What Is the Menopausal Microbiome? Now that you (hopefully) know a bit more menopause from a biological point of view (in case you missed it, see this link to the previous blog post), we can discuss the role the microbiome plays during perimenopause and into postmenopause. As a quick recap, menopause is essentially the final […]
What Do Women Actually Know About Menopause? In a 2023 survey of 829 post-menopausal women, nearly 50% of respondents indicated that they felt ‘not informed at all’ about menopause. To make matters worse, 60% of respondents reported that they only began to search for information about menopause when they started experiencing symptoms. In Australia, the […]
What Is the Gut-Vagina Axis? You are probably familiar with the concept of the gut microbiome, and chances are if you’re reading this blog post, you are also familiar with the vaginal microbiome. But what about the link between the two? While the research is still very much in the early stages, more and more […]
Is Semen Really Sterile? There is virtually no part of the human body that is completely sterile — and this includes semen. As scientific technology has advanced, new culture-independent techniques (that don’t rely on being able to grow bacteria in a lab to detect their presence) have been used to investigate the male reproductive tract. […]
Can the Microbiome Be Used as Medicine? What if we could use our knowledge of the microbiome to treat or even prevent disease? This is exactly what microbiome-based therapeutics are aiming to do. This blog post will define and explore seven different types of microbiome-mediated interventions: dietary interventions, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, faecal microbiota transplant, live […]
Throughout my years of clinical practice, I’ve observed fascinating connections between the body’s microbiome balance and overall health. One relationship that particularly stands out is how hormonal fluctuations can significantly impact microbial balance, especially when it comes to candida. Candida: Beyond Simple Yeast Infection Candida albicans naturally lives in our mouths, gut, and genital regions. […]
The Oral-Cardiovascular Link The connection between oral health and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become increasingly clear in recent years. Research has consistently shown that people with poor oral hygiene and gum disease have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease, suffering strokes, and experiencing other cardiovascular complications. This relationship isn’t merely coincidental—it’s biological. Your […]
The oral microbiome is fast becoming my favourite biome to interpret. For one thing, there is a wealth of research in this area that has not had much practical application until very recently, when DNA-based oral microbiome tests became available to the public. Mounting evidence has linked oral health with just about every body system you […]
If you’re dealing with persistent bad breath or noticing a white coating on your tongue, you’re not just facing isolated symptoms – you might be witnessing signs of an imbalanced oral microbiome. These common problems affect millions of people, and the solution lies deeper than just brushing more or using stronger mouthwash. What Your Mouth […]
Ever felt that burning sensation in your chest after a meal and reached for your trusty antacid? You’re not alone. Millions of people suffer from acid reflux, but here’s something your doctor might not have told you: those uncomfortable symptoms might have more to do with your gut bacteria than with too much stomach acid. […]