Nikki Hawkes

Medical Herbalist & Gut Health specialist

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elimination diet

Some reasons a low FODMAP diet may not work for IBS

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Research shows that if you have irritable bowel syndrome, eating a diet low in FODMAPs is likely to reduce your symptoms. I discuss what FODMAPs are and how they help IBS here.

Briefly a low FODMAP diet restricts foods that contain certain types of carbohydrates, specifically fermentable carbohydrates. However, though a low FODMAP diet is certainly a useful tool to help manage the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, it is not a cure for this complex condition. In fact, research shows that the low FODMAP diet only helps around 60 to 80% of people with IBS.

There are several reasons that a low FODMAP diet may not be entirely successful in relieving symptoms. To uncover the underlying factors can entail a bit of detective work, with careful consideration of the individual circumstances that might be responsible. [Read more…] about Some reasons a low FODMAP diet may not work for IBS

Which therapy – chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis

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This is the second post in a series of posts about the potential benefits of complementary therapies for people living with chronic pain. In case you missed it, you can find the first post here.

This post focusses on research related to several complementary therapies and rheumatoid arthritis. As reported in a review article in the British Medical Journal.

Acupuncture and rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease of the joints, that involves chronic inflammation, deformity and chronic pain. People with rheumatoid arthritis usually take long term medication, such as NSAIDs and anti-rheumatics for pain, swelling and stiffness. These conventional treatments are associated with significant side effects and risks. [Read more…] about Which therapy – chronic pain and rheumatoid arthritis

The autoimmune diet that puts autoimmune disease into remission

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If you had an autoimmune disease wouldn’t you want to know about a diet that helped in just six weeks? Well, that is what this study shows. 73% of people with inflammatory bowel disease were helped in weeks by an autoimmune diet.

What is inflammatory bowel disease?

The inflammatory bowel diseases are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. In these diseases something triggers the immune sytem to attack the tissues of it’s own body. So, inflammatory bowel disease is an autoimmune condition affecting the gut.

Autoimmune conditions often run in families. So, some people have a greater risk of these diseases due to their genes. This does not necessarily mean that if someone in your family has an autoimmune condition you will also develop it. Rather, scientists are learning that while your genes may make you susceptible, other factors may be much more influential. [Read more…] about The autoimmune diet that puts autoimmune disease into remission

Why am I reacting to everything I eat?

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As a herbalist, I am often asked this question. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, avoiding your trigger foods can help to prevent symptoms. Yet, if you’re not sure what your trigger foods are. Or you find yourself eating fewer and fewer foods, it can be a scary outlook. As well as creating a scenario where you also have several nutrient deficiencies. Understanding why this happens shows us how to improve the problem.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common digestive problem that some people endure throughout their life. It is identified as a collection of symptoms, typically, stomach cramps, bloating, and constipation and/or diarrhoea. Your doctor may tell you that there is no cure. So, when most of the foods you eat cause these symptoms, life can be difficult. In fact, many people with irritable bowel syndrome are offered antidepressants to help them cope with the anxiety and depression that often result. [Read more…] about Why am I reacting to everything I eat?

4R program – Remove the triggers

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This is the second in a series of blog posts about the 4R program for optimising your digestion and gut health. You can read the first part by following the link below.

Part one: Optimise your digestive health

Remove the triggers of inflammation

The first phase in improving your gut health is to remove the things that cause problems. These are the factors that cause inflammation in the gut. Such things can include the foods that you eat. As well as microbes that cause gut infections, such as bacteria, yeast or even parasites. Sometimes toxins in your environment can also cause problems in your gut. [Read more…] about 4R program – Remove the triggers