Every decade or so, a global panel of gastroenterology experts rewrites the diagnostic rulebook for conditions like IBS and it's just been updated for the first time in ten years. In this episode, Sandra and Wagdy unpack what's actually changed in the ROME V update, and what it means for anyone who's ever been told "your tests are normal, there's nothing wrong."

This episode covers:

• What the Rome criteria are, and how they moved GI diagnosis from a last resort to a positive process.
• Why "functional" is being dropped, and what the new language actually means for patients.
• The IBS criteria changes — and the new diagnoses added for the first time.
• Why research criteria and clinical criteria are now separate, and who that change is really for.
• Why the patient-provider relationship is now considered part of the treatment itself.

For years, a quarter of people with real, disruptive gut symptoms didn't meet the criteria for any diagnosis at all, despite worse quality of life, higher anxiety and more time spent in doctors' offices than people with no symptoms whatsoever. This episode is about the update that's finally designed to catch them. If you've ever been told your tests are normal and left with more questions than answers, this one's for you.

Connect with your hosts on Instagram

Sandra Mikhail

Wagdy Mikhail

For more information visit nutritition-az.com

Grab a copy of Sandra’s book and don’t forget to post a review! The Gut Chronicles: An uncensored journey into the world of digestive health and illness.

GLP-1s have changed the conversation on weight and metabolic health but the gut science, and life after stopping them, gets far less airtime. Sandra & Wagdy are joined by Dr. Linia Patel to unpack what's really happening in the body, the side effects nobody talks about and what comes next.

This episode covers:

• GLP-1 as a gut hormone and how the microbiome shapes our own natural production
• The gut-brain science behind appetite suppression, and whether these drugs alter the microbiome itself
• The digestive side effects nobody talks about and the red flags worth flagging to your prescriber
• Protecting fibre, nutrients and muscle mass on suppressed appetite
• Life after weight loss medication: why people stop and how to quieten food noise without it
• Whether GLP-1s risk replacing the deeper work on your relationship with food and much more.

So much of the GLP-1 conversation ends the moment someone starts the medication. We wanted to talk about everything else; the gut, the food noise and what actually happens when you stop.

About Dr. Linia Patel (PhD), RD

Dr Linia Patel is an award-winning Women’s Health Dietitian, Performance Nutritionist, and

Public Health Researcher with over 20 years of experience spanning sports nutrition, clinical

practice, and large-scale public health programmes. Author of the best-selling book Food for

Menopause, Linia has worked across diverse settings—from high-performance sport to NHS-

commissioned weight management services—translating science into practical strategies

that improve wellbeing and long-term health outcomes.

With the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight loss medications, much of her current clinical work

focuses on helping women navigate these treatments—whether starting, actively using, or

transitioning off them—while integrating lifestyle, nutrition, and behavioural strategies for

lasting success. Her approach is rooted in evidence, empowerment, and a deep

understanding of women’s unique health challenges across the lifespan.

Connect with Linia

Instagram

Grab a copy of Linia’s book: Life After Weight-Loss Medication

We talk a lot about gut health for adults on this podcast, but what about children? The foundations of a healthy gut are laid earlier than most parents realise, and the decisions made in those first years can have a lasting impact. In this episode, Sandra is joined by paediatric dietitian Aisling Oslizlok, to talk about what's really going on in children's guts, what parents are getting wrong and what actually helps.

This episode covers:

• The critical windows in early life that shape the gut microbiome long term
• The most common mistakes parents make when trying to fix their child's gut health
• What antibiotics actually do to a developing gut
• The everyday factors quietly disrupting kids' gut health that parents wouldn't think to question
• Constipation, bloating, fussy eating - what's worth investigating and what's just developmental
• What a gut-friendly diet looks like for a child and

This conversation is essential listening for any parent, whether you're navigating a specific concern or just want to set your child up well from the start.

About Aisling Oslizlok:

Aisling is a highly experienced Paediatric Dietitian with nearly 20 years of expertise in

children’s nutrition. Families value her compassionate and practical approach, which

empowers parents to manage their children’s nutritional needs with confidence. She holds a Master’s in Dietetics from Queen Margaret University in the UK and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacology from University College Dublin in Ireland. Her professional journey has included senior roles in world-class tertiary centres such as Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Before joining Genesis, she served as Head of Dietetics for Emirates Flight Catering.

Aisling is passionate about supporting children with food allergies and gastrointestinal conditions. Her evidence-based care helps families make meaningful, long-term improvements in their children’s health and eating habits.

Connect with Aisling:

Instagram

LinkedIn