There are more and more clinical trials being produced to help us understand useful dietary patterns to support Crohn’s disease. Your diet in remission should look very different from your diet in a flare. The best suited diet will vary depending on individual disease activity and food preferences. What are some of the common protocols and what’s the evidence behind them? Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) What is it? The Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet (CDED) looks to avoid products which may have a pro-inflammatory effect on the intestinal mucosa, as well as those which may have a negative ..read more

Summer seems to have finally arrived in the UK! In this hot weather, ensuring little ones are drinking enough and hydrated is super important to keep them happy and healthy. See below for tips on how to make sure they are getting enough fluid whilst we are in this heatwave! How much do they need When we calculate fluid requirements in paediatrics, this is based on their weight and age. Each day: Babies under 6 months of age need 150ml/kg Babies between 6 – 12 months of age need 120ml/kg Children over 1 year of age need 100ml/kg for their first 10kg of weight, 50ml/kg for the next 10kg of weig ..read more

Struggling with weight management can be challenging, especially when accompanied by disordered eating patterns such as binge eating disorder (BED). By understanding the unique aspects of BED and implementing a holistic approach, we can foster a healthier relationship with food while promoting sustainable weight management. What is binge eating disorder BED is a condition characterised by recurrent episodes of consuming large quantities of food within a short period, accompanied by a sense of loss of control and distress (1). It’s important to recognise that BED is not a lack of willpower or l ..read more

What is NAFLD? Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as an excess accumulation of fat in the liver, not as a result of alcohol intake. (1) NAFLD is estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 people in the UK. (2) According to the NHS, having fatty liver can put one at risk of serious health problems, such as: Type 2 diabetes High blood pressure and Kidney disease Although obesity can predispose to NAFLD, it has also been reported in lean individuals, emphasizing that genetic and environmental factors also contribute to disease development. What are the symptoms? There are not usually an ..read more

The simple complicated truth Everyone craves clarity in their lives. This is particularly true when it comes to our health. If we feel unwell, we want to know why. We want a clear explanation and ideally, a quick fix. Nothing could be more natural than this desire for clarity, but it can create problems when it leads us to rush for simple answers when the truth is more complex. I see this in my work all the time. When people notice that they are having a reaction to food they assume they have an allergy. Many reach for what feels like the most readily available solution: food allergy test ..read more

What does it mean Your gut is essentially a single, long, winding tube from your mouth to your bottom.  The food that you eat goes through stages of ingestion, digestion, and absorption, before any waste products are passed back out.  However, in some cases there can be barriers to the movement of food through the gut.    A stricture is a narrowing of the gut, it can be caused by various factors, such as: Scar tissue from previous gut surgery (fibrosis) Inflammation in the gut Or as a complication of cancer treatments or radiation therapy An adhesion is a band o ..read more

Muslims across the world are marking the start of Ramadan this week.  One of the most recognised practices undertaken will be the daily fasting –  which involves fasting from food and drink between the hours of sunrise and sunset for 30 days.    For our followers that partake in fasting during Ramadan, we’ve put together some top tips on managing nutrition and hydration, as well as keeping on top of your gut health this month.  1)  Mirror your normal mealtime routine as much as possible It’s really important that we eat regularly to nourish our bodies and our ..read more

What is gastritis Gastrtritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining (your tummy, above your gut) and can have many causes. It can be acute (happen suddenly and pass quickly) or chronic (happens gradually, lasts a long time, can lead to more damage). Although they sound similar, gastritis is different to gastroenteritis or stomach/peptic ulcers. What are the signs of gastritis Signs of gastritis can include: Stomach (tummy) pain Indigestion (pain or burning around your tummy or breast bone) Feeling sick (nausea) Being sick (vomiting) Feeling unusually full and bloated Not feeling as hungry ..read more

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is thought to affect 7-21% of the world’s population, which we think is a very significant amount out of 7 billion people! At the Gut Health Clinic, we want to help as many people as possible manage their symptoms through evidence-based and dietitian-led nutritional care. We also work as a holistic team and utilise non-diet approaches – both can make a world of difference to those we support. What is IBS and how do I know if I have a flare-up? IBS is a long-term condition that is a collection of altered bowel habits that often have other associated symptoms. What ..read more

What is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) 1 in 10 women in the UK have PCOS and according to Verity, a UK PCOS charity, 70% of people do not know they have it (1) . It is more common in caucasian women, middle eastern women, and black women (2). Women with PCOS have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the long term (3). The term  ‘polycystic ovary syndrome’ is actually quite confusing as it implies that the problem lies mainly with the ovaries and the multiple ‘cysts’ on the ovaries. However, the cause of PCOS is due to insulin and androgens hormone imbalan ..read more