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So let’s talk about Fatty Liver

“Did you know that one in three adults has a fatty liver — and most don’t even realize it?”

With a rough adult population in Australia of 20 million , 1 in 3 translates to ~6–7 million adults 

So what are the common early symptoms ?  Symptoms can be  mild and vague and include

• Fatigue or weakness
• Discomfort or pain in the upper right abdomen (where the liver is located)
• Unexplained tiredness
• Mild nausea or loss of appetite
• Hard to lose weight

• Excess fat storage around the abdomen can be a sign that the body is not handling fats and sugars efficiently. When this pattern continues over time, you may have to consider the possibility that more fats are also being stored in your liver.

 So why is the liver so important ?

Your liver is like your body’s internal filter — it processes everything you eat, breathe, and absorb through your skin. It converts nutrients into energy, detoxifies chemicals, and breaks down fats and hormones.
But when this system becomes overloaded, fat starts to accumulate inside the liver cells — that’s what we call fatty liver or hepatic steatosis.

So the main causes of Fatty Liver disease has changed over time.

Decades ago, liver disease was most commonly associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol use led to a condition called alcoholic fatty liver disease  — where fat accumulates in the liver due to the toxic effects of alcohol metabolism. 

However, in recent years, there has been a dramatic shift. Fatty liver disease is now increasingly seen in people who do not drink alcohol at all. This condition is called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)  It’s a condition where too much fat builds up in the liver — but not because of alcohol. but due to metabolic problems that can arise from obesity and insulin resistance.

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 So what are the main culprits in Fatty Liver Disease?

 High Fructose & Processed Sugars

Modern diets are packed with hidden fructose — from soft drinks, syrups, and processed snacks. Unlike glucose, fructose is metabolized only in the liver, where excess amounts are rapidly turned into fat. Over time, this fat builds up  and slows detoxification.

 

🍞 Overeating Refined Carbohydrates, not just fructose also creates a fatty liver

Turn that old diet pyramid upside down literally. This was designed to make you fat and insulin resistant. 

White bread, pasta, and processed cereals spike blood sugar and insulin. Chronically high insulin levels tell the body to store more fat, including in your liver..

☣️ Toxic Load – Chemicals, Pesticides, and Pollutants

Your liver also filters thousands of chemicals daily — from pesticides in food, additives, medications, and even skincare products. When the toxic load exceeds the liver’s capacity, detox pathways become sluggish. The body then stores toxins in fat tissue — including liver fat — as a protective mechanism. 

🍷 Alcohol & Medication Overload

Alcohol and certain medications (like painkillers or cholesterol drugs) demand extra detox work from the liver. Chronic exposure can deplete vital antioxidants in the liver such as glutathione which increases fat accumulation

💤 Nutrient Deficiency & Stress

Low levels of B vitamins, choline, antioxidants, and amino acids impair the liver’s ability to metabolize fat.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress raises cortisol, which drives cravings and fat storage, while also slowing liver repair and bile flow.

🦠 Gut-Liver Connection

An unhealthy gut microbiome produces a lot of endotoxins as part of bacterial waste .  if you have a leaky gut these can be transported to the liver through the portal vein. This triggers inflammation and worsens fatty buildup . 

The Hidden Link Between SIBO and Bloating-Why It’s Not Just “Too Much Gas”

If you’ve ever unbuttoned your jeans halfway through the day and thought, “Why do I look six
months pregnant after lunch?”
You’re not alone, and no, it’s not just air or overeating.
At our Gold Coast clinic, we see it all the time: people doing everything right: eating clean,
staying active, yet they’re still uncomfortably bloated.
One of the most common hidden causes? SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.
Let’s unpack what it is, why it makes your belly balloon, and how to get it under control
naturally.
What Exactly Is SIBO?
Picture your digestive system as a long, winding neighbourhood.
The large intestine (the “big city”) is where most of your bacteria live happily, doing useful
things like making vitamins and breaking down fibre.
But in SIBO, those bacteria wander into the small intestine, where they don’t belong.
Once there, they start fermenting your food too early, creating gas and chaos in the wrong
place.
The result? Bloating, pressure, and discomfort that can show up within 30 minutes of
eating.
Fun Fact:
Your small intestine can stretch up to seven metres long, that’s about the length of three
surfboards lined up on the beach. So when gas builds up along that “wave,” even in one
section, it’s no wonder your stomach can pop out like a balloon.
How SIBO Creates That “Food Baby” Feeling
When gut bacteria overgrow in the small intestine, they feed on your meals and release
hydrogen and methane gases, the kind that make your belly swell and ache.
● Hydrogen-dominant SIBO often causes diarrhoea and cramping
● Methane-dominant SIBO slows everything down, causing constipation and a heavy,
tight belly
● Hydrogen sulfide SIBO can bring on smelly gas and fatigue
And the bloating? That’s not just “in your head.”
Fun Fact:

Some clients tell me they wake up with a flat tummy but look five months pregnant by
afternoon, that’s how quickly fermentation can expand your small intestine.
Methane-producing bacteria can even slow your intestinal motility, making you feel full and
sluggish for hours after eating.
The Clues That Point to SIBO
You might be dealing with SIBO if you:
● Bloat after even healthy foods like apples, broccoli, or lentils
● Feel gassy or distended no matter what you eat
● Experience alternating constipation and diarrhoea
● Get that “full after a few bites” feeling
● Have a history of food poisoning, antibiotic use, or long-term reflux medication
SIBO doesn’t discriminate, it can sneak up on even the cleanest eaters.
The Vicious Cycle: Bloat → Restrict → More Bloat
Many people try to fix bloating by cutting out foods, but under-eating slows digestion further.
That sluggish motility gives bacteria more time to ferment food, feeding the overgrowth even
more.
So ironically, the more you restrict, the worse SIBO can get.
That’s why a proper diagnosis and targeted plan are essential, not just another elimination
diet.
Fun Fact:
There are three main types of SIBO, and each one responds differently to treatment, which
is why what worked for your friend might make your symptoms worse.
Testing for SIBO: No Guessing, Just Breathing
At Gold Coast Digestive Health, we use a SIBO breath test – it’s non-invasive and easy to
do at home.
You simply drink a special sugar solution, then blow into small test tubes over two to three
hours.
The lab measures hydrogen and methane levels in your breath, giving us a clear map of
what’s happening deep in your gut.
Fun Fact:
Even a small pocket of misplaced bacteria can change how your whole digestive system
feels, proof that size doesn’t always matter (at least when it comes to microbes!).
Natural, Targeted Ways to Rebalance SIBO

Once testing confirms SIBO, the goal is to gently rebalance your gut environment, not blast it
with guesswork.
We use a combination of functional testing, herbal protocols, and food therapy that’s
personalised for you.
Here’s what the process often includes:

1. Starving the overgrowth – temporarily adjusting your diet to limit fermentable foods
2. Natural antimicrobials herbs like berberine, neem, and oregano oil can selectively
   target problem bacteria
3. Motility support – nutrients and herbs that help your gut’s “cleaning wave” keep food
   moving
4. Repairing the gut lining – using L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, and soothing herbs
5. Rebuilding the microbiome – reintroducing good bacteria once balance is restored
   Fun Fact:
   When clients finish SIBO treatment, they often say, “I didn’t realise my stomach could
   actually be this flat.”
   That’s not vanity, that’s inflammation leaving the building.

Book in for your SIBO test now!

How Your Gut Affects Hormones, Mood and Energy

The Hidden Connection Explained
When we think of digestion, we usually picture our stomach and intestines breaking down
food. But did you know your gut is in constant conversation with your brain, hormones,
and immune system?
At Gold Coast Digestive Health, we often see clients struggling with fatigue, anxiety, poor
sleep, and hormonal imbalance, all of which can be traced back to the gut. Understanding
this connection is the first step toward restoring balance naturally.

The Gut-Brain-Hormone Connection: Your “Second Brain”
Your gut isn’t just a digestion machine. It’s lined with over 100 million nerve cells and
produces many of the same neurotransmitters your brain does, including serotonin,
dopamine, and GABA, the chemicals that regulate mood, sleep, and motivation.
When your gut microbiome (the community of bacteria in your intestines) is out of balance, it
can send distress signals to your brain, contributing to:
● Low mood or anxiety
● Brain fog
● Poor sleep
● Low motivation and fatigue
This is why naturopaths often refer to the gut as your “second brain.”
Read More About Your Second Brain!

How Gut Imbalances Disrupt Hormones
Hormones act as your body’s communication system, controlling energy, stress response,
fertility, and metabolism. But here’s the key:
Many of these hormones are influenced by your gut flora and the health of your
digestive tract.
Let’s look at three important connections:

1. Estrogen Balance and the Gut
   A specific group of gut bacteria, called the estrobolome — helps metabolize and regulate
   estrogen.

When these bacteria are imbalanced (often due to antibiotics, stress, or diet), estrogen
levels can become too high or too low, contributing to:
● PMS or irregular periods
● Weight changes
● Mood swings
● Fatigue or low libido

2. Stress Hormones (Cortisol) and the Gut
   Chronic gut inflammation can trigger the HPA axis, your body’s main stress pathway.
   This leads to increased cortisol production, which over time can cause:
   ● Sleep disruption
   ● Energy crashes
   ● Weight gain around the midsection
   ● Feelings of burnout

3.Thyroid Function and Nutrient Absorption
Your gut is where crucial nutrients for thyroid hormone production, such as iodine, selenium and zinc are absorbed.
Poor digestion or bacterial overgrowth (like SIBO) can block absorption, leading to low
thyroid symptoms such as tiredness, dry skin, and low mood.

Signs Your Gut Might Be Impacting Your Hormones and
Mood
You may be surprised how often clients come in for hormonal or mental health concerns and discover their gut is at the root of the problem. Common signs include:
● Bloating or gas after meals
● Constipation or loose stools
● Unexplained fatigue
● PMS or irregular cycles
● Anxiety or low mood
● Skin breakouts or dullness
● Brain fog and poor focus

If several of these sound familiar, your gut health may be influencing far more than digestion.

Functional Testing: Getting to the Root Cause

At Gold Coast Digestive Health, we use advanced functional testing to identify
imbalances, such as:

• Comprehensive stool analysis (to assess microbiome diversity, inflammation,
  parasites)
• OAT testing (for metabolic pathways)
• SIBO breath testing (to detect small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
• Hormone and adrenal profiles (like the DUTCH test)
• Food intolerance and microbiome mapping

And many more..

These tests provide a clear picture of how your gut, hormones, and energy systems are
interacting, allowing us to create a personalized naturopathic treatment plan.

Simple Strategies to Support Your Gut

Have you ever noticed that when your gut is off, everything feels off?
You wake up bloated, your brain feels foggy, you’re tired for no reason and even your mood
dips for no obvious cause.
It’s not your imagination.
Your gut affects every cell in your body: your hormones, your mood, your skin, even how
much energy you have to face the day.
After more than 20 years helping people on the Gold Coast get to the bottom of their
digestive issues, I’ve seen one thing over and over again:
When the gut heals, the rest of the body follows.
Here are the five most powerful (and practical) ways to naturally repair your digestion and
get your spark back.

Feed Your Gut Like You’d Feed a Garden
Imagine your gut as a garden. The good bacteria are the flowers — the ones that make you
feel light, clear, and energised. The bad ones? Weeds that take over when the soil is
neglected.
To grow a healthy internal ecosystem:
● Eat colourful, real food: Think bright veggies, herbs, berries, seeds.
● Cut back on processed foods that starve your good bugs.
● Rotate your meals: variety is nature’s probiotic.
Many clients also see bloating drop dramatically within weeks of switching to “one ingredient
foods,” things that don’t need a label.
Slow Down: Digestion Isn’t a Race
Modern life teaches us to eat like we’re in a competition.
Phone in one hand, fork in the other, brain somewhere else.
But here’s the thing: your gut doesn’t digest on command. It digests when your nervous
system feels safe.
If you’re stressed, your body literally shuts off digestion to prioritise survival.
So before you eat, pause.
Take a few breaths. Feel your feet on the ground.
At Gold Coast Digestive Health, we call this the “30-second reset.”
It’s simple, free, and one of the fastest ways to calm bloating and indigestion.

I also love using concentrated herbal drops to stimulate digestive secretions which in turn
helps the gut to relax, digest and absorb food better.

Nurture Your Microbiome – Your Inner Ecosystem
Your gut bacteria are microscopic roommates who influence how you think, feel, and
function.
Feed them well, and they’ll repay you with better digestion, mood, and immunity.
● Probiotic foods (like sauerkraut, kefir, or kimchi) add helpful species.
● Prebiotic foods (like garlic, leeks, and green bananas) feed them.
● If you’ve had antibiotics or chronic gut issues, targeted probiotic therapy can reset
the balance.
In our clinic, we use advanced microbiome mapping and SIBO breath testing to see
exactly what’s going on. No guesswork, just data.

Calm Your Stress, Because Your Gut Feels It First
You’ve probably heard of the “gut-brain connection,” but here’s what most people don’t
realise:
Your gut is often the first organ to tell you you’re stressed.
Tight stomach? Butterflies? Bloating after a hard day? That’s your enteric nervous system
talking.
Try these daily gut-soothing rituals:
● A five-minute walk outside after meals
● Deep belly breathing or gentle yoga
● Herbal teas with lemon balm, chamomile, or passionflower. Many of my clients
are surprised that after a few weeks of stress support, their digestion “mysteriously”
improves but it’s no mystery at all.

Hydrate Intelligently (It’s Not Just About Water)
Dehydration slows everything, from bowel movement to enzyme release.
Aim for 1.5–2 litres of water daily, but make it smarter:
● Start your day with warm lemon water to wake up digestion.
● Sip herbal teas like peppermint or ginger throughout the day.
● Avoid big gulps during meals. They dilute stomach acid, which you actually need to
digest food.
And yes, low stomach acid is a real problem. Many “reflux” cases we see on the Gold
Coast are due to too little acid, not too much.

A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in warm water before meals often makes a world of
difference.