The Gutbliss Podcast

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.   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

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

On today's show, we're going to dive into the topic of GLP-1 agonists, a class of medications that stimulates your pancreas to produce more insulin, slows down digestion, and promotes feelings of fullness. The benefits are that it can help lower your blood sugar level, it can lead to weight loss, and it may reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes. But judicious use is essential because these drugs have serious GI side effects and an increased risk of cancer, so it's important to make sure that your decision to take them is well-informed and that you're making it with eyes wide open.  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

More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn on a regular basis, but the recommended treatment does nothing to address the root cause - and totally messes up your digestion. The most important thing that I want you to know is that acid reflux has absolutely nothing to do with overproduction of acid. These symptoms are caused by inappropriate opening of the lower esophageal sphincter, and on today's show, I'm going to tell you about the three most common factors that cause that lower esophageal sphincter to open, and how to treat them without blocking stomach acid. 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

Feelings of stress and anxiety aren't just in your head; they're also in your body, especially in your GI tract, and they can cause or worsen almost every digestive condition. Like many people, you may have a lot of stress in your life, and you may also have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, but could stress actually be causing or contributing to your irritable bowel syndrome? The answer is yes! In this episode, I'm going to give you some simple but effective tools for how to quiet your mind - and your GI 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

I'm going to tell you about the specific things you should be paying attention to when you assess your bowel movements so you can understand what your stool is trying to tell you. Your GI tract communicates with you by giving you feedback through your stool. This is important information that can improve your health. It might even save your life. Your bowel movements can tip you off to the early signs of colon cancer, liver disease, infection. They can tell you whether you're dehydrated, have a parasite, or problems with your pancreas. Not getting enough greens? Eating too much meat? Thyroid out of whack?  Your stool gives you crucial information to help you make those important changes that can make you look, and feel, and function better. How can you figure out what your stool is telling you, and how do you know when you've achieved stool nirvana? The five essential factors that you should be assessing.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, why you need to turn around and take a look. And yes, I'm talking about when you are sitting on the toilet and you have finished doing your business, why you absolutely must turn around and take a look at what has come out. Your stool is valuable feedback that your body is giving you, and if you are not looking at it and analyzing it and evaluating it, you are missing out on really important stuff.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

The largest study ever done on the human microbiome was published in 2018 by the American Gut Project. The goal of the study was to better understand the composition and function of the human microbiome, and the impact of diet, lifestyle and disease. The results provide an important roadmap for what to do to cultivate a healthy 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

Hemorrhoids are benign conditions but they're still super bothersome – and they can almost always be improved or healed completely, so there's no need to just resign yourself to having a pain in the butt. In this episode learn all about what causes hemorrhoids - plus treatment options for acute and chronic 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

On today's show, the last episode of the year, I want to say a huge thank you for listening and supporting the podcast. My message for this 2024 wrap up is a reminder that better gut health is simple, but not always easy. Focus on the small consistent changes that will make a big difference in the long run, and be kind to yourself on the journey. 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, we are talking regularity, how consistent habits and training pay off in the gym - and the bathroom! I'll explain what you need to do the day before to make sure that morning poo arrives on time and your day gets off to a smooth start. Hint: hydrate, eat lots of fiber, and shut it down early if you want to experience stool (and gym) nirvana the next day.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

Exposure to nature strengthens your immune system, activating natural killer cells that help protect you from cancer and infection. Contact with soil has been clinically shown to improve the composition and diversity of your microbiome. In this episode we explore forest bathing and the scientifically proven benefits that exposure to nature has on 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

More than 50% of all the calories we're now eating in countries like the US and the UK are ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and their regular consumption has been tied to lots of different health problems, especially in the gut. So today, I want to provide you with a clear definition of what a UPF is, tell you about the problems they create in your digestive tract, and give you some practical tips for how to avoid them without going hungry. 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

Tis the season and that means lots of festivities, lots of food, and lots of GI distress. So here are my 7 best tips for how to enjoy every minute of the holiday, and every bite of your meal, while optimizing your digestion and avoiding a food coma. Spoiler alert: holiday lunch instead of dinner is a game changer!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

Yeast overgrowth is a real phenomenon, and one that conventional doctors are often skeptical and poorly informed about. But yeast paranoia is also a real problem, and sometimes people have to be discouraged from adopting a too severe diet that isn't nourishing to their healthy microbes, or from over-treating for something that's not actually a problem anymore. This episode tells you exactly what to do to eradicate yeast and restore your 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

On today's show, five simple tips to get started with a food as medicine approach. I'm thrilled to have Janet Jumper back on the show. Janet was featured in episode 21 talking about her journey with Crohn's disease, which she's had for over two decades. She is so full of wisdom and grace and practical advice, and I'm so glad to have her back.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

When it comes to treatment for SIBO, It's unlikely that you are going to be able to just take a remedy like an antibiotic and be cured. You have to pay attention to what's causing the microbial imbalance in the first place. In this episode we take a deep dive into testing for SIBO as well as a comprehensive approach to treatment that provides real and lasting relief. 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

Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the microbiome – the trillions of organisms that live in and on your body, mostly in your GI tract. This imbalance can lead to overgrowth of some organisms, undergrowth of others, and a change in the metabolic activity of the microorganisms. That metabolic activity determines the byproducts that your microbes are making; things like hormones, and vitamins, and neurotransmitters that are involved in virtually all of your bodily functions. And that's why dysbiosis doesn't just affect your gut – it's associated with a wide range of problems, including autoimmune disorders, skin conditions, mental health problems – and more. In this episode: how and why we get SIBO.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

What should you be looking for when you choose a probiotic, and how do you know if the bacteria are viable and ready to go to work in your gut? Plus, current and future indications, including viral illnesses, psychobiotics, and live biotherapeutics. 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

Diverticulosis is the direct result of a diet that's too low in fiber. When your colon has to contract more vigorously to expel small, hard stool that's characteristic of a low-fiber diet, it causes a lot of pressure in the wall of your colon. This leads to small bulges, which eventually become diverticulosis. I'm seeing more and more patients in their twenties and thirties with diverticulosis, a disease that's supposed to strike in your 60s and 70s, and the explanation is on our plate. In this episode: how to reverse symptoms and halt progression of diverticulosis.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

The gallbladder is often described as a nonessential organ, but our digestive system is carefully and thoughtfully designed, and there are no spare parts that can be removed without consequences - because every part of the GI tract serves a purpose. Can you live without your gallbladder? Absolutely, but there is a very good chance that you could end up more symptomatic after surgery than you were before. I'm going to be explaining why in this episode.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

What to do about reflux symptoms at night; fecal staining in your underwear; and a pulsatile abdominal mass. You've got questions - I've got answers on the 1st Gutbliss Podcast listener Q&A. If you have a question or a gut health story that you'd like to share, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me through the contact page at Gutbliss.com. 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, we're talking about the role of diet and lifestyle in treating autoimmune diseases. Janet is my guest for this episode. She's been a nurse practitioner for 27 years, but today she's here to talk about her experience as a patient with Crohn's disease, and how she got her autoimmune disease into remission using food as medicine.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

Parasites are a lot more common than most people realize, affecting a huge number of people worldwide. The good news is that many parasitic infections are asymptomatic, or the symptoms are short-lived and resolve on their own without any treatment. The bad news is that parasites like Giardia and several others can leave you with long-term symptoms like bloating, nausea, burping, and fatigue. Figuring out which parasites are actually causing the symptoms and how to treat them can be challenging. In this episode I cover the trials and tribulations of arriving at the right diagnosis in one of my patients with chronic GI symptoms who believed a parasite was to blame. 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

If you want to banish your bloat, you need to figure out the specific reason WHY you're bloated, so that you can apply a specific solution. And keep in mind, there could be multiple reasons – and multiple solutions. Bloating is one of the commonest problems I deal with as a gastroenterologist, and the most important thing for you to know, is that there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to bloating. In fact, the title of my 3rd book - The Bloat Cure: 101 Natural Solutions for Real & Lasting Relief - is because there truly are so many different causes. In this episode we're going to cover the top 10 reasons you may be bloated.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

Multiple scientific studies have made a connection between the gut microbiome and the brain in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the line connecting the two is not a straight one, there's really nothing to be lost - and potentially a lot to be gained - from changing the diet in a way that can improve the diversity and composition of the microbiome in ASD. Learn which changes have the biggest impact.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

It turns out Parkinson's isn't just a brain disease; it's also a gut disease. And the changes in the gut can occur before the changes in the brain, leading to what we now call the “gut first” theory of Parkinson's. If you're eating the wrong foods, you can develop changes in your gut microbiome that lead to neuro-inflammation in the brain, and ultimately, diseases like Parkinson's. Learn what types of foods put you at risk - and which ones are protective.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

Gut feelings and butterflies in the stomach are real sensations rooted in physiology: many of the neurotransmitters that our brain uses are actually made in our gut, and our digestive tract is home to about 500 million nerve cells. We call this 2nd brain in our gut the enteric nervous system. Your gut influences your stress levels, anxiety, mood, and behavior. And your brain influences your gut motility, enzyme secretion in your GI tract, absorption of nutrients through your gut lining, and your microbial balance. The two organs are in constant bidirectional contact, each one profoundly influencing the function of the other.  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

Could what's showing up on your face be a direct result of something that you're eating? When it comes to gluten - that's a definite YES. "Gluten face" can be induced by eating gluten containing foods like wheat, rye and barley, and can cause a bloated, puffy, red face. But the key to treating it is more complex than just choosing gluten-free products.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 30 year-old woman with blood in her stool on and off a couple times a week for  6 months struggles to figure out whether or not she needs a colonoscopy - and how to get her doctor and insurance company on board. Navigating competing interests in healthcare to get satisfaction when it comes to your care. 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

When it comes to bowel movements, size matters: the bigger your poo, the lower your likelihood of colon cancer and other GI problems like diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome. Learn exactly what you need to be doing to have gold medal poos, plus the minimum fecal output required to prevent colon cancer.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

Figuring out what's at the root of skin conditions like eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) can be a long and challenging journey. Eric shares his experience navigating doctor's visits, medications, bleach baths, and the elimination diet that finally gave him the answers he was looking for. 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

Autoimmune conditions occur when your immune system mistakenly identifies normal organs as abnormal and starts to attack them. With psoriasis that attack takes the form of scaly patches on the skin. These diseases are sometimes referred to as “modern plagues” because we've seen such an explosion in their incidence. To understand what's behind that increase, we need to take a look under the hood at what's going on in the GI tract.  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

The fundamental shift that's required for a more holistic approach to acne, is to move away from the question: “What can I take to fix my skin?” and instead ask “What am I doing that could be messing up my skin?” And this is not about blame. It's about empowerment. Yes, some people are more genetically predisposed to acne, but acne is not a genetic condition; it's an environmental condition. So the focus needs to be on creating an anti-inflammatory environment in and on your body, and that starts in your gut! 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

When a patient walks into my office, their skin is the first thing I see, and what I've found in my almost 30 years as a gastroenterologist, is that what is going on in your gut almost always shows up on your skin. In this episode, I'm going to go over the connection between what's happening in your gut, and what's going on in your skin.  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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

On this episode I explain how a healthy vaginal microbiome can help protect you from sexually transmitted diseases caused by viruses like HIV, HPV, and HSV. It's all about creating a healthier host so that we can be more resilient to pathogens - and these methods that our microbes use to defend us apply to STDs as well as diseases like COVID. 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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

There are 3 categories of bowel habits: Ironman bowel actions that are so timely and precise you can literally set your clock to their arrival; couch potato bowel actions that are always late and sometimes stand you up altogether and don't even arrive;  in between bowel actions that are generally pretty good but could be better. In this episode I'm going to tell you how to have Ironman BMs.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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

For anyone who's ever questioned the need - or the risk - of taking an antibiotic for a non-life threatening infection like Strep, this episode tells you everything you need to know, and provides you with important questions to ask your doctor before committing to a course of antibiotics. 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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

We know that good sleep is essential - but it can also be hard to achieve. I'm going to tell you about an alternative pathway to better sleep that you might not have considered: your digestive tract.  In this episode, I'm going to explain how your gut directly impacts melatonin production, and how that in turn affects your sleep. 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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

On today's show, all about B.O. – and its relationship with your gut microbiome!  Could using anti-perspirants actually make your armpits stinkier? I'll explain how introducing chemicals into delicate ecosystems like your armpits, in an effort to cleanse, refresh, or “improve” your body's natural state can backfire and produce the opposite effect: microbial imbalance and more problems. Plus, my best tips for how to smell like a bed of roses - without disrupting your gut bacteria.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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

On today's show I'm going to explain why women have so much more bloating and constipation than men. And you might be surprised to learn that the reasons are primarily anatomical, rather than hormonal or food related. If you struggle with constipation, bloat, and back-up, I have lots of tips in this episode for how to get that curvy colon to empty and decompress. And by the way - men can have a voluptuous Venus colon too!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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan

Parcopresis or psychogenic fecal retention are the technical terms for holding your poo in when you should be pushing it out. It involves difficulty - or sometimes the complete inability - to have a bowel movement in a public toilet, due to an overwhelming fear of perceived scrutiny. People are going to hear what's going on, they're going to smell what's going on, they may even see what's going on, and you're going to be exposed! In severe cases, the difficulty or inability can occur even in your own home. Shy bowel is classified as a psychological condition, but there are important physiological mechanisms in the digestive tract that are behind it. In this episode, I'll explain the critical importance of dropping it while it's hot – especially If you struggle with constipation or bowel irregularity. 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/news/ and follow us on https://www.instagram.com/gutbliss/ for more gut health info. Dr. Robynne Chutkan