Microbiome Testing

Could A New Home Test Help You Heal Your Gut?

Media Update

Microbiome Testing

What You Need To Know:

Atlas BioMed, a company based in the UK, has released an at-home microbiome test for those interested in learning more about the bacteria in their gut.

After ordering your microbiome test kit and receiving it in the mail, you register your kit online and then take a stool sample. Samples are mailed back to the lab for testing and analysis, which takes about 4-6 weeks. Your results are then uploaded to your personal account online along with recommendations.

The online report includes your individual results for disease risk, microbiome diversity, food recommendations, and dietary fibre intake. The test promises to help individuals tailor their diet needs to optimize their health such as, fibre recommendations.

As interesting and helpful as this test and its results may seem, many experts warn about the accuracy of such tests, stating that the science needed to interpret results isn’t quite advanced enough at this point.

While it is thought that a lack of diversity in the strains of bacteria in the gut is associated with disease, we are not able to say that a lack of diversity causes a certain disease. Further, providing tailored dietary advice specific to your microbiome would require much more data than these home-tests can provide.

While the future of microbiome testing is exciting, be wary of companies promising to give you answers that can’t be backed by scientific evidence.

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Fibre and the Low FODMAP Diet

Research Update

Funding for Canadian IBS Research

Headline: More Money for IBS Research

What You Need to Know:

A new research facility is set to open in the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) as of September 11, 2017. The WJ Henderson Centre for Patient-Oriented Research will become the new hub of patient-based health research in Kingston.

The aim of patient-centered research is for patients to feel engaged and give them a chance to influence the research that is being done, not only for their own health, but also to help them learn about disease and contribute to the advancement of medical care in their community and beyond.

As a part of the WJ Henderson Centre, Dr. Stephen Vanner is set to lead the largest study of bowel disease in Canada. The study is called IMAGINE (Inflammation, Microbiome and Alimentation: Gastrointestinal and Neuropsychiatric Effects) and is focused on reflecting the primary concerns of individuals with IBD and IBS.

The $25 million dollar project is looking to enrol 2000 people across the Canada with IBS and IBD. To ensure patient-centred focus individuals with IBS and IBD are part of the planning committee to help guide the research. This is a very new approach to a study of this scale.

Inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome patients interested in participating in Vanner’s research and IMAGINE can do so by contacting Celine Morissette, KHSC clinical research associate, at morissc@hdh.kari.net.

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FODMAP Update

Expanding Your Low FODMAP Diet

Headline: The #lowFODMAP diet isn’t as restrictive as you may think!

What You Need To Know:

Many red and yellow light foods in the Monash Low FODMAP app don’t need to be completely off limits, even in the strict elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet. By tapping on a food in the guide, you will see more details including smaller portion sizes and a breakdown of the different FODMAP groups, each with their own traffic light. If there is a smaller portion size with all green lights, this serving size may be enjoyed as a low FODMAP option!

Paying attention to portion sizes will help you avoid being overly restrictive on the low FODMAP diet. For example, regular white bread isn’t completely off limits, it just needs to be enjoyed in a single slice serving!

Keeping as much variety in your diet as possible is important for meeting all your nutritional requirements, and also for maintaining healthy levels of gut bacteria.

Below is a list of foods you may be surprised to learn you can enjoy, even while living low FODMAP: