Let's Gut Real - Easy to Digest Nutrition Science

Making nutrition science accessible and easy-to-digest. Andrea Hardy, Canada’s Gut Health Dietitian, is on a mission to connect people to credible, up-to-date nutrition information about gut health and digestive disorders. Nutrition misinformation is rampant. If nutrition advice online scares you, it’s probably not true. Let’s Gut Real is all taking the fear out of nutrition messaging, cultivating critical thinking, and helping you understand nutrition science. Andrea talks with guests about digestive health, the gut microbiome, hot nutrition topics, and nutrition misinformation, sharing messages that are easy to consume and that inspire sustainable action. Andrea likes to say her goal is to get people to take nutrition a little less seriously – which may come as a surprise coming from a dietitian. Through humour, she injects fun into her science-based media messages. After all, poop jokes aren’t her favourite kinda jokes, but they are a solid #2. Connect with Andrea to learn and laugh on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @andreahardyrd or at www.andreahardyrd.com, or at her private practice www.ignitenutrition.ca

A Short Break from the Podcast Announcement 05/09/2023

Cannabis and Pain Disorders: Is there a Role in GI? With Dr. Katia Tonkin 04/11/2023

Cannabis and Pain Disorders: Is there a Role in GI? With Dr. Katia Tonkin Pain is a predominant feature in the majority of functional gut disorders. The higher risk of anxiety and depression when coping with any chronic illness, including GI disorders, as well as anxiety and depression impacting symptoms and symptom perception in many GI conditions are all very important aspect of medical care. This week I interview Dr. Katia Tonkin on the role that cannabis plays in medical care – including in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and pain. Dr. Tonkin is a medical oncologist who worked at The Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton Alberta Canada for 20 years and in London, Ontario Canada for 6 years prior to that. She became interested in medical cannabis in 2016 as many patients started asking about cannabis. After researching into it, Dr. Tonkin felt cannabis was likely to help many patients with a wide variety of problems. She started treating patients in April 2017 and wants to contribute to clinical research to further medical knowledge into appropriate uses of medical cannabis, as well as educating health care providers on the proper use of cannabis. She works out of Optimum Wellness Center as well as other clinics as a medical prescriber. We talk about: Tonkin’s background as a clinician and how they became interested in the role cannabis plays in medical care. What cannabis is. The components of the plant that have therapeutic impacts. The role of a medical prescriber. How cannabis, that is medically prescribed, differs from cannabis you might find in stores and why ’self medicating’ is not the best strategy to realize the benefits of cannabis The conditions we have evidence for using cannabis with (including anxiety, depression and pain) How these overlaps with gastrointestinal disorders. How to find a medical prescriber. Connect with Dr. Katia Tonkin at in Edmonton, Alberta. /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/26491518

Nutrition & Long COVID what’s the Role, with Marlee Coldwell, RD 03/14/2023

Nutrition & Long COVID what’s the Role, with Marlee Coldwell, RD Long-COVID is defined by The National Health Service as having symptoms that develop during or after a COVID infection which continue for more than 12 weeks. This week I interview Marlee Coldwell, RD on how long COVID presents and ways that it can be managed in our patients. Marlee has been working with patients who have complex digestive health issues and food intolerances for the past 5 years. Marlee specializes in providing nutritional support for digestive disorders including IBS, IBD, SIBO, fatty liver disease, and much more. Marlee is the team lead dietitian for Ignite Nutrition, one of Canada’s top digestive health nutrition practices. With her specialized knowledge of gastrointestinal health, she also helps to train and support other dietitians to work with those who have unique and complex food intolerances and GI disorders. In 2019, Marlee also wrote a cookbook called ‘Insulin Resistance Diet for Beginners’, which showcases her other great passion, women’s health and PCOS management. We talk about: · What long COVID is · How many people experience it · What the symptoms are · How we see it influencing our IBS patients and how nutrition can help · The influence of COVID on the GI tract · The taste and smell changes, how they influence people’s nutrition, and if there is anything to help · The inflammatory immune-mediated symptoms like rashes, brain fog, joint pain, chronic fatigue, gut pain, and diarrhea · Why people have been curious about a low histamine diet when it comes to long COVID · The overlap between MCAS and long covid, and why people are being managed like MCAS patients · If using a MCAS approach can ´fix´ long COVID Connect with Coldwell on at on Instagram here /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/25993683

Hypermobility and GI – is it Underrecognized? With Cheryl Harris, RD 02/14/2023

The Role of Nutrition in Immune Function with Doug Cook, RD 01/10/2023

NAFLD & The Gut Microbiome with Neha Shah, RD 12/13/2022

NAFLD & The Gut Microbiome with Neha Shah, RD Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disease where fat accumulates in the liver, and can progress to inflammation (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH), and hardening of the liver (cirrhosis). It is a silent disease, often completely symptomless, however, trying to catch it early is important due to its progressive nature. This week I interview RD Neha Shah on what NAFLD is, how it may be reversed and the overlap between gut issues and NAFLD. Neha has been specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology for the past 16 years. She initially began her career as an inpatient dietitian at Stanford Health Care, counseling patients by bedside recovering from gastrointestinal surgery. She later came into the Digestive Health Center there to inaugurate and build Nutrition Services for all programs within the GI and Liver Clinics. She is now at UCSF, specializing in GI, IBD, and intestinal rehabilitation. Neha also owns a GI and liver nutrition private practice, Neha Shah Nutrition, with the intent to bring specialized GI and liver nutrition care to the community. In addition to patient care, Neha has authored over 20 articles in reputable journals related to GI nutrition. She is co-founder and is Director of Operations of the international South Asian IBD Alliance and is a member of the Crohn's and Colitis Medical Advisory Committee of Northern California. Her goal is to continue to be involved with GI initiatives to advance nutrition care to improve outcomes. We talk about: How she got involved as a dietitian in gastroenterology What NAFLD is How NAFLD develops and how prevalent NAFLD is What some of the risk factors are for developing NAFLD What the standard treatment is for NAFLD What the gut-liver axis is and how it relates to NAFLD If probiotics or prebiotics play a role in NAFLD management Why NAFLD often overlaps with other gut conditions - and how to manage both at the same time Connect with Shah on her website at on Instagram or on her here as well! /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/25286781

Patient Experience of Disorders of Gut Brain Interaction with Johannah Ruddy, MEd & Dr. Doug Drossman 11/08/2022

Patient Experience of Disorders of Gut Brain Interaction with Johannah Ruddy, MEd & Dr. Doug Drossman Two previous guest of our Let’s Gut Real Podcast, Dr. Drossman and Johannah Ruddy, join us again today to talk about their newly released book. Gut Feelings: The Patient's Story Personal Accounts of the Illness Journey A Guide for Patients and Doctors Gut Feelings: A Patient’s Story. Now available on Amazon. Dr. Drossman received his M.D. degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and subspecialized in biopsychosocial medicine and Gastroenterology. He received his gastroenterology training at the University of North Carolina where he founded the UNC for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. Currently he is 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) and Founder and President of the Rome Foundation for 29 years. In addition, he founded the Drossman Center for the Education and Practice of Biopsychosocial Care as an entity to help train physicians in relationship-centered biopsychosocial care with an emphasis on communication skills and enhancing the patient-doctor relationship. Dr. Drossman is joined today by co-author Johannah Ruddy who is a national expert, researcher, and writer on teaching communications skills to patients and providers. Johannah currently serves as the Executive Director of the Rome Foundation. She has 22 years of executive leadership experience working with a variety of non-profit organizations nationwide and a strong background in writing for patients as well as a speaker at GI practices, medical centers, and conferences in the area of provider communication and patient advocacy. She holds a Bachelor of science degree from the University of New Mexico in Political Science, a Masters of Education from New Mexico Highlands University and is a doctoral student at Campbell University. She lives in Wake Forest, North Carolina with her husband of 21 years and their two sons. Dr. Drossman, Johannah Ruddy and I talk about: - Dr. Drossman’s and Mrs. Ruddy’s backgrounds and how they came to work together - Disorders of gut brain interaction - Typical patient experiences with these diagnoses and the reasons why they hold so much stigma - Each of their biggest learnings as practitioner and patient in doing these interviews - Common mistakes/pitfalls practitioners experience in working with patients and how this may be a disservice to our patients - The key things clinicians can take away from this book, with a focus on patient centred care. - How patients advocate for themselves to feel heard in their journey You can find their new book: Gut Feelings: The Patient's Story Personal Accounts of the Illness Journey A Guide for Patients and Doctors Gut Feelings: A Patient’s Story which is also available on Amazon: You can find their previous book: Gut Feelings- Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions, A Guide for Patients and Doctors which is available on Amazon: Check out the video version of the audio recording excerpt featured in this presentation: Connect with Johannah on Instagram on Twitter or on . Learn more about the or here: /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/24841215

Is IBS a Mental Health Disorder? with Heidi Staudacher, RD 10/11/2022

Is IBS a Mental Health Disorder? with Heidi Staudacher, RD Did you know that it is more common to have anxiety and depressive symptoms if you have IBS compared to if you don’t have IBS? This week I interview dietitian Heidi Staudacher to discuss how patients can often end up in a vicious cycle where they have gastrointestinal symptoms that lead to mental health problems and then that further leads to more gut symptoms. Heidi Staudacher is an accredited practising dietitian and has had extensive experience in the clinical management of people with clinically functional gastrointestinal disorders. Heidi completed her PhD at King’s College London in 2016 in which she investigated the use of the low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome and its impact on symptoms, the microbiota and diet quality. Her research interests include understanding the effect of different dietary components on gut microbiota, and therapeutic diets for gut disorders and their influence on gut microbial composition. She is passionate about conducting high quality research in the field of diet and gut health. We talk about: How Staudacher became interested in the area of functional gut disorders and mental health The prevalence of mental health disorders in IBS How IBS impacts mental health Whether or not developing IBS predisposes individuals to developing mental health issues How it is the chicken or the egg when it comes to mental health and IBS How so many patients have heard the phrase ‘it’s all in your head’ and how the onus is placed on patients to ‘fix’ their IBS and how distressing that can be How patients have often felt like it’s their own fault through challenges with their mental health that they have IBS How nutrition influences mental health in IBS Some interventions for IBS that have been shown to improve mental health Whether or not changing the gut microbiota might influence mental health and IBS. The role of probiotic, prebiotics, and dietary changes in order to change the gut microbiota The influence of diet on mental health in IBS. Including the impact of disordered eating and eating disorders The big take aways clinicians need to know regarding the intersection of mental health in functional gut disorders Connect with Staudacher on or on her website at as well! /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/24484755

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and IBD Nutrition with Brittany Roman-Green, RD 09/13/2022

Do Digestive Enzymes Help IBS? with Anjie Liu and David Hachuel 08/09/2022

How do Eating Disorders Impact Digestive Symptoms? with Jessica Begg, RD 07/12/2022

How do Eating Disorders Impact Digestive Symptoms? with Jessica Begg, RD Diet culture has a profound impact on our beliefs about nutrition and health. It can impact our behaviours and may lead to disordered eating which can have far reaching impacts on our bodies ability to digest food and further lead to uncomfortable digestive symptoms. This week I interview Jessica Begg, RD on how emotional eating and binge eating influences our digestive symptoms. Jessica Begg is both a Registered Dietitian as well as a Registered Clinical Counsellor. Jessica’s double qualifications make her uniquely suited to helping clients address the psychological issues that underpin their challenges with eating. She has been working in the area of disordered eating and within eating disorders treatment programs since 2006. Jessica works from a trauma-informed, emotion-focused, weight-inclusive and weight-neutral, anti-diet or non-diet approach. Jessica’s approach allows her clients to live their lives to the full by unshackling their beliefs about diet culture. She is currently living in Vancouver where she practices clinical nutrition counselling. We talk about: How Jessica became involved in working with patients with eating disorders The prevalence of digestive symptoms in eating disorders and what symptoms people usually complain of Why manipulating the diet, being the knee jerk approach that registered dietitians MIGHT use, may not be appropriate (Especially registered dietitians without eating disorder experience) The importance of screening for eating disorder behaviours How emotional and binge eating influences digestive symptoms Important things to consider/do to reduce emotional and binge eating How restrictive diets for digestive disorders might trigger binge eating /emotional eating, and the problems with that Connect with Jessica on her website at or on or on her or on here as well! /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/23443943

Are Plant-Based Diets Best for your Gut Microbiome? with The Alpro Foundationv 06/14/2022

Are Plant-Based Diets Best for your Gut Microbiome? with The Alpro Foundationv With diets like keto and carnivore gaining traction, I've had many people ask - what impact do plants specifically have on our microbiome and human health? Today I interview Dr. Veronique Braesco, Dr. Petra Louis, and Dr. Ian Rowland, researchers that have contributed to the latest scientific update summarizing the impact of plant-based diets on the gut microbiome and published through the Alpro Foundation. The Alpro Foundation has been a scientific platform for over 25 years dedicated to supporting research and the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge on plant-based nutrition and its impact on health and environment amongst academics, healthcare professionals and key stakeholders in nutrition. The ultimate aim is to help drive the transition to more healthful plant-based diets for human and planetary health. Underpinning Alpro Foundation’s scientific integrity is an independent Scientific Advisory Board of 8 leading academic experts who provide direction and advice and ensure the scientific credibility of the education tools. Professor Ian Rowland is the chair of this Scientific Advisory Board. Professor Ian Rowland is editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Nutrition. Until his recent retirement, he was the Hugh Sinclair Professor of Human Nutrition at University of Reading. He holds a BSc and PhD in microbiology from University College London. Prof. Rowland’s main research area is the role of diet (in particular probiotics, prebiotics, phytoestrogens, and phytochemicals) in the prevention of colon, breast and prostate cancer. In his current research, he is investigating the role of fruit and vegetable intake on markers of cancer risk. In 2005 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Gent in Belgium for his work on nutrition and cancer. Professor Rowland has published over 300 papers. Petra Louis is a molecular microbiologist with an interest in the human gut microbiome, diet and health. She obtained her Diploma in Biology and PhD in Microbiology from the University of Bonn, Germany, where she conducted research on osmoadaptation in halophilic bacteria. Véronique Braesco holds a PhD in human nutrition. Her academic carrier in Public Research at INRA, as senior scientist, has been focused on vitamins. She then headed the Nutrition Research Department of the Danone Group. In this position, she managed the design and implementation of scientific strategies, in particular in the field of probiotics. She was later responsible for the Human Nutrition Research Centre in Auvergne, dedicated to studying the role of diet in healthy aging. She is now at the head of VAB-nutrition, a consulting firm specialized in human nutrition that she created in 2007. We talk about: What characteristics are associated with better health by way of the gut microbiome Beneficial and deleterious dietary components and their influence on gut microbiome Fibre from supplements versus food - is one ‘better’ for the gut microbiome? The role of the food matrix, the various chemical compounds found in food like polyphenols, and the role variety of fibres plays in the gut microbiome composition Polyphenols - where are they found, and what are potential ways in which they influence our health by way of the gut microbiome What are SCFA’s, what their role is in our health, and what influences the production of SCFAs in the gut Microbial metabolites from protein - when do we digest protein, how this occurs, how does it influence health? How fibre impacts microbial metabolite production in our bodies Dietary recommendations we can ultimately take away from the current evidence The most recent Scientific update with the Alpro Foundation is about the '' /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/23379470

How to Fight Nutrition Misinformation? with Abby Langer, RD 05/10/2022

Nutrition for Concussions and Mental Health with Erik Bustillo, RD 04/12/2022

Nutrition for Concussions and Mental Health with Erik Bustillo, RD Concussions can have a profound impact on our brains and are not always the result of a direct blow to the head. This week I interview Erik Bustillo, RD on concussions, what they are, how they impact the brain, how they can happen, nutrition supported recovery and the impact they can have on mental health. Erik Bustillo, MS, RD, FISSN, CISSN, CSC, CPT practices as a Registered Dietitian, Strength Coach, Fitness Trainer, and Health Coach. He attended Florida International University and earned his B.S. in Dietetics & Nutrition and his M.S. in Applied Exercise Science with a concentration in Sports Nutrition from Concordia University Chicago. Additionally, Erik is the current Co-Vice President and a Fellow of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) as well as a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN), a Certified Strength Coach through the National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF), and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA). Erik has experience in research and working with professional, collegiate & tactical athletes, weekend warriors, avid CrossFitters, and in an outpatient setting helping individuals with weight loss/gain as desired outcomes using motivational interviewing and seeing medical nutrition therapy patients. We talk about: How Erik became interested in sports nutrition What is a concussion and how does it affect our brain? Are there any implications on mental health from concussions? What sports are at risk of concussions Long term impacts of concussions How does nutrition play a role following a concussion? Can it impact return to sport? With all the crazy supplements out there focused on enhancing brain health - are there any supplements to take or avoid in concussion recovery? Is there any link between gut health and concussion recovery? What about Probiotic use for concussion recovery? Connect with Erik on or on or on his here as well! /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/22665314

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition for IBD with Dr. Genelle 03/08/2022

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition for IBD with Dr. Genelle Our diet, the balance of our gut microbiome, and fibre intake can have significant impacts on our digestive health and disease outcomes. This week I interview Dr. Genelle Healey on the use of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) treatment for IBD patients. Dr Genelle Healey undertook her PhD in Nutritional Science at Massey University in New Zealand. Her research looked at what influence habitual dietary fibre intake has on gut microbiota response to a prebiotic (fibre) intervention. Prior to commencing her PhD, Genelle worked as a New Zealand registered Dietitian caring for patients with various diseases including gastrointestinal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), renal disease and diabetes. In 2017, Genelle moved to Vancouver to start a postdoctoral fellowship at University of British Columbia. The focus of her research is to better understand the impact nutrition, particularly fibre, has on the gut microbiome and disease outcomes for patients with IBD. During her postdoctoral fellowship she utilized models of IBD to investigate the therapeutic potential of novel nutritional interventions with the hope that these therapies can one day be used to positively impact the health and wellbeing of patients with IBD. Specifically, she has demonstrated that exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) enriched with fibre leads to beneficial changes in the gut microbiome, less inflammation and better disease outcomes compared to EEN without fibre. We talk about: How Healey became interested in the field of digestive health What IBD is How diet plays a role in the management of IBD Some prescriptive diets that could put a patient into remission. The role of ‘enteral nutrition’ in IBD The difference between PEN and EEN The mechanism of action in which we believe PEN/EEN can induce remission in IBD patients How the gut microbiome is involved The formulas used in IBD management and their ingredients, including emulsifiers The overall complexity of IBD Connect with Dr. Healey on her researchgate or on /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/22041146

Navigating the Gluten-Free Diet with Celiac Disease with Selena Devries, RD 02/08/2022

Navigating the Gluten-Free Diet with Celiac Disease with Selena Devries, RD Were you recently diagnosed with celiac disease? Having celiac disease can mean something different for each patient. There are many different symptoms and yet some people may not experience any symptoms at all. This week I interview RD Selena Devries about different ways to advocate for yourself if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease and helpful ways to encourage your transition into eating gluten-free. Selena Devries is a registered dietitian from BC Canada. She completed her dietetic training at Kelowna General Hospital in 2013 and was, shortly, after diagnosed with celiac disease myself. Through her diagnosis, she started to volunteer with the Canadian Celiac Association and ended up working on their national board of directors as well as their professional advisory council with other celiac dietitians and gastroenterologists. She is also trained in the low FODMAP diet for IBS through Monash University. Her own diagnosis and follow up led her to discover gaps in care for celiac disease which led her to private practice with a focus on the dietary management of celiac disease. With her online nutrition practice, she helps celiacs fall back in love with food. She helps them resolve persistent symptoms despite a GF diet, help the newly diagnosed get off on their best foot, and help celiacs eat out with confidence. We talk about: How Selena became interested in celiac disease What is celiac disease? The common symptoms of celiac disease and some emerging symptoms (GI and otherwise) The mainstay in celiac treatment What you see as major gaps as a dietitian working with celiac and living with celiac when it comes to celiac education High risk gluten-free grains Tips for eating out while gluten-free What to do when symptoms don’t improve How to advocate for yourself as a patient with celiac disease Health monitoring protocols like annual blood labs The overlap with IBS and SIBO or other gastrointestinal issues Connect with Selena on her website at Healthbean.ca on Instagram or on her here as well! /episode/index/show/lets-gut-real-andrea-hardy-rd/id/22040315