In today’s show, Dr. Minni addresses a listener who has recently experienced bloating by exploring a study on intestinal microbiota as well as diving into the five Rs of functional medicine. As Dr. Minni explains, the findings of the study show connections between gut health, insulin resistance, and PCOS, while also exploring the effects of natural foods for maintaining the right intestinal microbiota. This all fits into functional medicine’s approach to treatment, an approach used by Dr. Minni herself, and our host proceeds to expand what each of the five R's stand for and how they can play a role in restoring gut health.

Key Points From This Episode:

• The aim of today’s show: To answer a question about why a listener feels bloated.
• A study investigating the effects of natural products on insulin resistance and what this means for PCOS.
• The need for more clinical trials investigating how natural products can affect gut bacteria.
• What current studies focus on and how future ones could be more focused on metabolites.
• That metabolite could play a role in the prevention and management of insulin resistance.
• The role GI tract problems can play in many conditions that seem unrelated to gut health.
• The five Rs of functional medicine: Remove, replace, re-inoculate, repair, and rebalance.
• How the five Rs of functional medicine can dramatically improve symptoms of many conditions.
• ‘Removing’ things that negatively affect the environment of your gut health.
• ‘Replacing’ digestive secretions that are required for proper digestion.
• ‘Re-inoculate’ by helping the beneficial bacteria to flourish by ingesting probiotic foods.
• How probiotics and prebiotics work and where to find good sources for both.
• Helping the lining of your gastrointestinal tract ‘repair’ by itself by supplying key nutrients.
• ‘Rebalancing’ by paying attention to lifestyle choices like sleep, exercise, and stress.
• The need to see a doctor who will investigate the root of bloating, not just treat symptoms.
• Many different causes for bloating which would all require different treatment approaches.

Tweetables:

“Several natural products possess prebiotic effects, like fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants, and have been shown to ameliorate PCOS by modulating the gut bacteria composition and abundance.” — Dr. Minni Malhotra [0:02:34]

“The metabolism of natural products and the bioactive components by gut bacteria should be widely studied in future for prevention and management of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.” — Dr. Minni Malhotra [0:04:10]

“Fermented foods like yogurt, miso, and tempeh are good sources of probiotics.” — Dr. Minni Malhotra [0:06:30]

“See a functional medicine specialist who can help you, can guide you, and use the 5R program.” — Dr. Minni Malhotra [0:08:34]

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Anchor Wellness Center

Dr. Minni Malhotra Email

'Exploration of the Relationship Between Gut Microbiota and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): a Review'