Stomach Bloating

What is bloating? Bloating is a condition where your stomach feels full and tight, making you feel very uncomfortable. It can be caused by simple things like overeating or taking in too much air as you eat, but it is often associated with an underlying gastrointestinal issue such as IBS. Let’s exclude overeating and assume […]

Loose Stools

Put simply, diarrhoea is when you poop a lot—and you may feel you can’t always control it. It’s normal to pass stools up to three times a day. A healthy stool (a.k.a. a poop) should be solid but not difficult to pass, ideally forming a gentle ‘S’ shape. When you have diarrhoea, your stools tend […]

Gut Dysbiosis

What is gut dysbiosis? There are trillions of bacteria living in our bodies, especially in our gut. These tiny organisms are a complex and diverse group that live in our digestive tracts, and are commonly known as microflora or gut flora, but often referred to as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ bacteria. As the names suggest, […]

Leaky Gut

What is leaky gut? Our digestive system is incredibly clever. The lining of the intestinal walls helps ensure the efficient transfer of important nutrients into our system, while simultaneously blocking the entry of harmful substances (toxins and bad bacteria) – but only if our gut health is in good shape. However, if our gut is […]


What is SIBO? The small intestine (or small bowel) is the ‘tube’ that connects the stomach to the large intestine/bowel. It’s around 6m long, and like most of the gastrointestinal tract contains bacteria. However, it’s usually lower in bacteria numbers than the large bowel. The small bowel has an important role in digesting food and […]

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS? Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is a condition that affects the lower bowel or colon and it’s quite common, affecting around 20% of Australians. While it can cause distress and discomfort, it may be a sign of a more serious illness. The most common symptoms are: Abdominal pain […]


What is hypochlorhydria? Hypochlorhydria is a scientific term for a low level of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid). Hydrochloric acid, along with enzymes, helps your body to digest and absorb nutrients from food. It also helps eliminate bacteria and viruses in the stomach, protecting your body from infection. People with low gastric or stomach acid can […]


What is GORD? GORD (or GERD in the US) is an abbreviation for Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease. Gastro-Oesophageal is just a scientific way to describe your stomach (gastro) and the ‘pipe’ that connects it to your mouth (oesophagus). Acid reflux or heartburn is a burning pain felt in the chest and sometimes back of the throat, […]


What is diarrhoea? Diarrhoea involves loose, watery stools (poo) and often a change in the usual number of daily bowel movements. Acute diarrhoea is diarrhoea that lasts a short time. It usually lasts about one or two days, but if it lasts more than a few days it may be a sign of a more […]


What is constipation? Constipation means you find it difficult to do a ‘number two’. You may have a bowel movement—but you have to strain to do it. Or you may go days without passing anything at all. It usually involves dry, hard stools. Under normal circumstances, our colon (the main part of the large intestine) […]