Case Study: Is It Normal To Be This Bloated?

Ally is the lovely 27 year old daughter of a long term patient. Her mother Maree has been trying to encourage Ally to make an appointment with me for the past year. Ally is an extremely busy person and for that reason, her health has not been at the top of her priority list. Ally has two young children and she works part time at a gas station. Recently her health has taken a downturn which prompted her to make a booking.

Ally had irritable bowel syndrome since she was a teenager. As the day progressed, she became increasingly bloated and gassy. Ally said she couldn’t go anywhere in the evening after dinner because her belly was so swollen that none of her clothes fit. She also had so much flatulence in the evenings and would suffer with painful abdominal cramps if she couldn’t expel the gas.

She said to me “Is it normal to be that bloated?” I replied that it is very common but definitely not normal, ideal or healthy. Bloating and gas occur when there is fermentation in the gut. An overgrowth of the wrong bacteria and yeast in the intestines leads to excess gas production. It can also inflame the gut lining, creating a leaky gut.

Psoriasis is another long term health problem Ally suffered with. In summer it was mild and only present on the insides of her ankles. In winter it spread to both of her legs and torso. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition and typically occurs in people with a leaky gut. It is spring when Ally had her consultation with me and this is usually a time of year when the psoriasis gets better, but right now it’s worse than ever. Ally gets distressed about the appearance of her skin and the itching at night interferes with her sleep. The exhaustion is what prompted Ally to make an appointment with me.

My recommendations for my patient

• I asked Ally to simplify her diet to reduce the strain on her digestive system. I asked her to avoid all grains, dairy products, sugar and some high FODMAP foods such as garlic, onion and cauliflower. This would deprive the bad bugs in her gut of the foods they use to create gas. I asked Ally to base her diet on meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, natural fats and vegetables. This eating style should also help her psoriasis. There is more information in the book Healing Autoimmune Disease: A plan to reduce inflammation and help your immune system.
• I gave Ally BactoClear capsules to address the overgrowth of bacteria, yeast and parasites in her intestines. When there are too many harmful bugs in the gut, they inflame the lining of the intestines and they produce a lot of gases. Apart from abdominal bloating, the gases and toxins secreted by these harmful microbes can have a negative effect on mood, emotions, sleep quality and cognitive abilities. Gut toxicity is a common cause of chronic fatigue.
• It was important for Ally to take Gut Health powder because this supplement contains the nutrients needed to heal and seal the gut lining, helping to repair a leaky gut. Slippery elm, glutamine, pectin and the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii all help to reduce inflammation to the gut lining. When the gut lining is no longer inflamed, skin conditions such as psoriasis typically resolve.
• I suggested Ally takes magnesium because of her busy lifestyle and chronic exhaustion. Magnesium is needed by the body for energy production and it has calming effects on the nervous system. Magnesium also improves sleep quality, helping you to feel more rested and energetic in the morning.

I plan to see Ally again in 5 weeks.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.