Blog

One of the most common reasons for referral to a gastroenterologist is the feeling of bloating (abdominal distension). It occurs when gas or fluid accumulate in the abdomen, causing expansion of the small or large intestine. In younger people it ...

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects up to 20% of the UK population with women at least twice as likely to be affected as men. Common symptoms include bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort. While many help their symptoms by changing ...

A healthy liver should contain little to no fat. Having high levels of fat in the liver is associated with an increased risk of serious health problems, from diabetes and high blood pressure to kidney disease. This month’s blog will ...

The low FODMAP diet is a relatively new concept in the UK.  It is recognised by NICE as an effective diet for managing the symptoms of IBS such as abdominal pain, wind and bloating. About 70% of people with ...

What is it? Colonic diverticulosis is the condition whereby diverticula, or pockets, form from the lining of the colon. These protrusions of the colon lining occur at sites of weakness in the muscle wall possibly due to increased pressure from ...

Rifaximin is an antibiotic that can be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome without constipation (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and if successful, may relief abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhoea. Individuals with IBS and/or SIBO are thought to ...

Carbohydrates are commonly consumed as part of a typical Western diet. This blog will highlight some of the problems that carbohydrates may pose if there are problems with digestion or absorption. Carbohydrate digestion starts in the upper part of the ...

Studies conducted in recent years have explored the relationship between the gut microbiota, consisting of around 800 different bacteria species, and metabolism. It has been suggested that specific intestinal microbial compositions can either protect from, or contribute to, obesity and ...

In the 19th edition of the Gut Reaction series, I suggested that patients with Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux (LPR) may consider an alkaline water & plant-based Mediterranean style diet. As discussed in that blog, a paper published in JAMA Otolaryngology (October 2017) suggested that diet and ...

This month’s blog will focus on STW5 (or Iberogast), a herbal product used for many years to treat functional dyspepsia (a chronic disorder of sensation and movement in the upper digestive tract – read more here). What is it? Iberogast is ...