Bacterial Imbalance
A healthy gut contains literally billions of beneficial bacteria that play a key role in digestion, absorption and immune function as well as supplying the body with some nutrients.
However, if levels of these beneficial bacteria begin to dwindle and other organisms begin to flourish a bacterial imbalance can result.
Causes
Anything that upsets the beneficial bacteria can contribute to a bacterial imbalance. A lack of friendly bacteria, a diet high in sugar and refined foods, alcohol, contaminated food and water, a stressful lifestyle, antibiotic and steroid use and female contraceptive use can all play a part.
Symptoms
A bacterial imbalance can lead to symptoms of:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Heartburn
- Food sensitivities
- Cravings for foods in particular sugar and refined carbohydrates
- Tiredness
- Nausea
- Headaches
Diagnosis
A bacterial imbalance is usually diagnosed by a medical specialist or nutritional therapist using symptoms, client history and stool test results.
Treatment
A diet that does not encourage bad bacteria to flourish but that the good bacteria enjoy is recommended. Recommendations usually involve avoiding excessive meat consumption, sugar, refined foods, alcohol and anything to which you are intolerant while eating a diet high in fresh fruit and vegetables and fibre from whole grains.
Doctors generally prescribe antibiotics. However, there are many herbs with antibacterial properties, such as oregano, cloves, garlic, berberine, grapefruit seed extract, pau d'arco, cats claw and neem. These can be used to reduce the bad bacteria alongside probiotics to repopulate the gut with good bacteria.