In this quickfire Q&A with world renowned integrative gastroenterologist Dr. Robynne Chutkan, learn how to protect your babies gut health from being disturbed if you had to have a c-section, how to get fussy eaters to develop a love for healthy food, and the extra benefits to gut health that eating organic food can bring. At the end of the Q&A session, you will also learn how to go about winning a copy of Dr. Robynne Chutkan’s newest book, ‘The Microbiome Solution – a radical new way to heal your body from the inside out’. Today’s questions came about after reviewing this book, which you can read here.
Welcome Dr. Chutkan! What an absolute pleasure to be able to interview a leading integrative gastroenterologist here on the Great Health Naturally blog. After reviewing your latest book (and thoroughly enjoying it I might add!) here are some burning questions I had for you:
Q1 – Amy Morris: It seems like babies born by cesarean section are at a higher risk of developing dysbiosis or an autoimmune condition – what is the best thing mothers of these babies can do to lower both of these risks?
Dr. Robynne Chutkan: It’s most important to make sure a C-section is really necessary, and not being done for convenience or as a precautionary measure that’s not truly indicated. A recent study showed that swabbing the baby down immediately after a C-section with a gauze pad that’s been soaked in the mother’s vaginal/perineal juices can help to mimic a vaginal delivery and colonize the baby with important microbes. (Make sure your delivery team is aware of the plan!) Also, breast-feeding can help to mitigate the damage of a C-section and lower rates of autoimmune disease down the road. Limit antibiotic use in childhood as much as possible to allow those microbes that managed to gain a foothold to flourish.
Q2 – Amy Morris: The take home message I got from your latest book is that eating lots of plant-based foods on a regular basis, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, is clearly going to help keep everyone’s gut happy. So, what is the best way parents can help teach this to their children from young to prevent gut health issues developing? (Especially when some children can be incredible fussy!)
Dr. Robynne Chutkan: Picky eaters are made, not born! Expose your child to bitter and savory flavors early – once they start eating table food. Beware of commercially available baby foods that have a lot of sugar in them and will train the palate to only like sweet things. Blend spinach or kale into smoothies and baby food and keep giving them to your child, even if they initially reject them. Start each meal with a veggie when your child is hungriest and more likely to eat them, instead of the end of the meal when they’re full.
Q3- Amy Morris: In the chapter Bugs over Drugs, I clearly see that antibiotics are no friend for the good microbes living in our guts, so I wondered what your thoughts are on the effects to our health from the chemicals also included in food crops that haven’t been grown organically?
Dr. Robynne Chutkan: There’s evidence that many of these chemicals (like glyphosate) may be deleterious to the microbiome – choose organic whenever possible!
Q4- Amy Morris: Could you please explain how drugs such as the pill and other birth control methods (such as the intrauterine devices IUDs) can go onto cause gut health problems down the line? And what are the first symptoms women should look out for that they may have dysbiosis from these drugs?
Dr. Robynne Chutkan: Modalities like birth control pills change the hormonal milieu of the body by altering estrogen and progesterone levels, which in turn affects the microbiome (levels of Lactobacillus in the vagina, for example, are very sensitive to circulating levels of estrogen and progesterone). This can lead to problems like frequent yeast infections as a result of bacterial imbalance, which is an important sign of dysbiosis.
Q5- Amy Morris: Many people do not find it acceptable to be ill at all. So, what advice do you have for people who rush out to buy over the counter drugs, that can have long-term consequences to overall health (including the gut), at the first sign of a minor illness?
Dr. Robynne Chutkan: To expect you’ll never be sick is magical thinking. Some OTC drugs to help manage symptoms are fine but be careful with the NSAIDs which over time can damage your gut. A netty pot and some green juice go a long way!
Thank you for the wonderful insights today Dr. Chutkan, and if any readers would like more information on Dr. Chutkan’s work please visit her website. Dr. Robynne Chutkan, a leading gastroenterologist, bestselling author, and founder of the Digestive Center for Women, Gutbliss is the new face of digestive wellness, offering integrative solutions backed by science, produced by nature.
Win! A Free Copy Of The Microbiome Solution Book By Dr. Robynne Chutkan
Win! A Copy Of The Microbiome Solution Book
Contest Rules & Disclaimer
Anyone from any location can enter.
Entrants must be 16 years or older to enter.
Competition winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via email within 7 days of the competition closing.
Competition closes April 30th 2016.
If no one responds within 14 days of winning, then the prize will be given to the runner up.
Great Health Naturally holds the right to cancel the competition at any time due to circumstances out of it's control.
