From the viral moment on The Traitors to the biology of the "silent but deadly," this episode is an unashamed deep dive into flatulence. Drs Siobhan and Sheena are joined by Julie Thompson, Lead Dietitian at Guts UK Charity, to break the stigma around passing wind. We discuss what normal gas looks like, why fiber makes us farty (and why that's a good thing!), and the truth about the Low FODMAP diet for IBS sufferers. Plus, we answer the important questions: Do spiders fart? And do charcoal underpants actually work?

Featured Guest:

Julie Thompson is a Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian with over 16 years of experience supporting people with digestive diseases. She has a particular interest in disorders of gut-brain interaction, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

A leading voice in her field, Julie contributed to the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) dietary guidelines for IBS and has delivered the BDA’s Low FODMAP diet training to dietitians across the UK. She currently serves as the Information Manager at the charity Guts UK and sits on the BSG Gut Microbiota for Health Expert Panel.

References and resources:

• Guts UK Charity: https://gutscharity.org.uk/
• Book: Fartology by Stefan Gates
• Book: Does It Fart? by Nick Caruso & Dani Rabaiotti
• The Physics of Farts: Ancalle, D., et al. (2021). "Physics of flatulence." The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
• What is a "Normal" Amount of Gas? Modesto, A., et al. (2021). "Meta-Analysis of the Composition of Human Intestinal Gases." Digestive Diseases and Sciences.
• Microbes & Metabolism: Rowland, I., et al. (2018). "Gut microbiota functions: metabolism of nutrients and other food components." European Journal of Nutrition. (See the excellent section on intestinal gas & microbes!)
• Carb Intolerance: Fernández-Bañares, F. (2022). "Carbohydrate Maldigestion and Intolerance." Nutrients.
• The "Bean Study": Winham, D., & Hutchins, A. (2011). "Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies." Nutrition Journal. (Evidence that the gas often goes away after a few weeks!)
• Symptoms in the UK: Thomson, C., Garcia, A., & Edwards, C. (2021). "Digestive symptoms, diet and demographics in UK adults." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
• Global Gas Survey: Palsson, O.S., et al. (2025). "Gas-Related Symptoms in the General Population: Prevalence, Impact and Associated Factors." Neurogastroenterology & Motility.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

Join us in this enlightening episode as we explore the intricate relationship between herbalism and gut health with returning expert herbalist Mo Wilde. Discover how the gut microbiome influences the effectiveness of herbal treatments and the holistic approach to healing. Dive into the historical context of herbal medicine and its integration with modern practices, offering a fresh perspective on personalized health care.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Sheena Fraser is joined by Monica 'Mo' Wilde, an expert forager, research herbalist, and award-winning author of The Wilderness Cure. Mo discusses her remarkable year-long experiment, detailed in her 'Wildbiome Project', where she lived exclusively on wild, foraged foods to explore its effects on her gut microbiome.

The conversation covers the rules of her challenge, the incredible biodiversity of her diet, which included over 300 plant species, and the significant health changes she experienced, such as effortless weight loss and shifts in key gut bacteria. Analyzing her microbiome results throughout the seasons, they explore the profound impact of a biodiverse, ancestral diet on gut health, inflammation, and overall well-being, highlighting a stark contrast to modern eating habits and underscoring the benefits of reconnecting with nature's pantry.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Sheena Fraser is joined by Dr. Olga Morton, a GP and lifestyle medic specializing in women's health, to explore the intricate link between menopause and the gut microbiome.

Looking beyond Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), they discuss how powerful lifestyle changes can soothe symptoms and promote long-term health. The conversation dives into the benefits of a plant-based diet, the role of phytoestrogens, and the importance of the estrobolome, the gut bacteria that help regulate your hormones.

Tune in to learn practical strategies for managing stress, sleep, and exercise, and discover how to embrace menopause as a journey of empowerment and self-care.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

In this episode, Dr Siobhan McCormack is in conversation with Professor John Alverdy from the University of Chicago, a Professor of Surgery and a pioneer in microbiome research. They explore the crucial link between gut health and surgical outcomes, particularly in addressing post-operative infections and complications.

The conversation highlights the significance of the gut microbiome in healing, revealing that many infections may stem from the patient's own flora. The episode also tackles the implications of widespread antibiotic use and the need for prudent stewardship to protect beneficial gut microbes.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

For this episode of Microbiome Medics, Dr Sheena Fraser is joined by Dr Aslı Devrim Lanpir, an expert in nutrition and dietetics, with a focus on sports nutrition and exercise physiology. This episode delves into the fascinating link between the gut microbiome and athletic performance. They explore the effect of demanding training regimens on gut health, and what specific changes athletes can make to mitigate these challenges and enhance recovery.

Resources:

• https://isappscience.org/

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

In this episode of Microbiome Medics, Dr. Sheena Fraser welcomes Dr. Nihan Maron, a veterinary doctor and microbiologist, to discuss the essential connections between pet and human microbiomes. Dr. Nihan highlights how pets, especially dogs, enhance our microbial diversity and health, while emphasizing the importance of mindful antibiotic use and the role of probiotics. The conversation also addresses pet nutrition, advocating for diets that reflect natural eating habits, and the risks of processed foods. They conclude with the "One Health Approach," reinforcing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This episode encourages pet owners to take an integrated approach to health through nurturing their pets’ microbiomes.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.

In this episode of Microbiome Medics, Dr. Siobhan McCormack and Dr. Sheena Fraser are reunited. They share their recent experiences presenting at major conferences and underscore the importance of integrating microbiome science into mainstream medicine, particularly concerning pre- and post-operative care; they delve into how lifestyle interventions, especially diet, significantly impact surgical outcomes, immune response, and recovery by influencing the gut microbiome, also discussing the detrimental effects of the hospital environment and common medical interventions on gut health, and advocating for a holistic, patient-centered approach that prioritizes gut health to improve overall well-being and reduce complications like post-operative pain and cognitive dysfunction, while teasing an upcoming interview with a leading expert in the field.

This podcast is brought to you in collaboration with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Disclaimer:

The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on this podcast.