Is bloating an issue for you? It’s incredibly common yet that doesn’t mean it’s normal. This episode breaks down common GI issues and how to detect and prevent them. Tune in to learn more!This week, Jenn is talking with certified health coach Lindsey Parsons about all things gut health. Lindsey walks through her story of dealing with chronic SIBO, as well as common GI upset such as candida, IBD, IBS, and more. She discusses how to handle bloating and how to understand the root cause of it. Lindsey explains what the “perfect stool” is and how to recognize if your stool might be off due to a larger issue. Jenn and Lindsey talk about weight loss resistance and fat loss resistance and how it is all connected to what’s happening within the gut. Tune in to learn more about gut health, probiotics, fiber and more! The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, discussing wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. IN THIS EPISODE: ● [3:47] How did Lindsey get started with her specialty of stool and gut health? ● [5:40] Lindsey talks about the connection between gut health and the immune system/autoimmune issues.● [8:40] How do you handle bloating and what is the cause of it? ● [11:52] How do you manage chronic diarrhea or constipation? ● [13:37] What is the “perfect stool”?● [17:00] How is weight loss resistance or fat loss resistance connected to what’s happening in the gut? ● [19:03] How does candida tie in to gut issues?● [22:02] What is slow motility in the small intestine and large intestine? ● [22:46] How do you know when you should add more fiber in your diet?● [25:32] When should you use probiotics? ● [28:05] How can people go about testing on their own?● [28:57] Lindsey talks about a few more items that help the gut. KEY TAKEAWAYS: ● [5:59] For an autoimmune issue to become active, generally the body has to become weakened in order for the autoimmune issue to flare up. This could be leaky gut or intestinal hyperpermeability, or a gut infection. ● [9:58] If you suspect that you have GI issues, first start with a gastroenterologist to clear any major issues such as cancer. Once that is cleared, then you test with a gastroenterologist who is educated in SIBO or find a functional medicine doctor who can run tests such as a GI Map. ● [23:47] Fruits and vegetables are the best source for fiber, but the real powerhouses diet-wise are going to be your beans, lentils and chickpeas. You’re never going to get enough fiber unless you eat those foods in your diet regularly. QUOTES: “A leaky gut is allowing out these antigens, be they parts of gram negative bacteria called lipopolysaccharides, which create inflammation, or they might be partly digested food particles like gluten, which is something that really resembles your thyroid gland. So therefore, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the most common autoimmune disease because the body sees that thing come out of your intestines, not digested, full protein, and thinking that doesn't belong here, attacks it, and then says what else looks like that in the body, oh well your thyroid gland, so let me attack that too.” - Lindsey Parsons “When I’m at my worst, I can look six months pregnant easily. So, bloating is very much associated with SIBO. If somebody says they’re bloated and it’s every day, and usually unless they’re following a very strict diet that doesn't have any high FODMAP foods, then typically you’re going to be looking at SIBO and that may have been diagnosed as IBS because it may then go along with diarrhea or constipation or other GI issues.” - Lindsey Parson“If you’re just a generally healthy person who maybe is just a little bit constipated, you probably do need to add some more fiber to your diet. Fruits and vegetables being the best source, but really the powerhouses diet-wise are going to be your beans and your lentils and your chickpeas, those kinds of foods.” - Lindsey Parsons"If you have low stomach acid and you're not breaking apart your proteins properly then you're probably not getting enough l-carnitine...one of the two essential nutrients needed to take fatty acids and...turn them into energy." - Lindsey Parsons"Typically it starts with some sort of trigger, like a stressful period in your life or a period of antibiotics, which weakens your immune system, raises your cortisol, which raises your blood sugar and then...you see dysbiosis, too many pathogenic bacteria and not enough commensal bacteria and then you start to see overgrowths of candida...which may cause sugar cravings or carb cravings." - Lindsey Parsons"The symptoms you're experiencing are your body communicating with you...let's listen and support it because our gut health translates into our overall health." - Jenn Trepeck   RESOURCES:Down and Dirty Part 1Down and Dirty Part 2Become A Member of Salad with a Side of FriesJenn’s Free Menu PlanA Salad With a Side of FriesA Salad With A Side Of Fries MerchA Salad With a Side of Fries InstagramGUEST RESOURCES:High Desert Health Coach WebsiteGut Healing Facebook GroupHigh Desert Health Facebook PageHigh Desert Health Instagram PageHigh Desert Health YouTubeLindsey's SupplementsFree E-Booklet “Finding Your Root Cause Through Stool and Organic Acids Testing” Free Quiz to see Which Stool or Functional Medicine Test Will Help You Find the Root Cause of your Gut Health IssuesLindsey's Rupa Health Lab StoreBIO:Lindsey Parsons, EdD is a Certified Health Coach working out of Tucson, Arizona. She specializes in helping clients heal gut health issues and reverse autoimmune disease naturally. She also hosts the podcast "The Perfect Stool: Understanding and Healing the Gut Microbiome". Prior to starting her health coaching career, she co-founded and ran a nonprofit advocating for healthier food in the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland.