Tim O'Grady Naturopath & Advanced Microbiome Restoration

29/07/2024

A few years ago a patient reported to me that sodium butyrate supplementation significantly improved his sleep. I was prescribing it for inflammation, and I couldn't really believe it could help with sleep until I came across an animal study that suggested it was likely true. Now, a clinical trial has confirmed effects in humans, with both a reduction in inflammation and improvements in sleep in ulcerative colitis patients. It works by upregulating genes involved in circadian rhythm. Not surprisingly, patients quality or life was also improved!

30/05/2024

Did you know that an easily calculated indicator from a routine blood test can be used to predict your chances of suffering from a large range of health conditions? The systemic immune-inflammation index, or SII, has been found to correlate with diverse conditions and outcomes such as heart attack and stroke, cognitive dysfunction, frailty in old age, pregnancy loss, psoriasis, fatty liver, sleep apnoea and cancer survival. These conditions all have chronic inflammation as a driver, and the SII assesses inflammation via platelet and white blood cells as measured in a full blood examination.

Our oral and gut microbiomes are potent influencers of the immune system and inflammatory status. Yet little research has been done to link the SII and gut microbiome balance. One study did find a link between protective bacteria and a lower SII ,and problematic bacteria and a higher SII. Higher levels of Streptococcus species were particularly associated with a higher SII.

It's good to have objective measures in clinical practice, and improvement in SII has become a new target in my patient monitoring.

02/05/2024

Now also practising from South West Colorectal at SJOG Bunbury! Appointments available from June onwards. Book online or call reception on 9722 1975.

Advanced Microbiome Restoration. Evidence-based natural medicine for gut and microbiome health. Treating digestive disorders, autoimmunity, allergies and more. University-degree qualified Naturopath with over 10 years experience.

09/02/2024

Would be great to see this study repeated to confirm these encouraging results. In the meantime it seems worth including for the complementary treatment of ulcerative colitis alongside standard medical care, adding to the herbs and probiotics that already have an evidence base to help.

09/10/2023

There's an amazing number of clinical trials investigating NAC. Along with neurological disorders, it has also been investigated for respiratory conditions, cardiovascular health, reproductive health including male and female fertility, exercise performance, alongside its well established use for paracetamol detoxification. Its effect on the gut microbiome is at this stage uncertain, but animal studies show beneficial effects.

11/08/2023

Get to the causes of IBS!

02/08/2023

Do you want to have stronger hair, smoother skin, and better bones and joints? Silicon supplementation may help. Silicon is thought to play a role in the production of connective tissue, but its nutritional importance is not particularly well understood. All of the studies showing benefits for silicon supplementation have been done on one particular form- choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA). Placebo controlled studies have shown ch-OSA can:
-improve skin, nail and hair quality in women with sun-damaged skin
-increase hair thickness in women with fine hair (making it less prone to breakage)
-have beneficial effects on bone formation in women with osteopenia
-reduce cartilage degradation and improve function in men with knee osteoarthritis
-reduce inflammation of the gums and bone structure around dental implants

26/07/2023

New research suggests that constipation effects how well we think. Adults who only had a bowel movement every 3 or more days had significantly worse cognition compared to those who had one bowel movement a day, equivalent to an additional 3 years of aging, in a study of over 100,000 adults. This adds to research linking constipation with health problems such as inflammation, hormonal imbalances, anxiety, and depression. Advanced naturopathic assessment including functional and microbiome testing can treat the cause of chronic constipation!

14/07/2023

Find out more at: www.advancedmicrobiomerestoration.com.au

26/06/2023

A recent study has challenged the increasingly common view that ma*****na use is relatively harmless. Researchers surveyed 68,000 teens and found that those who used cannabis recreationally were 2-3 times more likely to have depression and suicidal thoughts. The researchers concluded that the more you use it, the more it negatively affects thinking, with heavy users 4 times more likely to have depression. Previous research has found that teenage brains are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of cannabis.

15/06/2023

A recently published paper has reviewed the evidence for the therapeutic role of butyrate in inflammatory bowel disease. Butyrate is a product of bacterial metabolism: when we eat fibre, fibre-degrading bugs produce butyrate. Evidence suggests people with diseases like Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis have lowered butyrate production. Most studies have shown benefits with oral butyrate supplements such as lowering inflammation and maintaining remission. Diets that increase butyrate production (ie those containing oat bran) have also been shown to be beneficial. Microbiome testing can measure butyrate production directly and assess our levels of butyrate producers. Interestingly, supplementing with butyrate has also been shown to increase gut microbiome butyrate production.

21/04/2023

Currently recruiting for adult participants in a research study. Help contribute to the future of Australian herbal medicine!