Finding the right balance

FEBRUARY is Gut Health Month, and local Surf Coast nutritionist, naturopath and gut heath specialist, Karlene Georgiadis is igniting people’s curiosity about gut health.

In her best-selling book GUT TRUTH, A New Map to a Healthy Gut and Vibrant Life, Georgiadis, who practices as a biomedical nutritionist, herbalist and naturopath on the Surf Coast, encourages readers to think about what’s in the toilet bowl, seeing your poo as a snapshot of your health and a reflection of your genes, lifestyle, and current environmental factors.

“What you see in the bowl is an instant guide to what’s going on internally for you, it’s the No.1 health check, everyone should do, every day,” Georgiadis said.

“This is a big area of research which continues to grow and evolve.

“The book, GUT TRUTH, is my life’s work, it is a culmination of my story to date and the thousands of poo samples I have analysed.

“It starts with looking in the toilet bowl and knowing what to look for, our poo offers specific visual signs that the gut is either in or out of balance.

“We don’t have to wait till disease, bloating, wind or other physical symptoms have become a problem.”

The new book is already an amazon best-seller in the Food Counters and Weight loss Categories and Hot New Releases In Nutrition.

A recent CSIRO study reported that 30 per cent of Australians have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and over half the population experiences unpleasant gut symptoms such as bloating, gas and constipation, meaning 1 in 7 people experience distressing gut symptoms.

“Most of these symptoms can be overcome by rebalancing the gut bacteria. But most of us don’t know how to do that long-term.” Georgiadis said.

Georgiadis begins her sessions with clients by asking her patients to book a poo sample.

“The results are a window into every aspect of the person’s health and it’s like I’m reading their health map and the solutions revealed in their poo,” Georgiadis said.

In her more than 25 years of biomedical practice, Georgiadis has reviewed and analysed thousands of stool samples from people across the world who have struggled to diagnose mystery symptoms.

“More often than not, these people were feeding the wrong bacteria in their gut, sometimes for years,” Georgiadis said.

“Contrary to a mainstream health approach, I do not recommend the blanket use of fad fermented foods such as kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut and yoghurt – they often feed the wrong bacteria and add to existing symptoms. Even probiotics.

“If fermented foods or probiotics are recommended, it is then dose specific and only for a short period of time until balance is restored.”

Georgiadis said she then only recommends fermented foods or probiotics if the client showed low levels or oversupply of any specific bacteria.

Georgiadis’s approach to gut health focuses on feeding and balancing microbiota based on the individual’s unique map of gut flora.

In Gut Truth, Georgiadis relays stories, gives tips and dives deep into this world of gut health.

To find out more or order Gut Truth, visit www.karlene.com.au