Centre for GI Health

20/01/2026

Bloating that keeps returning?

In this clip, Dr Luke explains why bloating happens, common underlying reasons, and which signs are worth paying attention to.

15/01/2026

Memory is often spoken about as if it’s a single skill you either “have” or “lose.” In reality, it’s far more complex.

A 2025 narrative review by Saraei and colleagues highlights that memory is a dynamic process shaped by multiple brain systems, lived experience, health and environment. Rather than sitting in one location, it relies on coordinated networks across the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and wider cerebral cortex, which helps explain why some skills are preserved while others change.

To explore what this means in practice for patients, families, and clinicians, I sat down with Dr Natalie Grima to discuss how memory works, why decline looks different for everyone, and how we can better support people living with early cognitive change.

🎧 Listen to the full episode via the link in the comments.

If this conversation helps bring clarity or reassurance, consider sharing it with a colleague or patient — good medicine spreads through good conversations.

13/01/2026

Understanding weight loss involves more than just calorie counting alone.

In this short snippet, lawyer, author and tech entrepreneur, David Gillespie, explains how removing added sugar from the diet can meaningfully influence weight.

By reducing sugar intake, we affect insulin signalling, appetite regulation and energy storage — key drivers of weight gain. In practical terms, this helps explain why many people see weight loss and improved metabolic health when sugar is removed, even without deliberate restriction.

This conversation remains one of our most helpful deep dives for clinicians and patients alike.

🎧 Revisit the full episode on Everyday Medicine. Link in the comment.

If today’s snippet is useful, consider sharing it with a colleague or patient who may benefit.

To be a guest on the show or offer feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au

08/01/2026

Everyday Medicine with Dr Luke Spotify Wrapped 2025 is in, and it’s been a big year for gut health conversations.

We want to thank everyone who listened, shared episodes, and took the time to better understand their symptoms and health. Education and clarity can make a real difference, and it’s encouraging to see so many people engaging with evidence-based information.

Here’s to more calm, practical health discussions in 2026.

06/01/2026

Coeliac disease diagnosis: what doctors are actually looking for.

Dr Luke explains how Coeliac disease is assessed, the tests involved, and why diagnosis is about patterns, not just one result.

25/12/2025

Have you been dealing with frequent or worsening acid reflux?

Dr Luke explains when reflux is usually harmless, and when it’s important to seek medical advice.

Knowing when to book in with your GP or gastroenterologist can make all the difference to your health.

16/12/2025

🧠 Everyday Medicine Podcast – Memory with Dr Natalie Grimer,

Join me in conversation with Melbourne-based neuropsychologist Dr Natalie Grimer as we explore the fascinating world of memory – how it works, why it changes, and what we can do to support it. From everyday strategies to insights into cognitive decline and dementia, this episode is packed with practical takeaways for clinicians and curious minds alike.

💡 Australian clinicians: you can log this episode for CPD - reflection and journaling encouraged!

Tune in and discover how understanding memory better can improve patient care and everyday life.

http://www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/podcast-184-memory-with-dr-natalie-grima

Memory is the cognitive process of acquiring, storing and retrieving information. It's the mind's ability to encode, store and recall experiences and knowledge, allowing for learning, adaptation, and the formation of personal identity. There are different types of memory, including short-term memory

09/12/2025

Digestive symptoms are common, and most are not serious. But there are times when further assessment can be helpful.

In this short educational video, Dr Peverelle outlines three situations where a gastroenterologist may be involved in supporting your care.

1. Persistent gastrointestinal symptoms
2. Blood or black stools in people under 50
3. Chronic diarrhoea affecting daily activities

At GI Health, our focus is on clear education, collaborative care with GPs, and evidence-based assessment pathways for people experiencing digestive symptoms.

🎥 Watch the full video

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, the appropriate first step is to speak with your GP, who can assess your situation and determine whether a specialist referral is suitable.

For general information about bowel cancer screening, resources are available through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

28/11/2025

Understanding anorectal function requires more than symptoms alone. In this short snippet, colorectal surgeon Mr T C Nguyen explains how combining endorectal ultrasound with anorectal manometry gives a precise, scientific view of the a**l ca**l.

These studies measure resting and squeeze pressures at several points in the ca**l, helping us map a patient’s anorectal dynamics. In practical terms, this information guides effective management for conditions such as faecal incontinence, obstructed defecation (anismus), and dyssynergia - issues that are far more common than most people realise, yet often difficult to talk about.

This conversation remains one of our most helpful deep dives for clinicians and patients alike.

🎧 Revisit the full episode on Everyday Medicine. Link in the comment.

If today’s snippet is useful, consider sharing it with a colleague or patient who may benefit.

To be a guest on the show or offer feedback, I’d love to hear from you: manager@gihealth.com.au

25/11/2025

Obesity is no longer viewed as a simple equation of weight and willpower. The 2025 narrative review by Singh and colleagues highlights obesity as a complex, chronic disease driven by biology, genetics, environment, and behaviour. Importantly, it reinforces what many of us see in daily practice: BMI alone is an inadequate tool for understanding risk or guiding management.

What matters for patients is adiposity - how much fat is present and how it functions. Excess and dysfunctional adipose tissue drives inflammation, disrupts energy regulation, and increases cardiometabolic risk. This shift in thinking encourages a weight-inclusive, upstream approach to care, prioritising early detection, metabolic health, and sustainable, multimodal treatment options.

Treatment today spans lifestyle support, emerging pharmacotherapy (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists), and, when appropriate, safe and effective bariatric surgery. Each option has benefits, limitations, and cost considerations, which is precisely why accessible, evidence-based patient education is vital.

To help unpack these evolving definitions and to explore surgical pathways in practical terms, I sat down with Dr Melissa Beitner, a highly credentialed bariatric and general surgeon.

Together, we discuss how these new frameworks can improve care, reduce stigma, and support long-term metabolic health.

🎧 Listen to the full episode via the link in the comment.

If the conversation helps, consider sharing it with a colleague or patient - good medicine spreads through good conversations.

21/11/2025

Obesity has reached a critical point in Australia, with 67% of adults now classified as overweight or obese. For decades, we’ve relied on BMI to guide our definitions, but we now understand its limitations, it can both underestimate and overestimate adiposity, and offers very little insight into individual health risk.

A new Lancet Commission brings welcome clarity, defining obesity as “a condition characterised by excess adiposity… with causes that are multifactorial and still incompletely understood.” It separates obesity into pre-clinical and clinical stages, an important shift that helps us diagnose earlier, intervene sooner, and avoid the consequences of end-organ damage.

In this episode of Everyday Medicine, I speak with Dr Melissa Beitner, a highly credentialed bariatric and metabolic surgeon with training across Mount Sinai (NYC), Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and St George Hospital in Sydney. Melissa brings deep expertise in obesity medicine, metabolic surgery, anti-reflux procedures and general surgical care.

Together we explore:
• Why obesity is better defined by adiposity and metabolic impact, not weight alone
• The clinical difference between pre-clinical vs clinical obesity
• Where lifestyle, pharmacotherapy and GLP-1 receptor agonists fit into long-term treatment
• When bariatric surgery remains the most effective and durable option
• How to talk about obesity in a way that is medically sound, respectful, and stigma-free

If you’re a clinician navigating this evolving landscape, or a patient wanting a clearer, compassionate understanding, this conversation will be valuable.

Listen to the full episode and share with a colleague who may benefit.

Obesity has reached crisis levels in Australia, with 67% of Australians classified as being overweight or obese (2022 data). BMI measurements have been used in epidemiological studies to define overweight individuals with a measurement of 25 kilograms per metre squared and obese individuals with a B

06/11/2025

There’s no single “perfect” diet for digestive health. The key is balance - variety, moderation, and regularity.

At the Centre for GI Health, we often remind patients that small, consistent habits make the biggest difference. A balanced mix of whole grains, nuts, berries, lean proteins, and vegetables supports both gut function and overall well-being.

Dr Matthew shares his own approach: coffee in the morning, followed by a homemade muesli packed with oats, nuts, berries, cacao nibs, and coconut yoghurt - simple, nourishing, and effective for managing mild gut symptoms.

When it comes to your gut, sustainable choices matter more than strict rules.

👉 If you’re managing ongoing digestive symptoms, speak with your GP or a gastroenterologist before making major dietary changes.