On today's show I've curated a list of 9 important things about your digestive system that I want you to know about. From cognitive function, to immune balance, to sleep hygiene, to trapping viruses - your GI tract plays an integral role in all of it. Once you understand how that works, you're able to not only improve your gut health, but optimize how your entire body feels and functions.   

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Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

IBS is frequently referred to as a diagnosis of exclusion: your doctor can’t find anything else wrong; therefore, it must be IBS. But if you slice up the IBS pie and take a good look, you actually find lots of potential explanations for what might be causing your symptoms. In this episode I go through over 30 different causes of IBS symptoms. These are conditions that we see frequently in a gastroenterology practice that should definitely be on the list when somebody is complaining of abdominal pain or a change in their bowel habits. But in order to correctly diagnose these conditions, you have to be thinking beyond an umbrella diagnosis of “IBS”. You have to actually be interested in finding out what is causing the symptoms. 

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

Encouraging physicians to make a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and prescribe medication for it is big business. I'm not saying that medication for IBS is never a good idea or never effective, but I am saying that it is often an overly expedient solution that doesn’t usually lead to lasting relief for the simple reason that IBS consists of multiple different conditions. Since there is no one unifying diagnosis of "IBS" there can't be one unifying pharmaceutical solution. 

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

This week's episode is another example of why you should reject a blanket diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, and ask your doctor to roll their sleeves up and help you uncover the root cause of your symptoms. The solution for everyone who's diagnosed with IBS is not always a diet change. But it should never just be "your bowel is irritable and here’s a drug".

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

We've been conditioned to think that all stress is harmful, but science now shows that certain kinds of stress are not only beneficial, but necessary for optimal health. By cultivating the right kind of stress, you are healing, repairing, and regenerating your body. In this episode I'm joined by physician and author of The Stress Paradox Dr. Sharon Bergquist to discuss how stress can improve your gut and overall health.

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

Whether you're recovering from cancer or dealing with a chronic illness, how you nourish yourself is so important - and that includes not just the food you're eating, but also your mindset and thoughts. In this episode, how do you use the experience of a devastating diagnosis like cancer to live your healthiest, most nourished life. 

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

In this episode we dive into the causes and treatment for aerophagia - one of the most unrecognized factors behind burping and bloating. Aerophagia is a condition where people swallow large amounts of air unintentionally and without realizing it. It’s often misdiagnosed as acid reflux, ulcers, gallstones, or SIBO – small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. I frequently see patients who have been put on acid blockers or treated for ulcers that they don't have, or sometimes even had their gallbladder removed, and they're still not better. And that's because their aerophagia has not been diagnosed. 

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

OK, so you've filled your plate with fiber, you're drinking at least half your body weight in ounces of water and you're getting 30 to 60 minutes of regular exercise every day. You are poised for some really good bathroom action. On today's show, what else do you need to do to have a fantastic smooth move first thing in the morning. Spoiler alert: position, propulsion, and clean-up are key!

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

We all want to walk out of the doctor's office with something that we believe is going to make us better. But it's critically important to make sure that whatever you are opting in for - whether it's a pill, a procedure, or some other product - you are making that decision with eyes wide open and asking the important questions. On today's show: the "retailization" of healthcare, and how to be an informed consumer.

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

On today’s show: the 10 most important steps to restore your gut health after taking antibiotics. Although it’s true that your microbiome will take a hit after antibiotics and may be permanently altered, it’s still possible to offset some of the damage by supporting your gut during and after the antibiotic. 

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan

A one-week course of antibiotics can remove up to 1/3 of your gut bacteria - and that damage can’t be undone by just taking a probiotic, so you need to be absolutely certain that you really need that antibiotic. In today’s episode, I’m going to share 10 critical questions to ask your health care provider if you’ve been prescribed an antibiotic that can help you limit the damage to your gut microbiome.

We'd love to hear from you - send us a text!

Thank you for being a part of our community! For the latest in digestive wellness go to https://gutbliss.com and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan