Table of Contents
Introduction xiii
Myth-busting, facts and fallacies xxii
Section 1 Understanding your amazing gut
1 How your amazing gut works 3
2 Organic and functional digestive conditions 17
3 How to investigate gut symptoms 26
4 The hidden world of your gut microbiota 36
Section 2 Women's digestive problems
5 Irritable bowel syndrome 47
6 Functional dyspepsia 61
7 The effect of female hormones on gut function 69
8 Pregnancy and your gut 76
9 Perimenopause, menopause, your gut and pelvic floor problems 81
Section 3 Let's look at your diet
10 What is a healthy diet? 95
11 Why we love fibre: super-food for your gut 107
12 Is it what you're eating? Do you have a food allergy or a food intolerance? 114
13 Alcohol and your gut 137
Section 4 Some easy wins - first steps to solving your gut problems
14 Your first steps in managing IBS 147
15 Why are you so bloated and how do you beat it? 155
16 Management (treatment) of functional dyspepsia 161
Section 5 The Gut Experts' FLAT Gut Dietary Programme
17 Introducing the Gut Experts' FLAT Gut Diet 169
18 Before you start: your shopping list and stock items 182
19 Step 1 - 'Simplify' and 7-Day meal plan 187
20 The FLAT Gut Diet Plan: points and portions 197
21 The FLAT Gut Diet: recipes, snacks and beverages 212
22 The FLAT Gut Diet Steps 2 & 3 - Tolerance and Sustain 254
23 'T' for TEAMS and Total mind and body health 263
Section 6 FAQs - things we're often asked about
24 Do you have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)? 273
25 Why do you have brain fog, aches and pains and chronic fatigue? Do you have a leaky gut? 280
26 Is it possible to eat too 'cleanly'? Orthorexia 286
27 Should you eat more fermented or sprouted foods? 290
28 How do I alter my GM? Are probiotics the answer? 297
Appendices
Appendix 1 Medications used for IBS 303
Appendix 2 Medications for functional dyspepsia 307
Appendix 3 The FLAT Gut Diet: symptom and lifestyle diary 309
References 317
Acknowledgements 327
