary (evolutionary biology), Lara serves on several scientific advisory committees including The Centre for Ovulation and Menstruation Research (CeMCOR) at the University of British Columbia.

She is a popular speaker and has delivered keynote presentations for the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association (AIMA), the Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS), the University of Otago, Endometriosis New Zealand, Endometriosis Association of Queensland (QENDO), and the Evolutionary Health Society of New Zealand (EHA). Lara currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone and period-related health problems.

Kira Sutherland is a Naturopathic Sports Nutritionist to some of the world's best athletes. She also lectures and mentors upcoming practitioners in the field of sports nutrition, and offers online courses for supporting athletes, trainers, and sports enthusiasts how to nourish the body to achieve peak performance and fitness.

Using her 25+ years of clinical experience she has combined her knowledge of Naturopathic medicine with education in sports nutrition to create a truly wholistic approach to optimising performance for athletes and those striving for optimum health - especially women. Having lectured both within Australia and internationally on all things Naturopathic and sports nutrition, she is passionate about teaching people to take care of their bodies for the long term, not just treating them in the present moment. Kira believes that the role of a practitioner is to empower and teach clients to take care of themselves, to give them as much knowledge as possible.

In this episode we cover

• The missing health science for mid-life women and the science sex gap 
• The dynamics between insulin, mitochondria, and cellular metabolism
• How the nutritional advice often suggested for men and young women does not always apply to mid-life women
• The role of muscle and mitochondria in health and metabolism
• Updated weight loss strategies for women over 40
• If the ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting is appropriate for this demographic
• The metabolic Health and Vitality for Women Over 40 online course. How you access it?
• And so much more

#189 Dr. Mona Morstein has been a naturopathic physician for thirty-one years. She graduated from and did a residency at National College of Naturopathic Medicine.  She was Chair of Nutrition, Gastroenterology professor and Clinical Supervisor at a naturopathic medical school.  She now has her own clinic, Arizona Integrative Medical Solutions, in Tempe, AZ.

Dr. Morstein has a busy gastrointestinal focused medical practice. She has been on all three SIBO SOS Summit series and has done numerous webinars/lectures on SIBO and other gastrointestinal conditions. 

Dr. Morstein is recognized as an expert on diabetes. Her 560 page book “Master Your Diabetes: A Comprehensive, Integrative Approach to Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes,” is an in-depth, evidenced based, educational book for both patients and physicians.  She is the founder and Executive Director of the Low Carb Diabetes Association, a 501c3 education non-profit.

I have wanted to get Mona on for some time now as I have seen many of her lectures and just love the way in which she delivers well researched information so clearly and with much enthusiasm. 

In this episode we cover:

• How common gallstones and cholecystectomies are
• The main reasons people get their gallbladder out
• Who is at most risk of developing gallstones
• The different types of gallstones that exist
• What Biliary Colic and cholecystitis is
• The best way to assess for gallstones
• Treatments for gallstones - conventional medicine and functional medicine 
• And so much more

#224 Dawn Whitten is a Naturopath, Western Herbalist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Researcher and Educator. Passionate about protecting and nurturing the microbiome of the next generation, Dawn has a broad base of clinical experience with a focus on women’s health through pregnancy and beyond, as well as infant and toddler health. She has been in clinical practice for 16+ years.

Dawn has been published in the peer-reviewed literature and has contributed to clinical textbooks (Including the Breastfeeding chapter in the soon to be published Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine, Elsevier). Dawn co-coordinates two units within the Evidence-based Complementary Medicine Program in the College of Health & Medicine at the University of Tasmania. She is part of the research team at Probitic.Advisor.com and a clinical director at Goulds Natural Medicine in Hobart.

In this episode we cover:

• Why the first 1000 days of a newborn's life is crucial for shaping long term health
• What sort of health issues are linked to early microbiome disturbance
• How much an infant's microbiome is disturbed when mothers take antibiotics
• The stages of early microbiome development
• How is the infant colonised? Seeding?
• Why breastmilk is the ultimate gardener
• How does the microbiome of formula fed infants differ
• How do we support and optimise seeding
• And so much more

Show Notes

• Goulds Natural Medicine
• Infant Microbiome Online Course
• Probiotics supplements and the breastfeeding infant - Why Not?
• Abstracts from the 19th International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation Conference

#244 Georgia is a naturopath and nutritionist with 17 years’ experience who's clinical practice specialises in women’s health, particularly hormone imbalance and fertility and conception issues as well as pregnancy and postpartum support.

She has a Masters in Human Nutrition,  Bachelor of Health Science (Comp Med) and Advanced Diploma in Health Science (Naturopathy, Nutrition, Herbal Medicine) and has also completed post graduate training in Women’s Health with Dr Andrew Orr and is part of The Experts Group specialising in PCOS, Endometriosis and Fertility.

In this episode we cover

• An overview of iron metabolism
• What hepcidin is
• General factors that affect how hepcidin works or doesn’t work in the body 
• How hepcidin and iron metabolism change over the menstrual cycle in reproductive-aged women
• General factors and women-specific clinical considerations that need to be considered when looking at women’s iron status 
• When the best time is to test and how do we dose effectively
• And so much more

#190 In this episode we extinguish the confusion on when to begin introducing solid food to your baby. I had to get Dawn Whitten back on the cast. If you have yet to listen to my first conversation with Dawn please do. Back in episode 64 I Dawn and I delve into the world of breast milk and the breast milk microbiome. It’s a goodie and one that I’ve listened to a few times already. Judging by the downloads, you guys found this one valuable too. 

Let me refresh your memory on who Dawn is; Dawn Whitten is a Naturopath, Western Herbalist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Researcher and Educator. Passionate about protecting and nurturing the microbiome of the next generation, Dawn has a broad base of clinical experience with a focus on women’s health through pregnancy and beyond, as well as infant and toddler health. She has been in clinical practice for 16+ years.

Dawn has been published in the peer-reviewed literature and has contributed to clinical textbooks (Including the Breastfeeding chapter in the soon to be published Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine, Elsevier). Dawn co-coordinates two units within the Evidence-based Complementary Medicine Program in the College of Health & Medicine at the University of Tasmania. She is part of the research team at Probitic.Advisor.com and a clinical director at Goulds Natural Medicine in Hobart.

In this episode

• Dawn shares a little about herself - what gets her up in the morning
• When to begin introducing solid food to our babies
• What signs to look out for that show baby is ready for solids
• Why it's wise to continue breastfeeding once solid food commences
• Why many babies get constipated when they start solids
• How parents can prevent constipation in their babies
• Why we might want to avoid whole cow’s milk in first 12 months
• The risks of consuming solid foods too early
• The best way to introduce potential food allergens to baby
• Baby food labelling
• And on and on we go

It's a great conversation as it always is with Dawn.

#216 Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a visionary pioneer and a leading authority in the field of women’s health and wellness, which includes the unity of mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Internationally known for her empowering approach to women’s health and wellness, Dr. Northrup teaches women how to thrive at every stage of life.

A board-certified OB/GYN physician, Dr. Northrup graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and completed her residency at Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston. She was also an assistant clinical professor of OB/GYN at Maine Medical Center for 20 years.

Dr. Northrup knows that the key to vibrant health on all levels is within us—our inner wisdom. She says, “When we find the connection between our thoughts, beliefs, physical health, and life circumstances, we find that we are in the driver’s seat of our lives and can make profound changes. Nothing is more exhilarating or empowering.”

#257 Alex is an experienced naturopathic nutritionist with over ten years experience in helping women optimise their hormones, fertility and reproductive health. Her special mission is to show women with Endometriosis how to get their quality of life back through the combined power of natural, environmental and conventional medicine.

Alex’s approach is grounded in the principles of both naturopathic and evidence-based medicine. She is passionate about incorporating the latest research into her clinical practice, including her own research work with the National Institute of Complimentary Medicine (NICM). She also works extensively with the Australian medical community to ensure the best possible outcomes for her clients. Outside of her clinic, Alex is a passionate advocate for the natural medicine industry, supporting lobbying activities through her work with the Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS). On behalf of ATMS she also runs Australia’s largest Continuing Professional Education program for fellow practitioners who want to stay on top of the latest science.

In this episode

• Alex’s personal journey with endometriosis
• What the research states about the causes of endometriosis
• Why so many endometriosis diagnoses are going missed
• The importance of a multi-modality approach 
• Dietary strategies - including the effectiveness of biological amines and low FODMAP
• The link between dysfunctional iron metabolism and endometriosis symptoms. Why supplementation or infusions are often not the solution
• The link between infections and endometriosis
• Natural therapies for symptom relief 
• And so much more

#266 Dr. Brad Leech is an internationally recognised Integrative Medicine Practitioner with over 10 years of clinical experience. He has taught and developed subjects at leading academic institutions in Integrative Gastroenterology, Naturopathic Medicine, Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine, and Public Health Research. Dr. Brad Leech is the Clinical Science Lead at Microba, where his expertise in integrative gastrointestinal healthcare enables him to translate the latest science on the gut microbiome into practical clinical applications. In addition to his research and working with patients, Brad offers practitioner support through his mentoring program Brad’s Brainiacs. 

In this episode we cover

• A summary of different testing methods used to identify the microbiome and pathogens
• The latest research on antimicrobials and the microbiome
• How we can use this research in clinical practice
• How clinicians can safely and effectively use antimicrobials in clinical practice
• Herbs that Brad would potentially avoid using altogether as the Risk is not worth the benefit
• Herbs that nourish the microbiome
• And so much more

#296 Tara has nearly 3 decades of clinical experience working as a Naturopath, Nutritionist and herbalist working with patients in all areas of thyroid health, such as hypo and hyperthyroidism, thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers, thyroid autoimmune conditions and supporting patients post-thyroidectomy. 

Tara works with patients face-to-face and online globally, drawing from her hundreds of thyroid patients and also her own and one of her 3 children’s diagnosis of Hashimoto’s. Tara regularly mentors other health practitioners with their complex thyroid cases runs 2 thyroid practitioner training programs to educate and support practitioners in all areas of thyroid health, and offers a membership mentoring platform and group for ongoing practitioner support. Tara is a regular guest speaker on health and wellbeing podcasts, and professional organisations and companies.

In this episode, we cover:

• The link between the thyroid and gut, liver and gallbladder
• The link between thyroid disease and Lipid disorders
• The mechanism behind how hypothyroidism can increase the risk of gallstone formation
• How lack of T4 and compromised thyroid function contribute to constipation
• Which pathology tests Tara finds beneficial to identify areas that need addressing
• Treatment strategies
• Taras online programs and membership for practitioners

I can not tell you how excited I am to have Splash Blanket as our Love & Guts sponsor. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I have many of these divine blankets and have been using them for intimacy, tummy time, and toilet training. The list goes on. So if you are sick of wet patches, spills, and stains ruining furniture, or bedding, say hello to your new best friend: Splash Blanket!"

"Although Splash Blanket burst onto the scene with their ingenious design for intimacy blankets—luxuriously soft and super sexy—it's not just for playtime in the bedroom. Splash Blanket is your go-to, versatile solution for a whole range of different situations."

 "Customers swear by it for birthing, postpartum recovery, free bleeding, free nappy time, and even for incontinence in both kids and the elderly. With Splash Blanket, mess worries are a thing of the past!"

"Birthing on the floor or bed and don't want to stain sheets or carpets? That's where Splash Blanket steps in, offering a soft, plush feel, perfect for welcoming your baby into the world. Why use a towel or hospital-grade cloth when you can wrap your little one in a cozy, snuggle-worthy, waterproof blanket swaddle?"

"Just to add to the already long list of uses, nappy-free tummy time is not only great for building your baby's neck strength but also beneficial if they have nappy rash and you want to give them some nappy-less time. And the fitted sheets? They're the golden ticket to easy cleanup during toilet training and nighttime accidents."

"If that hasn't convinced you, let's talk about the importance of mattress hygiene. With Splash Blanket, you can rest easy knowing your mattress is protected from spills and accidents. Plus, when staying at Airbnbs or hotels, always remember to lay down your Splash Blanket to safeguard bedding and mattresses."

To dive into the world of mess-proof living visit the splash blanket website today! And don't forget to use code GUT15 for an exclusive 15% off!"

#239 Dr Victoria Sampson obtained her Bachelor in Dental Surgery from Barts and the London, where she was also chosen to represent the UK in a four month training program at the renowned Karolinska Institute in Sweden. She then completed her Foundation Training in central London, ranking in the top 100 newly qualified dentist in the country. Victoria pays particular attention to the connection between the mouth and the rest of the body, and sees the mouth as a mirror of general health. She uses biomarkers and inflammatory markers in her work to diagnose and monitor patient throughout their treatment, often working with other specialties to treat patients as a whole.Victoria takes a preventative approach to dentistry, attempting to make treatment as minimally invasive as possible.

Victoria has been at the forefront of change in dentistry, by undertaking research projects in multiple fields of dentistry and taking a special interest in the relationship between the mouth and the body. She has published numerous papers both in the UK and internationally, with her most recent publication in the British Dental Journal being the most cited and viewed article ever published. In both 2019 and 2020, Victoria has been recognised for her achievements, as one of the finalists for the award for Best Young Dentist in England by the Private Dentistry Awards as well as winning best Young Dentist Award by the British Endodontic Society in 2019. She has also won the national prizes from the British Society of Dental Maxillofacial Radiology and the Association of British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons for her research. Victoria has successfully acquired the Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties from the Royal College of Surgeons (England), and is currently completing her diploma in Facial Aesthetics as well as Restorative Dentistry.

In this episode we cover

• How the mouth is a mirror to the rest of the body
• How the oral microbiome is linked to various conditions such as diabetes, cvs disease, alzheimers, obesity, SLE, RA, ulcerative colitis/ chron’s, fertility and erectile dysfunction
• What changes the environment of the mouth; thus the oral microbiome
• We discuss mercury fillings and the controversy that surrounds
• Victoria expands on her research between COVID19 and oral microbiome/ oral health 
• We discuss practical strategies to maintain optimal oral health and to keep pathogens at bay
• And so much more

#255 Dr. Will Bulsiewicz Bull-suh-wits is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine and was chief medical resident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and chief gastroenterology fellow at the University at North Carolina Hospital. 

He won the highest award given in both his residency and fellowship. As a former junk-food junkie and ribeye steak lover, Dr. Bulsiewicz personally lost 50 pounds and radically transformed his health by discovering the healing power of fiber and transitioning to a plant-based diet. 

He then brought these methods to his clinic and witnessed his patients have amazing results. Dr. Bulsiewicz completed 8 years of formal research training, including a masters of clinical investigation from Northwestern, an epidemiology fellowship at the highly rated UNC-Gillings School of Global Public Health, and a grant from the NIH. 

His extensive research training combined with his award-winning clinical skills make him an internationally recognized leader in digestive wellness and gut health. Dr. Bulsiewicz is also the author of the book Fiber Fueled and the Fiber Fueled Cookbook.

In this episode we cover

• The difference between food intolerances and food allergies
• Why food intolerances happen
• Histamine intolerance and histamine's relationship to estrogen
• What the gold standard way of diagnosing food intolerances and food allergies are and if these methods are flawed
• If food intolerances can be healed
• Strategies to improve digestive function and food intolerance
• And so much more

#208 Leah is an experienced and respected clinician who specialises in fertility, pregnancy and reproductive health. She has completed extensive advanced training and is a lecturer, keynote speaker, author and educator. She leads by example, remembering to live life to the fullest and is passionate about educating and empowering women to be their own health advocates.

In this episode we cover;

• What is the reproductive microbiome
• The concept of the eco-holobiont and reproductive microbiome
• The interplay between the various reproductive microbiomes - semen, uterine, endometrial and their role in fertility and conception
• How we can modify, support and adapt the various microbiomes to support the healthiest next generation
• How the reproductive microbiome influences the next generation
• How the reproductive microbiome influences pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding
• Strategies that clinicians need to address when treating the reproductive microbiome
• The fascinating role of the oral microbiome and it’s link to many aspects of our health. Now this you have to hear
• Invivo has also generously offered 10% off the Reproductive microbiome course and the Oral microbiome testing. Please visit the show notes for further instructions
• And if you have yet to get your hands on the Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine Manual - a must have for all health practitioners I highly recommend you do

#214 Niraj Naik - ex-pharmacist turned holistic health expert, founder of international school of breathwork Soma Breath. After working for several years as a community pharmacist, Niraj saw firsthand just how ineffective and even damaging pharmaceutical drugs can be. When he found himself a patient of stress-related depression and ulcerative colitis, he embarked on a journey of profound self-healing and education.

Known internationally as the Renegade Pharmacist, Niraj is dedicated to educating others on topics of holistic health, breathwork, meditation, and more.

In addition to his website and blog therenegadepharmacist.com, he has created many other brands related to health and healing, and has featured in articles from multiple news outlets across the world such as Forbes, CNN, The Guardian, and Huffpost.

In this episode we cover

• His amazing healing experience
• How sound, music therapy and breathwork was used in his healing
• The benefits and science behind breathwork
• What SOMA breath is and the SOMA awakening experience
• How breathwork can resolve constipation
• If we really struggle to implement and commit to breathwork practices, where we can start 
• And so much more

#259 Carla Wrenn is an Integrative Naturopath & Nutritionist. Completing a Bachelor of Health Science in 2001 and practicing for 21 years. As a passionate learner, Carla also completed postgraduate studies in Integrative Oncology, Autoimmune Diseases, and Functional Medicine in Australia and the USA. Carla’s time is spent consulting in the area of complex and chronic diseases, especially Oncology.

Carla is the owner of Peninsula Herbal Dispensary & Naturopathic Clinic, where Carla works with 12 Naturopaths and a support team, who love providing Acute Care, Consultations and lifestyle retail offerings to their Mornington Peninsula community and beyond. Carla is a passionate advocate for all we have to offer as Naturopathic and Complementary Medicine Practitioners. She values industry collaboration and has spent the last 6 years training over 1000 Practitioners in her course Vitae Mosaic – Naturopathic Functional Medicine and more recently in the areas of evidence-based oncology support and Long COVID.

In this episode we cover

• Is there an official definition and diagnostic criteria for long covid
• The clinical presentation of Long Covid. How does someone know they have Long COVID? 
• The biological changes that occur
• Common drivers
• The link with autoimmune conditions
• What should someone do if they have Long COVID? 
• How we diagnose officially. Can we diagnose accurately?
• Treatment strategies and how naturopaths can help
• So much more

#268 With over 15 years of industry experience, Jules has made it her mission to help people recover from fatigue, anxiety, burnout and complex health issues. She has guided thousands back to health through her eCourses, eBooks and podcast. She also sees clients 1:1 via Zoom.

As a mentor, she is passionate about inspiring and guiding the next generation of new and emerging practitioners to show up online and become confident in speaking out. Her dream is for ALL practitioners to be able to create a wildly successful and rewarding business they love… without burning out — and for our industry to be one that embraces collaboration and connection rather than competition.

When she’s not helping her clients, Jules can be found hanging out with her husband and their rescue dogs, lifting heavy things at the gym, surfing, doing yoga, or having a cheeky coffee or wine. Because fun, adventure and balance are just as important for a successful and long-lasting career.

You can find Jules at julesgalloway.com, on Facebook and Instagram at @julesgallowayhealth, her mentoring account is at @the.thriving.praccy, and check out her podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify – just search for Straight Talking Natural Health.

In this episode we cover

• What anxiety is

• Why the incidence of anxiety has increased over the last 2-3 years

• What the underlying drivers of anxiety are

• We discuss the Gut-Brain axis and how this bidirectional relationship influences each other

• How anxiety impacts the gut and how the gut contributes to anxiety

• Assessments used

• And so much more

#262 Shivan is a tenacious seeker of truth, educator, health advocate, and community builder. Shivan wasn’t willing to let gut problems rule her life—and she doesn't want that for you, either hence why she created the Digestion SOS™ Documentary Series, The SIBO Recovery Roadmap® Course, The IBS & SIBO SOS® Summits, The Gut & Microbiome Rescue Summit, The Lymphatic Rescue Summit, The Dental Health Connection Summit, The Liver & Gallbladder Rescue Summit, The Fascia Summit and now the book, Healing SIBO.

In this episode we cover

• Shivans experience with SIBO and how she came to host some amazing health and well-being summits.
• What SIBO SOS is
• Advancements in SIBO that Shivan is excited by
• How Shivan has managed her SIBO
• What Shivan wants all SIBO patients to know
• Who Healing SIBO is for

#180 Dr. Allison Siebecker, nicknamed “the Queen of SIBO”, is a naturopathic physician, award-winning author, clinician and educator, whose integrative curriculum and protocols, along with her free educational website, siboinfo.com, have been instrumental in modern Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) treatment and awareness.

She is instructor of Advanced Gastroenterology at NUNM, as well as former medical director and co-founder of the SIBO Center for Digestive Health, the SIBO Symposiums and the GI Conference at NUNM. She serves on the IBS faculty for the GI Health Foundation and on the Continuing Education board for the Gastro ANP. Dr. Siebecker has specialised in the treatment of SIBO since 2010 and is a SIBO patient herself.

In this episode we cover

• Why ascertaining whether SIBO exists matters?
• The difference between SIBO and IBS
• What’s new in SIBO
• Key tips and strategies for SIBO treatment - Including caveats or lesser known things to be mindful of
• Problems, challenges with the interpretation of SIBO test results
• If recovery from SIBO possible
• Allison's thoughts on whether someone should adhere to the SIBO diet 100%
• We discuss the Next Steps For Treating Tough SIBO summit (nov 17-18). I've signed up, will you?

#210 A former smoking, binge-drinking journalist, radio and television producer, Marcus’s media career included time at Leader newspapers, Sport 927 and SEN 1116 before concluding at Channel Nine and The AFL Footy Show in 2006. In 2005 Marcus met his now-wife Sarah, a chiropractor, who was the catalyst of Marcus’s health transformation from a Red Bull-guzzling, meat-eating smoker to a ginger-tea sipping teetotalling vegan, to somewhere back in the middle. 

In 2008 Marcus and Sarah opened Pure Wisdom Chiropractic and Lifestyle, were married in 2009 and in 2010 and 2012 welcomed Maya and Darby to the world.  In 2013 Marcus and Damian Kristof began the podcast 100 Not Out: Mastering The Art of Ageing Well. In that same year, Marcus joined The Wellness Couch podcast network as the Executive Producer of events including The Wellness Summit. Since its inception, 100 Not Out has recorded more than 400 episodes and conversations with some of the planet’s most graceful agers, high achievers and interesting people. 100 Not Out has received almost one million downloads, whilst The Wellness Couch network surpassed 11 million listens in 2020.  

In 2014 Marcus and his family moved to northern New South Wales. With Sarah now a stay-at-home mum, the time had arrived for Marcus to create the Exceptional Life Blueprint framework. He created an online program and began sharing his insights and trainings both digitally and in-person.  Since then, Marcus’s online courses have been consumed by over 20,000 people in 155 countries and he has delivered keynote presentations and trainings to companies as big as NAB all the way down to local communities. Sectors including banking, health, wellness and real estate trust Marcus to help their teams perform to exceptional standards. In 2019 Marcus and Sarah welcomed their fourth child Spencer, and amongst the craziness of raising young children, continue to love and support each other to make the rest of their life the best of their life. 

In this episode we cover

• How Your Exceptional Life book/ resource came to be
• How he went about qualifying the 64 exceptionals in the book 
• If the order with which you prioritize the eight ‘ingredients’ of the blueprint matter
• How social life and community have a huge impact on health and livelihood
• Introverts - how socializing differs from extroverts and how can an introvert can embrace this exceptional ingredient
• Why spirit is laced throughout all areas
• The conflict of opposites 
• Marcus’s hope for this exceptional book

#281 Emrys is the director and principal clinician at Athletica Physical Health and has owned and operated clinics for over 15 years. In addition to practicing as a Musculoskeletal Therapist. He is the writer and presenter of the Vagal Complex and the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Certification programs. He also presents for Astir Australia in Shockwave Therapy. Previously, he was the Senior Lecturer for the Department of Musculoskeletal Therapy at the Endeavour College of Natural Health, a position he held for over 9 years. 

Emrys originally trained as a classical ballet dancer at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet in Melbourne. He went on to join the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company as a company artist where he danced ballets such as Romeo and Juliet, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, A Million Kisses to My Skin, and many more. After having his own health troubles, he decided to retire from ballet and moved back to Australia. The following year he enrolled in a Bachelor of Health Science (Musculoskeletal Therapy).

Emrys works on the cause of patients' conditions with a particular focus on nerve pain and the role of the brain to gut axis (including the vagus nerve).

In this episode, we cover:

• What the vagus nerve is
• What is the role of vagus nerve stimulation in regulating inflammation 
• It's potential in microbiome dysregulation
• Emry’s thoughts on using a TENS machine for at-home stimulation of the VN
• Other at-home applications that may be useful
• Ways that vagus tone may be assessed
• Emrys shares information on the practitioner training he has available
• and so much more

#187 Tara Nelson, is a West Australian-based naturopath with over 24 years of clinical experience. After many years of seeing primarily thyroid conditions in her clinic, Tara went into researching for herself and further education in order to improve her clinical outcomes in her complex thyroid patients.

Tara has developed a six-week online practitioner thyroid training program to further educate practitioners in thyroid health, and thyroid case mentoring for practitioners, a practitioner affiliate program and runs an online thyroid recovery program. Tara has completed extra studies in the AIP dietary and lifestyle approach, which she utilises with many of her thyroid and other autoimmune patients.

Tara is on a mission to bring awareness and education to the public and practitioner community alike, about the importance of thyroid health on a deeper level.

In this episode we cover

• Why the big increase in thyroid disorders
• The main triggers of thyroid dysfunction
• The interplay between cortisol and the thyroid
• What to test if compromised thyroid function is suspected
• Why your GP may have barriers to testing the full thyroid profile
• Tara sheds light on cellular hypothyroidism
• Treatment
• Tara’s thyroid training program 
• And so much more

Show Notes

• Tara Nelson's Level 1 Practitioner 6 week Thyroid Course
• Tara Nelson's Clinical Mentoring for Thyroid Cases
• Naturopathic Care

#253 Dr. Gurevich is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist. She is currently co-owner of two large integrative medical clinics, one in northwest Portland and one in northeast Portland. She runs a very busy private practice specializing in treating inflammatory bowel disease as well as IBS/SIBO and functional GI disorders.

She lectures extensively and teaches about both conventional and natural treatments for inflammatory bowel disease as well as SIBO and IBS.  She is one of the foremost experts on the intersection of IBD and IBS and how treating one resolves the other. 

Dr. Gurevich also acts as a mentor in the naturopathic community educating about GI disorders. She supervises residents and consults with physicians about their most difficult GI cases. Dr. Gurevich was nominated as one of Portland Top Docs by the Portland Monthly in both 2014 and 2016.

In this episode we cover

• What Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and Bile acid malabsorption is and their link to diarrhoea
• The underlying causes of these conditions
• Symptoms someone may express if they experience any of these conditions
• Steatorrhea - what is it?
• Complications and consequences that can occur if left untreated
• Strategies and interventions
• Diagnosis of these conditions
• And so much more

#234 I was recently interviewed by Biopractica on the subject of IBS. I thought it may be a great time of the year to share this episode with you. To be honest, given that 1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of IBS at some time in their lives according to the gastroenterological society of Australia I figure that it's always an appropriate time to be having these discussions.

I hope that you enjoy and if you know someone who needs to listen to this episode please make sure you share it with them.

#207 Greg Schmaus is the CEO of Healing 4D, a Holistic Health Practitioner, Shamanic Energy Healer, and Massage Therapist. He is the creator of “Healing The Mind,” a 21 day holistic mental health program. With a fully integrated approach to physical and mental health, Greg supports students across the world in gaining understanding and meaning to their healing journey. 

Through his online programs and personal client coaching, Greg guides students and clients towards higher awareness, empowerment, and freedom in their lives through authentic lifestyle practices. Over the past decade, Greg has coached countless clients with various physical and mental health challenges; integrating the lessons of many of his great teachers and mentors, including Paul Chek and Alberto Villoldo.

In this episode we cover

• Greg’s experience with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Some drivers of OCD
• Why his experience with OCD was one of the greatest gifts he ever received
• The influence of the gut on the brain
• How he moved through it
• How Greg helps others with similar experiences
• Why simplicity is key
• And so much more

#263 Best Of 2022. Dr. Drossman received gastroenterology training at the University of North Carolina where he founded the UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. Dr Drossman is currently the Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry in Gastroenterology at UNC. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology, Past-President of the American Psychosomatic Society (1997). Dr. Drossman has established multiple organizations to advance patient-centered education and treatment of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI). He founded the Rome Foundation, and served as president until 2019, and is currently the President Emeritus and Chief of Operations. He has served as Senior Editor of Rome I, II, III, IV and is co-senior editor of Rome V to be released in 2026. 

As a gastroenterologist, Dr. Drossman consults or manages the care of difficult-to-diagnose and -treat patients with DGBIs. As Founder and President of DrossmanCare (Center for Education and Practice of Biopsychosocial Care) Dr. Drossman produces educational materials to teach communication skills and patient-centered care. He has published peer-reviewed articles and videotapes on medical interviewing and the patient-doctor relationship. He also facilitates workshops and communication skills training programs and has received numerous awards, as an educator and practitioner.

 Most recently he co-authored a book with a patient advocate called Gut Feelings: Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction and the Patient-Doctor Relationship for patients and clinicians. Dr. Drossman has written over 500 articles and book chapters serves on six editorial and advisory boards, was Associate Editor of the journal Gastroenterology and was the Gastroenterology Section Editor of the Merck Manual for 17 years. His research relates to the clinical, epidemiological, psychosocial, and treatment aspects of gastrointestinal disorders, and he has been principal investigator in several NIH-funded epidemiological outcomes, clinical trials, and abuse grants in DGBI and has done brain imaging in IBS.

In this episode we cover:

• What is constipation
• The different types of constipation - including primary and secondary
• Dyssynergic defecation - drivers and signs and symptoms 
• What investigations are carried out by a gastroenterologist to confirm this
• Treatments commonly recommended or administered by gastroenterologists or GI motility specialists
• Why effective communication skills and patient-centered care are needed
• What are some ways that patients can improve their communication with doctors
• Get your hands on the book Gut feelings
• And so much more

#251 Nicole Bijlsma is a woman of passion, and her passion lies in environmental medicine. Nicole was a former naturopath and acupuncturist with 15 years of clinical experience who changed her career pathway to become a building biologist after noticing a strong correlation with many of her patients illnesses and health hazards in their home.

Nicole is the author of the best seller Healthy Home, Healthy Family, was a columnist for Body+Soul (Herald Sun) and is frequently consulted by the media to comment on health hazards in the built environment (The 7PM Project, Sunrise, The Today Show, The Circle, Channel 7 News, Today Tonight, Channel 74, ABC radio, Fox FM, numerous webinars and podcasts).

Nicole has thirty years experience lecturing at tertiary institutions in nutrition, Chinese Medicine and environmental medicine, and has published in peer-reviewed journals. Her extensive knowledge in environmental medicine has seen her speak at various conferences both in Australia and abroad (USA, Thailand and New Zealand). 

Nicole single handedly established the building biology industry in Australia, was the former President of the Australasian Society of Building Biologists and established the Australian College of Environmental Studies in 1999 to educate people about the health hazards in the built environment. The college is the only institution in Australia to provide nationally accredited training in Building Biology and Feng Shui. Nicole is currently completing her PhD investigating health hazards in the built environment under the supervision of Professor Marc Cohen at RMIT. For information about her research

In this episode we cover

• What different forms of mould related illness exist
• The obvious and not so obvious signs that a house may be experiencing issues with mould
• What may someone experience physically/emotionally when they are exposed to dampness
• Mould - is it all bad news or does it serve a purpose? Why is it important to get to the source (water damage) itself rather than being focused on mould.
• Nicole’s thoughts on Clove oil, vinegar, bleach, and air purifiers (how effective or ineffective are they?)
• Following a flood how long does it take for mould to take hold? And what can we do to prevent?
• When mould has been identified in ones home, car or working environment, what steps should one take?
• And so much more

#199 Apple Bodemer is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After finishing her residency, she completed a fellowship in IntegrativeMedicine through the University of Arizona. She was the first Dermatologist to be Board Certified in Integrative Medicine and currently serves on the American Board of Integrative Medicine. She is also Board Certified in Lifestyle Medicine.

Dr. Bodemer is passionate about teaching working with both Dermatology residents and Integrative Medicine Fellows both in Wisconsin and Arizona. Additionally, she is one of the founding faculty of the Integrative Dermatology Certificate Program – an intensive program for Bord Certified Dermatologists. She has authored several Chapters in the primary Integrative Medicine textbook and written curriculum for the University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Fellowship program as well as for the National Veterans Association Whole Health Initiative.

Outside of the medical field, she loves to spend time with her four children and two dogs. She likes to stay physically active and loves to cook – especially whole foods plant based!!!!!

In this episode we cover

• What types of hair loss exist and how common it is in both men and women
• The common causes of hair loss
• The clinical features of female pattern hair loss (FPHL)
• Why might we see more female pattern hair loss in those with PCOS and metabolic syndrome
• Apple shaved her head in 2018 as a social / professional experiment. She discusses her findings and what she experienced. Fascinating!
• How health practitioners should assess hair loss in women and men
• Treatment strategies, including supplementation that may be helpful in managing FPHL

#256 Emily started her career as an archaeologist specialising in prehistoric human nutrition before training as a Nutritional Therapist to translate her enthusiasm for human nutrition into personalised, cutting-edge nutritional and lifestyle medicine. Emily has five years of clinical experience within the industry from running her own private practice, working within the supplement industry, and lecturing in Nutritional Therapy around the country.

In this episode we cover

• What is meant by the term ‘missing microbes’
• How can missing microbes be linked to disease
• What can cause marked disruption of the commensal gut microbiota
• What happens when commensal species start to seek alternative sources of fuel
• What bacterial syntrophy is
• How can we replace/nurture missing microbes
• And so much more

#197 Tabitha is the founder of awaken your health, and is a qualified and experienced Naturopath, Clinical Nutritionist, and educator, having run her own private clinical practice for over 10 years. As director and principal Naturopath at awaken your health, Tabitha takes great pride in providing her clients and their families with high quality naturopathic clinical care, in a supportive and nurturing environment.

After completing her Medical Science degree in 2001, Tabitha went on to pursue her passion for Natural Integrative Healthcare with post-graduate studies in Naturopathy, Western Herbal Medicine, Nutritional Medicine & Environmental Medicine. She now elegantly combines the above approaches to health: integrating Naturopathic healing principles with the latest scientific research, to educate and further the health & wellbeing of her clients.

Tabitha has offered the Love and Guts listener 30% off discount code: awaken30 is valid from now to end of April

• Tabitha’s book One Bite at a Time: both flexi cover + hard cover 

• Tabitha’s eBook: Be your own Solution eBook

#215 Georgia is a naturopath and nutritionist with 17 years’ experience who's clinical practice specialises in women’s health, particularly hormone imbalance and fertility and conception issues as well as pregnancy and postpartum support.

She has a Masters in Human Nutrition,  Bachelor of Health Science (Comp Med) and Advanced Diploma in Health Science (Naturopathy, Nutrition, Herbal Medicine) and has also completed post graduate training in Women’s Health with Dr Andrew Orr and is part of The Experts Group specialising in PCOS, Endometriosis and Fertility.

In this episode we cover

• What are the 4 phases of the female menstrual cycle
• What are the hormonal changes that occur in each phase 
• How does oestrogen and progesterone affect histamine
• What are the immunological and microbiome changes that occur in each phase 
• What other gut changes (beyond microbiome) occur 
• What are imbalances/pathologies that can occur with each of these and how do they present in the female clinically 
• How does histamine intolerance / imbalances /MCAS particularly affect females clinically (pre-, peri- and post-menopause)
• Strategies that clinicians need to consider: immunological (focussed on histamine) imbalances in relation to female health?
• And so much more

#193 Dr. Anne Hill has been practicing holistic health since 1994.  She initially trained as and maintained a practice as a clinical herbalist and craniosacral therapist and then went on to receive her medical degree in 2003. She currently practices in Portland, Oregon as a licensed Naturopathic Physician. She specializes in general family practice, environmental medicine, endocrinology, and chronic infectious disease.  

#183 Bonnie is a parenting and child behavior specialist. She has designed and taught parenting workshops and counseled parents for more than twenty five years. Her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education is from Bank Street College in New York City. Bonnie founded The Parent Guidance Center in Peterborough, NH in 1990, now The River Center, dedicated to parent education, support and community connections.She has written two books, When Your Kids Push Your Buttons and Confident Parent, Remarkable Kids, speaks and teaches internationally and has appeared on many television and radio programs and podcasts. Bonnie lives in NH with her husband and is the mother of two grown children and three grandchildren.

In this episode we cover:

• The importance of connection with children vs. the traditional way we have brought up kids with reward and punishment 

• The difference between personal boundaries and setting limits

• Why its so easy for parents to have their buttons pushed

• Why children push our buttons

• Bonnies thoughts on giving children what they want and when saying no is appropriate

• How we can stop ourselves from reacting in a way that we regret in hindsight

• And so much more

#228 This week you indulge me by listening to a conversation I had with my husband Guy Lawrence. We answer some of your questions including, how we began our individual wellness journeys and the daily non-negotiables that feed our soul and ensure we bring joy into our lives.

Show notes

• Guy Lawrence offerings and podcast
• BetterMe tea

This week, my husband Guy Lawrence had a truly incredible conversation with Dr. Stephen Porges. Stephen is a Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. During our conversation, we discuss the Polyvagal Theory, understanding anxiety, and ultimately, how we can go about healing our traumas.

If you are feeling tension in your body as you’re reading this, then this episode is for you.

#188 Patrick Mckeown is the President of Buteyko Professionals International. He is also a member of the Management Board and the Advisory Faculty of the International Academy of Breathing & Health.

Patrick was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and later studied in the Moscow clinic of the founder of the Buteyko Breathing Method; the late Professor Konstantin Buteyko. He was honoured to be awarded a Diploma in the Buteyko Method by Professor Buteyko.

Patrick’s current professional affiliations include being a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (UK), a Member of the Physiological Society (UK), a Member of the Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences, a Fellow of Buteyko Professionals International, and a Fellow of the International Academy of Breathing & Health.

In this episode we cover

• The principles of buteyko breathing
• Why we want to avoid over breathing and losing too much carbon dioxide
• Some of the protective mechanisms that the body creates (in the form of disease) to limit the loss of CO2
• Why we snore and how breathing can impact this
• Why Patrick believes that no one that is mouth breathing is reaching their full potential
• How the Buteyko breathing method can benefit digestive health
• The signs that can indicate that babies and children are breathing poorly
• And so much more

#219 Austin Perlmutter, M.D., is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, educator, and consultant. He received his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed his internal medicine residency at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland Oregon. His focus is on helping identify and resolve the biological basis for “stuckness” in the body and brain, especially around decision-making. He hosts the Get The STUCK OUT podcast and is a co-producer of the Alzheimer’s, the Science of Prevention Docu-series. His writing is featured online on MedPage Today, Doximity, KevinMD, Medium, Psychology Today, MindBodyGreen, and DrPerlmutter.com, and his work connecting COVID-19 with immune-related depression appears in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. 

In this episode we cover:

• Some of the known or ‘theorized” mechanisms that underpin depression
• How systemic inflammation, behavioural changes and psychological stressors related to Covid-19 can increase the risk of depression
• The impact of Covid-19 on BDNF and what the consequences of this are
• How the pandemic has influenced our diet and what impact this is having on depression
• How sleep influences our risk of depression
• Psychedelics
• Strategies to help prevent the onset of depression or to support those who are experiencing depression
• And so much more

#179 Dr.Julie Greenberg is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in integrative dermatology. She is the founder of the Center for Integrative Dermatology, a holistic dermatology clinic that approaches skin problems by finding and treating the root cause. Dr. Greenberg hold degrees from Northwestern University, Stanford University and Bastyr University, and she received advanced clinical training at the University of Washington Medical School Dermatology Clinic and at Seattle Children’s Hospital Pediatric Dermatology Center.   She lectures at medical schools and speaks at conferences across the U.S. on dermatology.

#200 Dr Marc is a medical doctor, university professor, author, poet, entrepreneur, wellness trailblazer and perpetual student of life, trying to coax the world towards worldwide wellness. He has spent more than 30 years practicing and researching holistic health and published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and many books and technical texts on wellness and natural medicine along with the illustrated books "The Beautiful Mare", "Bing & Bang Begin" and "Love & Everything". He is Founder of Beautiful.Water.co and the Extreme Wellness Institute, Co-Founder of Extremely Alive Wellness Tonics and the Bathe the World Foundation and co-owner of Maruia Hot Springs in New Zealand. You can find him at www.drmarc.co and on linktree.

In this episode we cover:

• Sauna bathing and all things hydrotherapy. A big passion of mine
• How sauna bathing can benefit those experiencing CFS, pain and depression
• The use of heat therapy for Covid - 19
• The passion that drives his desire to communicate complex ideas, through children's books and poetry
• Why 5 rhythms dancing is the bees knees
• The importance of connection
• Why Marc wants to turn the world into a health retreat
• And so much more

#223 Kim Morrison is passionate about human behavior and natural therapies. She has dedicated her life to educating the end-user on aromatherapy along with the critical importance of self-love. Kim is 5 times best-selling author with her most recent award-winning book ‘The Art Of Self Love. She is the founder of Twenty8 Essentials and is a multi-tasking wife and mum. With two aspiring athletic children, one a ballerina and the other a rugby player, Kim is married to former NZ Cricketer Danny Morrison who, as a family, moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2006.

With athletic goals herself, she played netball to state level and then took up the crazy sport of ultra -marathon running. In her early 20’s she set a world record as the youngest female to run 100miles in less than 24 hours. She went on to represent Australia at the world indoor 24-hour championships in the UK, where she set 8 Australian records in 1990. Along with her one-on-one Breakthrough Coaching Sessions, she also runs a private, online ‘Self Love and Wellness Mentorship’ program and is the host of the popular ‘Self Love Podcast’.

In this episode we cover

• What self-love is
• If self-love is an easy concept to grasp and implement in the younger generation
• How we can nurture the self-love concept and daily actions in our kids
• Self-sabotage - is it inevitable and how to move forward from this
• How to change the narrative and rewire the brain in order to experience a new reality
• How we can cultivate self-love daily
• And so much more

#252 Moira Bradfield, founder of Intimate Ecology clinical and education services, is a Naturopath, Acupuncturist and educator with over 18 years clinical experience. She has a passion for helping people experience optimal health in sustainable and sensible ways. Clinically she has a niche interest in recurrent vaginal infections, the vaginal microbiome and their associated impact in health and disease. In 2019 Moira is embarking on formal research with Griffith University as part of commencement of PhD studies in the area of the vaginal microbiome and conditions of vaginal dysbiosis.

In this episode we cover

• What  Vaginal Lactobacilliosis and Cytolytic vaginosis is
• Why they often are described as one disorder and what the microbiome and diagnostic differences between the two are
• Other conditions that these may be mistaken for such as vulvovaginal candidiasis
• Why they occur
• How we diagnose
• Treatment strategies 
• And much more
• Moira also has a valuable webinar available for practitioners and the public on these often confusing conditions. (I highly recommend)

#191 As a women's health physiotherapist, author, yoga teacher and teacher trainer, experienced keynote speaker and founder of Sacred Women’s Business Coaching, Lisa believes that when women tap into their feminine wisdom, the feminine shift restores balance and equality and helps to heal our troubled world. She lives in a subtropical paradise near Byron Bay.

In this episode we cover

• Why many women are disconnected or experience dampened sensation in the pelvic floor

• How this may present for someone

• Ways we can elevate our awareness of these areas

• How certain ways we move could potentially cause harm

• How to protect the pelvic floor in a yoga class

• Causes of Painful sex and how PFP can help

• How the pelvic floor can be impacted during peri menopause

• And so much more

#294 Alyssa Tait is a naturopath and physiotherapist with a Master’s in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. Her private practice focuses on persistent abdominal and pelvic pain and gut and bowel dysfunction. 

Alyssa has a special interest in the gut and urogenital microbiomes and disorders of gut-brain interaction. She has spent 20 years in private practice solving complex clinical puzzles through a combined naturopathy and physiotherapy lens. She enjoys helping her naturopathic colleagues’ clients using physiotherapy, and her physiotherapy colleagues’ clients using naturopathy! 

The application of evidence-based medicine is a long-held interest, which has led to her helping develop clinical practice guidelines on incontinence management and research-based recommendations for the gut microbiome. Alyssa is committed to bridging the gap between orthodox medicine and naturopathic medicine, having spent her career with one foot in each camp.

In this episode we cover

• What is the difference between prebiotics and fibre 
• We discuss the potential benefits of prebiotics in the body. What the research reveals.
• How the prebiotic supplements differ from each other
• We discuss prebiotics in the diet versus supplements. Can we achieve the same benefits with diet alone?
• What Personalised Prebiotic Prescription (PPP) Factors do we consider
• Why it's important to know the research when considering a dose
• The common issues in clinical practice regarding prebiotic prescribing
• And so much more 

I can not tell you how excited I am to have Splash Blanket as our Love & Guts sponsor. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I have many of these divine blankets and have been using them for intimacy, tummy time, toilet training and the list goes on so if you are sick of wet patches, spills, and stains ruining furniture, bedding, and just being an overall bad vibe? Say hello to your new best friend: Splash Blanket!"

"Although Splash Blanket burst onto the scene with their ingenious design for intimacy blankets—luxuriously soft and super sexy—it's not just for playtime in the bedroom. Splash Blanket is your go-to, versatile solution for a whole range of different situations."

 "Customers swear by it for birthing, postpartum recovery, free bleeding, free nappy time, and even for incontinence in both kids and the elderly. With Splash Blanket, mess worries are a thing of the past!"

"Ready to make a splash with Splash Blanket? Dive into the world of mess-proof living by visiting their website today! And don't forget to use code GUT15 for an exclusive 15% off!"

#226 Daniele Piomelli is Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry and Louise Turner Arnold Chair in Neurosciences at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). In addition, he is the director of the UCI Institute for the Study of Cannabis, a multidisciplinary research institute led by the UCI's Schools of Medicine and Law.

Daniele studied pharmacology and neuroscience with James H. Schwartz and Eric Kandel at Columbia University, and with Paul Greengard at Rockefeller University. Daniele is an author of more than 400 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Nature, Science, Nature Medicine, PNAS and Nature Neuroscience, three full-length books, and 34 patents. He co-founded the unit of drug discovery and development (D3) at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa (Italy) which he directed from 2007 to 2016, and the biopharmaceutical start-ups Kadmus Pharmaceuticals, NeoKera Therapeutics and Aspire Biosciences, all based on discoveries made in his lab. 

He is Editor-in-Chief of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the only peer-reviewed journal entirely dedicated to the study of cannabis, its derivatives, and their endogenous counterparts in the human body.

In this episode we cover

• History of human use of cannabis
• Why we have an endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid receptors?
• How cannabis works, especially in relation to chronic pain
• Current research on its use in chronic pain
• The duration of time someone should use cannabis for pain
• Why opioids shouldnt be used as the first line of therapy for pain
• Cannabis dependency
• Cannabis toxicity
• Withdrawal symptoms 
• And so much more

#220 Kelly Brogan, M.D. is a holistic psychiatrist, author of the NY Times Bestselling book, A Mind of Your Own, Own Your Self, the children’s book, A Time For Rain, and co-editor of the landmark textbook, Integrative Therapies for Depression. She is the founder of the online healing program Vital Mind Reset, and the membership community, Vital Life Project. She completed her psychiatric training and fellowship at NYU Medical Center after graduating from Cornell University Medical College, and has a B.S. from M.I.T. in Systems Neuroscience. She is specialized in a root-cause resolution approach to psychiatric syndromes and symptoms.

In this episode we cover

• What is Kelly’s perception of the label “mentally ill”
• • What’s a different lens with which we can view illness
• The Five Psychiatric “Pretenders” that we need to be aware of
• What it means to be woke
• • Kelly shares her spiritual awakening
• What spiritual bypassing is and the consequences of it
• How we can lead from the heart/soul during such challenging times
• And so much more

#205 Alessio Fasano is the W. Allan Walker Chair of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at Massachusetts General Hospital, Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and Professor of Nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. He is also Founder and Director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at MGH. He is coauthor (with Susie Flaherty) of Gluten Freedom.

Award-winning writer and editor Susie Flaherty is Director of Communications at the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment. She is coauthor (with Alessio Fasano) of Gluten Freedom.

In the episode we cover

• How the book Gut Feelings came about
• The epigenetic role of the microbiome
• The link between the gut microbiome and autoimmunity
• The five elements or “pillars” that lead to chronic inflammation
• The human gut Mycobiome
• Alternatives to the Hygiene hypothesis
• Strategies to manipulate the microbiome to maintain health
• Artificial intelligence, synthetic biology and the microbiome
• And so much more

#221 Anna’s career began in the corporate sector, where she specialised in corporate finance and private banking for over ten years working in Sydney and New York for a large Australian bank. Anna’s career change was sparked by her own health journey, following a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes at 18 years of age.  Her diagnosis triggered her intense study of botanicals and nutrition to manage her auto-immune condition and assist others in attaining optimal health. Anna has been involved in the pursuit of herbal medicine and nutrition for over 15 years, with a focus on fertility and women’s and children’s health. Anna’s naturopathy career has included working as a naturopath within a reputable natural fertility clinic in Sydney, within a pharmacy and health food store, and running her own naturopathy practice. Anna is committed to creating products founded on naturopathic philosophies, using wildcrafted and exotic ingredients, and encouraging her clients and people who use her skincare to nourish their skin, from the inside out.

In this episode we cover

• How Edible Beauty came to be
• The link between the skin and gut
• How inflammation in the gut can impact the skin
• What eczema is and what’s the link between Autoimmunity, Gut Health, and Eczema
• Some other known drivers of eczema (known and theorized?
• Strategies to correct gut inflammation and improve eczema and overall skin health
• What we can use topically on the skin instead of steroid creams

#241 Dr Michael Breus is a Clinical Psychologist and both a Diplomat of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He was one of the youngest people to have passed the Board at age 31 and, with a specialty in Clinical Sleep Disorders and is one of only 160 psychologists in the world with his credentials and distinction.

In addition to his private practice, he not only treats athletes and celebrities, Dr. Breus also trains other sleep doctors and consults with major airlines, hotel chains, mattress manufacturers and retailers to provide the optimum sleep experience for their customers.

For over 14 years, Dr. Breus has served as the Sleep Expert for WebMD which includes a monthly column called “Sleep Matters”. Dr. Breus also writes The Insomnia Blog and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Psychology Today, MedPedia, Organized Wisdom, and Furniture Today.

With more than a dozen appearances on The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Breus has been dubbed a “Sleep Expert” and holds a seat on his Clinical Advisory Board. Additionally, Dr. Breus’ audio relaxation CD, created for Crown Plaza Hotels, helps millions of people fall asleep each year.

In this episode we cover

• How the book Energize came to be. Now this is an interesting story
• What energy is and what types exist
• How knowing your power profile: Body Type + Chronotype can be useful when wanting to improve energy and optimal health
• What emotional energy is and what are energy vampires
• Strategies to optimise your energy. Such as the daily 5 x 5
• When should the diff chronotypes have sex/ masturbate
• And so much more

#203 Alex is an Institute For Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner with a MSc in Personalised Nutrition and a BSc in Nutritional Therapy.

He is also:

• Co-founder of Healthpath, an at-home functional gut testing company
• Co-founder of The Applied Functional Medicine Mentoring Program.
• Chief Wellness Officer at Exhale Coffee - a healthy coffee hand picked for its chlorogenic acid content (the good stuff!)

Currently Alex is finalising his studies in Transformational Life Coaching.

After a powerful experience combining breathwork and psychedelics towards the end of 2019, Alex is also currently training to become a Transformational Breathwork Practitioner and has recently started a 12 month psychedelic practitioner program with The Synthesis Institute.

In this episode we discuss all things psychedelics, in particular:

• Alex shares his powerful psychedelic and breathwork experience
• What psychedelics have the most research, particularly for mental health
• The impact of psychedelics on the gut-brain axis
• How Alex see’s health practitioners, or himself safely integrate them
• Are there any concerns for their use (risks or side effects)
• Who should be avoiding them
• Where is regulation at with psychedelics
• We were so in the moment that we forgot to discuss micro and macro dosing
• And so much more

#184 Kim Anami is here to infuse more passion into your life and bed. She is a holistic sex + relationship coach, writer and speaker. Her work is a spiritual synthesis of over two decades of Tantra, Taoism, Transpersonal psychology, philosophy and a host of quantum growth-accelerating practices she uses to propel clients into higher stratospheres of connection, intimacy, energy and creativity.

Her musings on life and love have graced Playboy, Elle, Marie Claire, Shape, The Sunday Times (UK), The Daily Mail, GQ and national talk shows from E! Network to CNN and NPR. 

She divides her time between Bali and Los Angeles and a host of beaches in between, where she not only lives and surfs, but lifts objects with her vagina.

You can follow her globetrotting and weight-lifting vagina and adventures on Instagram with the hashtag: #thingsiliftwithmyvagina, her sex education videos on YouTube, her podcast Orgasmic Enightenment and can check out her online all-things-intimacy programs at: www.kimanami.com 

In this episode we cover

• What FUKME is and how ALL women can have deeper vaginal orgasms
• Why so many women do not experience vaginal orgasms, and why should women care about having them
• How tapping into your sexual energy can impact your life
• Sex after becoming a mother and post-menopause 
• Kim’s thoughts on why our sexual power is being censored
• Why we should ditch Kegels for a jade egg
• What are some ways that we can avoid being undersexed and therefore FUKME
• And so much more

#202 Lara Briden first worked as a researcher and evolutionary biologist at the University of Calgary.  She then went on to graduate as a naturopathic doctor from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM).

In her twenty plus years of practice Lara has learned that period problems respond incredibly well to nutrition and other natural treatments. Period problems can be fixed without the band-aid solution of hormonal birth control. Her mission is to bring that message to women everywhere. To empower women to have easy, symptomless periods and join the worldwide "period revolution."

Lara’s books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual provide practical solutions for period and hormone problems. Lara has also published the peer-reviewed paper The central role of ovulatory disturbances in the etiology of androgenic polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—Evidence for treatment with cyclic progesterone.

In this episode we cover

• Why Lara wrote the book The Hormone Repair Manual
• What perimenopause is and why Lara calls it our second puberty
• Why perimenopause is a critical window for health
• Why our brain reorganises during this time
• How ovulation impacts perimenopause and menopause
• What happens to our hormones and physiology during perimenopause
• Hormone therapy
• How metabolic flexibility helps
• And so much more

#245 Dr. Paula Smith-Brown is the Clinical Science Lead at Microba and an Adjunct Lecturer at Centre for Microbiome Research at The Queensland University of Technology. She is a PhD qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian who combines her experience as a microbiome researcher and healthcare professional to translate the latest science on the gut microbiome into practical clinical application. 

In this episode we cover

• How microbial dysbiosis plays a role in IBS
• If the microbiome is different in those with IBS
• The impact a low FODMAP diet has on the microbiome
• FODMAP food reintroduction. How to tackle this if a patient has been on a low fodmap diet for some time
• If we can predict a response to a low FODMAP diet based on microbiome
• Strategies and interventions
• And so much more

#243 Dr Azita Moradi is the Founder and CEO of Freed (www.freed.global), an organisation dedicated to assisting individuals and teams develop sustainable resilience and well-being strategies to thrive in complexity. Dr. Azita Moradi is a graduate of Monash University and is a fellow the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. She is also an adjunct senior lecturer at Monash University, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences.

Dr. Moradi gathers part of her knowledge and experience from her own life story. She grew up in Iran during the political turmoil of the Islamic revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. After arriving in Australia as a teenager, she had to negotiate a completely different culture and language at a critical time in her development as she entered Year 12.

Dr. Moradi also draws on over 21 years of experience as a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, medical practitioner, lecturer, coach, and consultant to produce outstanding results for individuals, teams, and organisations. Over the years she provided advice and expertise in the areas of interpersonal dynamics, resilience, personal mastery, and flourishing in the face of adversity and challenge. Her experience has on more than one occasion saved her life as well as the lives of others! 

Over the last 12 years, she has worked as a Medical Examiner providing expert opinion and assessments on individuals’ mental health and wellbeing, resilience, and capacity to work in periods of transitions and changes in a variety of organisations, including state and federal government.

In this episode we cover

• Why Azita has a deep passion for caring for the health practitioner or carers
• How the Covid 19 pandemic has impacted mental health
• Positives that have come out of this experience for many 
• Strategies to improve resilience and cultivate joy in complex times
• The importance of perspective and if it can be taught
• Why the health practitioner needs to be aware of their own triggers and self care and how this can influence our treatments
• So much more 

#265 Dr Jason Hawrelak is a research scientist, educator, naturopath, and Western herbalist with more than 18 years of clinical experience. Jason practices at Goulds Natural Medicine, a 136-year-old natural medicine apothecary, and clinic located in central Hobart. He did his Honours and PhD degrees examining the causes of dysbiosis and the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics, and herbal medicines to modify the gut microbiome and has written extensively in the medical literature on these topics – including 16 textbook chapters.

He is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and was recently awarded a Fellowship from the American College of Nutrition for his significant contributions to the teaching and practice of nutrition in Australia and North America. Jason is also a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. He is Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products and online resources for clinicians, and health-conscious members of the public, to learn more about the human microbiome and how they can positively influence these ecosystems.

In this episode we cover

• What is diverticula, diverticulosis, diverticulitis and diverticular disease
• Common causes of diverticulosis and why it might progress to diverticulitis or diverticular disease
• How to differentiate between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Symptomatic uncomplicated DD (SUDD)
• The link between cardiovascular health and diverticular disease
• We address what diet may help support those experiencing these conditions and this includes eliminating old beliefs associated with diet 
• What are our main treatment aims
• And so much more
• I highly recommend Jason’s practitioner training on this subject Diverticular Disease: New Concepts in its Pathophysiology and Treatment

#229 Tara Nelson, is a West Australian-based naturopath with over 24 years of clinical experience. After many years of seeing primarily thyroid conditions in her clinic, Tara went into researching for herself and further education in order to improve her clinical outcomes in her complex thyroid patients.

Tara has developed a six-week online practitioner thyroid training program to further educate practitioners in thyroid health, and thyroid case mentoring for practitioners, a practitioner affiliate program and runs an online thyroid recovery program. Tara has completed extra studies in the AIP dietary and lifestyle approach, which she utilises with many of her thyroid and other autoimmune patients.

Tara is on a mission to bring awareness and education to the public and practitioner community alike, about the importance of thyroid health on a deeper level.

In this episode we cover

• What is a thyroidectomy and how common is it
• Why someone may have their thyroid removed
• The difference between and impact of thyroid ablation and removal
• Measures one may take to preserve the thyroid gland 
• Consequences on one's health by the removal of part or all of the thyroid 
• Diagnostics commonly used to ascertain damage to the thyroid gland
• And so much more

#293 Dr. Leah Hechtman, PhD, is a renowned naturopathic clinician specializing in fertility, pregnancy, and comprehensive reproductive health. In addition to her clinical expertise, she is an engaged researcher, a published author, and a dedicated educator.

Her extensive qualifications include advanced training in multiple disciplines. She is a revered university lecturer, a sought-after keynote speaker, and a regular voice in the media.

Committed to a collaborative approach, Dr. Hechtman works closely with each patient’s healthcare team, often involving general practitioners, specialists, and other healthcare professionals. She aims to inter-professionally bridge the gaps between different disciplines and theories, fostering a holistic and collaborative outcome in both clinical practice and research.

Fuelled by her unquenchable thirst for knowledge and her passion for the intersection of science and spirituality, Dr. Hechtman continuously seeks to deepen her understanding of medicine. 

This quest for knowledge informs her lectures, making them not only relevant but also immediately applicable and supportive. Widely recognized for her expertise, Dr. Hechtman receives numerous referrals from fertility specialists and IVF clinics globally.

Instagram @leahhechtman

Facebook: @LeahHechtman

In this episode, we cover:

• The brain changes that occur in women throughout their lives, especially during pregnancy
• Why starting solids before 6 months may be beneficial for some babies
• The neuro and brain changes specific to the postpartum period and how we can identify them in ourselves and others
• Matrescence and the differences between women in their 20s vs 30s vs 40s and beyond 
• What happens to the woman and her brain as she ‘loses’ her sense of self and transforms
• The role of prolactin and oxytocin during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. What if she chooses or is unable to breastfeed - how does that affect her brain?
• Microchimerism in the postpartum period - what impact does it have on her brain, sense of self, and immunology
• Sleep, weight, and hormones - what sleep deprivation is actually doing to the mother’s brain and hallmark periods to watch out for
• Leah discusses her online Practitioner Only Workshops - The Clinic Room - Unlock Advanced Clinical Strategies And Techniques. Practitioners who are interested in doing this course can receive a discount if you use the code LOVE10. This offer is valid until November 27, 2023.

#222 Emily started her career as an archaeologist specialising in prehistoric human nutrition before training as a Nutritional Therapist to translate her enthusiasm for human nutrition into personalised, cutting-edge nutritional and lifestyle medicine. Emily has five years of clinical experience within the industry from running her own private practice, working within the supplement industry, and lecturing in Nutritional Therapy around the country.

#218 Christine is a Nutritionist and Registered Nurse and works as a Clinical Application Specialist at Microba. Christine has a passion for chronic disease prevention and further understanding the association between the microbiome and disease. She has worked in a number of settings ranging from clinical through to public health nutrition and is a board director on Nutrition Australia's National Board.

In this episode we cover

• What serotonin is commonly known for
• It’s other, fascinating not so known properties
• How serotonin is produced in the gut
• How serotonin affects gut motility
• Serotonin’s influence on pathogens and vice versa
• How to increase serotonin production
• What negatively impacts serotonin production

#217 Jill Schofield, MD founded the Center for Multisystem Disease to provide comprehensive care to patients with conditions such as dysautonomia, mast cell activation syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, Sjögren’s syndrome, and celiac disease.  Some of the patients suffering from these disorders also have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome which causes additional struggles. 

She specializes in immune-mediated disorders that are confounding due to bodywide symptoms, devoting extra time to each patient so she can identify the issues causing their symptoms. She was the recipient of the 2019 Dysautonomia Support Network’s Game Changer Award for her work in the use of IVIG to treat patients with autoimmune forms of dysautonomia

In this episode we cover

• What are the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS)

• What is the difference between EDS and hypermobility spectrum disorder HSD

• What causes EDS

• Why might someone with EDS and HSD experience chronic joint pain

• What other complications may occur

• The link between EDS, SIBO, and other digestive disorders

• How is EDS Diagnosed

• If there are any consequences for leaving EDS undiagnosed?

• Treatment strategies for EDS

#249 Tara Nelson is a West Australian-based naturopath with over 24 years of clinical experience. After many years of seeing primarily thyroid conditions in her clinic, Tara went into researching for herself and further education in order to improve her clinical outcomes in her complex thyroid patients.

Tara has developed a six-week online practitioner thyroid training program to further educate practitioners in thyroid health, and thyroid case mentoring for practitioners, a practitioner affiliate program, and runs an online thyroid recovery program. Tara has completed extra studies in the AIP dietary and lifestyle approach, which she utilises with many of her thyroid and other autoimmune patients. Tara is on a mission to bring awareness and education to the public and practitioner community alike, about the importance of thyroid health on a deeper level.

In this episode we cover

• The difference between hyperthyroidism and Graves disease
• The prevalence of these
• Signs, symptoms, and drivers
• To iodine or not to iodine
• How Hyperthyroidism and Graves present on bloodwork
• How practitioners and patients can perform a thyroid physical assessment
• Treatment strategies
• And so much more
• I am making this ep live today rather than tomorrow as Tara is offering a free masterclass TODAY called “Why you can't lose weight even though your thyroid levels are normal”

#258 Dr. Drossman is trained in gastroenterology and psychiatry and is an internationally recognized scientist, clinician, and educator in DGBIs and communication skills training. He is the founder, former president, and currently COO of the Rome Foundation. He is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry in Gastroenterology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also president of DrossmanCare, which develops workshops and training programs in communication skills, and he sees patients with complex DGBIs in his gastroenterology practice.

Johannah Ruddy is a highly-recognized patient advocate with a background in education and management of non-profit health organizations. She is the executive director of the Rome Foundation and is on the Board of Directors of DrossmanCare. As Executive Director, she coordinates operations and educational programs. With DrossmanCare, she facilitates workshops in patient-centered care and is a simulated patient in videos on communication skills. 

In this episode we cover

• Why they wrote the book - Gut Feelings -  the patient's story. 
• New insights that were gained as a health practitioner from hearing patients' stories
• Johannah’s personal healthcare experience. The impact it has had on her healing
• The biggest gaps in the patient-practitioner relationship 
• How we can have an excellent patient-practitioner relationship
• We run through some case studies
• And so much more

#270 Dr Jason Hawrelak is a research scientist, educator, naturopath and Western herbalist with more than 18 years’ clinical experience. Jason practices at Goulds Natural Medicine, a 136-year-old natural medicine apothecary and clinic located in central Hobart. He did his Honours and PhD degrees examining the causes of dysbiosis and the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics and herbal medicines to modify the gut microbiome and has written extensively in the medical literature on these topics – including 16 textbook chapters.

He is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and was recently awarded a Fellowship from the American College of Nutrition for his significant contributions to the teaching and practice of nutrition in Australia and North America. Jason is also a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. He is Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products and online resources for clinicians, and health-conscious members of the public, to learn more about the human microbiome and how they can positively influence these ecosystems.

In this episode we cover

• The GUT FEELINGS Randomised controlled trial where Jason’s team assessed the impact of a probiotic, and a prebiotic-rich diet on mood.

• Gut microbiota alterations that may be observed in those experiencing depression

• The link between the microbiota and Autism spectrum disorder

• The inconsistencies in the data about a specific “ASD dysbiotic pattern

• The main tools Jason is using to modify these different imbalances

• We discuss Jason’s Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course.  Head on over to the show notes where I will provide a link and a special coupon code to receive 20% off until the course begins. 

Show notes

• For Australian residents visit the following page and use LYNDA20 to receive 20% off the course Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course
• For the ‘rest of the world’ visit the following page and use LYNDA20 to receive 20% off the course Naturopathic & Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders Course

#195 Alana Gardini is a specialist paediatric physiotherapist at All About Physio Nerang on the Gold Coast.

Alana graduated in 2005 from The University of SA and in the years following has developed a love for providing physiotherapy to children of all abilities. She particularly enjoys working with children with Cerebral Palsy, having gained expertise in this specialist field through a wide range of post-graduate training and more than 10 years of experience in specialist disability services, public hospitals and private practices. Alana has worked alongside paediatricians, rehabilitation specialists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists both nationally and internationally. 

She is trained in Neuro-Developmental Therapy (NDT), orthotic provision, gait assessment, equipment prescription and hydrotherapy. She has a strong understanding of human movement, and a keen interest in the relationship between the sensory and motor systems. Alana wholeheartedly believes that ‘play’ is the key to helping a child discover their body and to learn how to move ‘better’.

Alana works with adults as well as children, and finds her comprehensive Pilates training an extremely useful tool in providing holistic care to her clients. 

Alana is also the author of the most excellent book / resource called My Strong Little Body. A resource Alana created that really captures what she wants every new parent to know about baby development. How easy it can be to give your ‘little’ one a stronger start (and not a flat head).

In this episode we cover

• What compelled Alana to write the book My strong little body
• The link between babies movement and brain development
• The five major gross motor milestones and what age we expect to see them occur
• The major concerns parents and Alana have about gross motor development
• Why they occur and strategies to prevent or correct
• Tummy time - why we want to encourage it and creative ways we can do TT if baby doesn't take to it
• Alana's thoughts on footwear
• What parents can do to support gross motor development
• And so much more

Alana has generously offered the Love & Guts listener 20% off the My Strong Little Body eBook. Simply use LOVEANDGUTS20 at the checkout

#267 Chloe is a Sydney-based Naturopath specialising in autoimmune health, fertility, gut & thyroid support. 

Chloe’s personal experience with autoimmunity set her on a path to better understand how the immune, gut, and nervous systems come together to create a perfect storm for autoimmune disease development. 

Over the past 10 years working in the health & wellness industry, Chloe has worked as a clinician, health writer & educator, facilitating programs and researching immune dysregulation. 

As a qualified Naturopath and yoga instructor, Chloe is also completing a Master’s of Biomedical Science in her endeavour to marry the mainstream medicine understanding of health with holistic naturopathic care. 

In this episode we cover

• What Inflammatory bowel disease is and how it differs from IBS
• The difference between Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis
• Drivers of these diseases and why are they so difficult to treat
• Go to herbs for supporting IBD patients
• Other conditions that may occur alongside IBD
• How gut microbiome testing can be useful to support treatment
• Other investigations that may be carried out to diagnose IBD if suspected
• And so much more

#248 Gavin Guard believes that the average doctor visit is not giving patients the time and support they deserve. He graduated summa cum laude from Whitman College with a bachelor’s in biochemistry before completing graduate medical school training at the University of Colorado. 

Since then, he’s completed training with the Institute for Functional Medicine, is a Kresser Institute ADAPT Level 1 Clinician, a Precision Nutrition Level 1 nutrition coach, an AIP Certified Coach, and is a Certified Sports Nutritionist. His main clinical focuses include digestive disorders and metabolic disease like weight gain, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. 

He is bringing the latest medical research to the forefront of clinical patient care. He wakes up every morning to help patients find lasting solutions to their health so that they can experience hope and feel restored.

In this episode we cover

• The thyroid-gut axis
• Patterns in the microbiome that we may see
• The impact of dysbiosis
• Why we might see Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease co-occur with Celiac Disease and Non-celiac wheat sensitivity 
• Treatment strategies
• And so much more

#225 Greg Schmaus is the CEO of Healing 4D, a Holistic Health Practitioner, Shamanic Energy Healer, and Massage Therapist. He is the creator of “Healing The Mind,” a 21 day holistic mental health program. With a fully integrated approach to physical and mental health, Greg supports students across the world in gaining understanding and meaning to their healing journey. 

Through his online programs and personal client coaching, Greg guides students and clients towards higher awareness, empowerment, and freedom in their lives through authentic lifestyle practices. Over the past decade, Greg has coached countless clients with various physical and mental health challenges; integrating the lessons of many of his great teachers and mentors, including Paul Chek and Alberto Villoldo.

In this episode we cover:

• Why it’s important to balance the nervous system
• What the connection is between the ego, our belief systems, and the nervous system
• What are the 4 survival archetypes and how are they related to our personal power
• What the story gap is and how the story gap is a source of dis-ease 
• How we align with the story gap
• What the shadow is and why must we address it to heal
• How to live in harmony with the laws of nature (rhythms, cycles, seasons, elements)
• And so much more

#232 Lesley Braun is a well-respected integrative medicine leader who is passionate about improving public health, ensuring health professionals understand the therapeutic power of herbs and nutritional supplements and their patients have access to sound information and a variety of safe treatment options.

Dr Braun is the Blackmores Institute Director. Dr Braun is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National Institute of Complementary Medicine (Western Sydney University) and has held research positions at The Alfred Hospital, Monash University. She was Vice President of the National Herbalists Association of Australia, an Academic Board Member of Endeavour College, and former member of key industry groups including the Australian Therapeutic Goods Advisory Council, Advisory Committee for Complementary Medicine (TGA), the Advisory Committee for the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association, and the National E Health Transition Authority (NeHTA) medicines terminology group.

Lesley is a current member of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia’s Complementary and Integrative Therapies Group Executive, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Australian Institute of Company Directors, Australia-China Business Council Health, and Medical Research working group, plus on the course advisory committees for nutrition courses at Endeavour College and the Think Group.

She is the main author of four best-selling textbooks including Herbs and Natural Supplements – an evidence based guide, founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal Advances in Integrative Medicine, and was a regular columnist for the Australian Journal of Pharmacy for 20 years. In 2018 she was named The CEO Magazine's Health & Pharmaceutical Executive of the Year.

In this episode we cover

• What is mental well- being
• The mental well-being spiral
• What the allostatic load model of stress is
• How we can measure and individuals stress
• Some impacts that stress can have on the body
• What the biggest stressors to date are
• How CAM be effectively used, in the different stages of the stress response
• The link between sleep and mental health

#264 Dr. Paula Smith-Brown is the Clinical Science Lead at Microba and an Adjunct Lecturer at Centre for Microbiome Research at The Queensland University of Technology. She is a PhD qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian who combines her experience as a microbiome researcher and healthcare professional to translate the latest science on the gut microbiome into practical clinical application. 

In this episode we cover

• How microbial dysbiosis plays a role in IBS
• If the microbiome is different in those with IBS
• The impact a low FODMAP diet has on the microbiome
• FODMAP food reintroduction. How to tackle this if a patient has been on a low fodmap diet for some time
• If we can predict a response to a low FODMAP diet based on microbiome
• Strategies and interventions
• And so much more

#206 Dr. Blodgett is a native Oregonian who attended grade school through high school in Southwest Portland. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Oregon and completed his pre-doctoral sciences at Portland State University. Dr. Blodgett attended the OHSU School of Dentistry and graduated in June of 1999 where he earned the “Going the Extra Mile” award from his own classmates. Throughout his career, he’s become a recognized leader in minimally-invasive dentistry, dental lasers, computerized dental technology, and holistic care. He has been featured in numerous dental journals, on television, and in magazines for the innovative care he provides. He is truly a modern pioneer in progressive dental care.

In this episode we cover

• All things root canal and what an unexpected fascinating topic it is
• What is root canal and root canal toxicity
• How do you diagnose root canal problems
• What's an alternative to root canals
• Toothpaste - to fluoride or not to fluoride
• Mercury fillings - to remove or not remove
• Daily strategies to enhance / protect oral health / oral microbiome (and thus overall health)
• And so much more

#240 Dr Jason Hawrelak is a research scientist, educator, naturopath, and Western herbalist with more than 18 years of clinical experience. Jason practices at Goulds Natural Medicine, a 136-year-old natural medicine apothecary, and clinic located in central Hobart. He did his Honours and PhD degrees examining the causes of dysbiosis and the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics, and herbal medicines to modify the gut microbiome and has written extensively in the medical literature on these topics – including 16 textbook chapters.

He is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and was recently awarded a Fellowship from the American College of Nutrition for his significant contributions to the teaching and practice of nutrition in Australia and North America. Jason is also a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. He is Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products and online resources for clinicians, and health-conscious members of the public, to learn more about the human microbiome and how they can positively influence these ecosystems.

In this episode we cover

• What is diverticula, diverticulosis, diverticulitis and diverticular disease
• Common causes of diverticulosis and why it might progress to diverticulitis or diverticular disease
• How to differentiate between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Symptomatic uncomplicated DD (SUDD)
• The link between cardiovascular health and diverticular disease
• We address what diet may help support those experiencing these conditions and this includes eliminating old beliefs associated with diet 
• What are our main treatment aims
• And so much more
• I highly recommend Jason’s practitioner training on this subject Diverticular Disease: New Concepts in its Pathophysiology and Treatment

#227 Erin Kyna is a sexuality healer and coach, liberating women to experience their pleasure potential in all areas of life including sex. Her journey has been one of a coach and healer on the path to empowerment for the last ten years, travelling the world, and guiding other women along their path as she follows hers. Erin believes we all have the goddess inside of us. The goddess who is sacred, feminine, powerful, pleasured, insatiable, divine, empowered, free, wild, sensual, confident, and radiant.... It is her pleasure and honour to guide women all around the world to embody their inner goddess and their highest potential in all areas of life, including their sexual potential.

In this episode we cover

• How Erin came to own her voice during sex and pleasure 
• The impact this has had on her life
• What power does sexual freedom posses
• Why do some women struggle with expressing themselves freely, sexually
• How to overcome blocks to sensuality
• And so much more

#231 Petrea King is the Founder and CEO of the Quest for Life Foundation which she established in 1989 after her unexpected recovery from leukaemia. Petrea is a well-known author of nine best-selling books. She is an inspirational keynote speaker, teacher, and facilitator. Petrea is also qualified as a naturopath, herbalist, clinical hypnotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher and has been a regular guest on ABC Radio’s Midweek Conference for 19 years.

In 1983 Petrea was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and wasn’t expected to survive. Meditation and integration of past traumatic experiences, including the suicide of her brother, became paramount in her recovery. Petrea has counselled tens of thousands of people living with life-challenging illnesses, grief, loss, depression, anxiety, trauma and tragedy. She’s at the forefront of wellness education and is a frequent lecturer at medical and other conferences. Petrea has produced more than a dozen relaxation and meditation practices, including one for children, Rainbow Connection.

In this episode we cover

• Petrea's fascinating and inspiring story of healing
• The default mode network (DMN) and the task-positive networks (TPN) 
• What role disruption of these play in neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline
• Why an understanding of the two could be useful in healing 
• The 4 qualities that create healing, which encompass resilience, peace of mind and happiness
• What is emotional literacy
• Strategies that help to improve brain function and sense of wellbeing
• And so much more

#233 Dr. Karin is a board-certified Naturopathic physician, graduating from Bastyr University. She received her undergraduate degree in biomedical science from Grand Valley State University, where she excelled as a student-athlete. After her collegiate experience and witnessing the traumatic unfolding of 9/11, Karin was called to serve in the military as a Naval aviator and deployed to Afghanistan in support of OEF in 2010.

Dr. Karin’s practice is focused in integrative neurology, and embraces a philosophy centered around forming and maintaining resilience in health. She believes that any path to wellness is the correct one, and by using the tools we instinctively possess combined with the art and science of medicine, we can uncover the deeper root of disease and work on an individual basis to improve the state of health.

As a peer-reviewed published author, Dr. Karin focuses personal research on the neuroimmunology of resilience and enjoys serving as a liaison between her education and clinical practice. Dr. Karin’s personal experience caring for her father has grown into a professional passion to provide individualized care for caregivers, feeling strongly that they are the core tenant of health in their communities and homes, and often speaks with support groups in her local area.

In this episode we cover

• What Parkinson's disease is
• Causes, including some lesser known
• How is the gut involved? Did you know that constipation precedes the motor symptoms common in Parkinsons by about 20 years
• The hallmark symptoms of PD
• Patterns seen in the gut that either precede the onset of parkinsons or are there while present? What measures can we take to prevent the onset of disease
• If symptoms can be reversed 
• What health providers should know
• The role that care partners play in the overall health and wellness of PwP
• and so much more