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

AI is everywhere and health is no exception. In this episode, Sandra and Wagdy get into one of the most timely conversations in medicine right now. What is AI actually getting right and wrong when it comes to gut health, what's happening when patients consult AI before, or instead of, their doctor, and where is this all heading? You can even listen to a live demo with ChatGPT!

This episode covers:

• What AI is actually doing in gastroenterology right now
• Whether AI makes clinicians better doctors or introduces new risks
• What happens when patients arrive having already consulted AI about their gut symptoms
• When AI actually helps - and the patients who come in better informed because of it
• The red flags that should always send you straight to a doctor, regardless of what any AI tool says
• Where this is all heading and more…

This is a short and light conversation about a tool that is already reshaping how people engage with their health, for better and for worse. Essential listening whether you're a clinician, a patient, or someone who has ever typed a symptom into ChatGPT at midnight.

Connect with your hosts on Instagram

Sandra Mikhail

Wagdy Mikhail

For more information visit nutritition-az.com

Sandra’s book turns 3 this month! The Gut Chronicles: An uncensored journey into the world of digestive health and illness.

We're surrounded by so much health and wellness information unlike any other generation but how much of it actually holds up to scrutiny? In this episode, Sandra is joined by consultant dietitian Kirsten Jackson and internal medicine physician Dr. Ramy Khalil to call out pseudoscience, explore why misinformation is so persuasive and examine whether mainstream medicine is partly to blame for the vacuum wellness culture has rushed to fill.

This episode covers:

• The "I can't believe this is still a thing" moments our guests are seeing right now
• Why smart, health-conscious people are still drawn in by wellness misinformation
• What makes certain health claims sound convincing even when the evidence isn't there
• The psychology behind why some ideas feel intuitive or believable regardless of the science
• Where mainstream medicine and dietetics have failed patients & the rise of ‘Functional Medicine”
• How to tell the difference between genuinely helpful health advice and clever marketing
• How to handle a patient or client who has gone deep down a wellness rabbit hole and believes it's working
• The most dangerous pieces of misinformation our guests have seen cause real clinical harm

This conversation is honest, at times uncomfortable, and essential listening for anyone trying to make sense of the health information landscape whether you're a clinician, a patient, or just someone trying to make good decisions about your own wellbeing.

About Dr. Ramy Khalil

Dr. Ramy Khalil is a board-certified internal medicine physician and clinical informaticist. He practices direct primary care through his practice Clinicly in the UAE and Continuum Overnight Primary Care in the United States, where he's licensed in five states. Dr. Khalil holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Preventive Medicine.

His work focuses on evidence-based primary care delivered outside traditional insurance models, and he writes extensively on healthcare systems, healthcare technology and medical evidence on social media.

Connect with Dr. Ramy:

• Instagram
• Website
• Substack
• The Dubai Doctors Podcast

About Kirsten Jackson

Kirsten Jackson BSc Hons PGCert is a UK consultant dietitian specialising in gut health and the author of ‘Take Control of your IBS’. Kirsten graduated from The University of Hertfordshire in 2012 before joining the UK national health service where she specialised in gastroenterology. She later went on to complete her post-graduate certificate in Advanced Dietetics at The University of Nottingham. In 2018 Kirsten moved to the UAE as the lead dietitian for Kings College Hospital in Dubai. In this role she was part of the team which developed and opened the first British healthcare facility in the Middle East. Kirsten now runs an online IBS clinic called The Food Treatment Clinic to help those who suffer with the condition. Outside of clinical work, Kirsten is an official media spokesperson for The British Dietetic Association where she has worked on TV and with media outlets such as Cosmopolitan and The Guardian. She is also an expert advisor for the charity, The IBS Network.

Connect with Kirsten:

• Website
• Instagram
• Take Control of your IBS

The longevity industry is booming, but how much of what's being sold actually has the science to back it up? In this solo episode, Sandra cuts through the noise to explore what the research really says about ageing well, and why your gut microbiome may be one of the most powerful and most overlooked tools in the longevity conversation.

This episode covers:

• Why the longevity and biohacking industry often overpromises and underdelivers
• What the gut microbiome actually has to do with how we age
• The concept of inflammaging and why it matters for long-term health
• The female microbiome & the estrobolome: its role in oestrogen metabolism across a woman's lifespan
• How menopause shifts the microbiome and what that means for women's health
• The evidence-based dietary and lifestyle habits that genuinely support a healthy microbiome
• Why the most powerful longevity tool is already sitting in your kitchen

This episode cuts through the expensive, overhyped world of biohacking to make the case that the fundamentals fibre, fermented foods, movement, sleep, and stress management are where the real evidence lies.

Connect with your hosts on Instagram

Sandra Mikhail

Wagdy Mikhail

For more information visit nutritition-az.com

Get Sandra’s book: The Gut Chronicles: An uncensored journey into the world of digestive health and illness.

We’re often told that stress “affects the gut,” but rarely are we given a clear explanation of how or what to actually do about it. In this episode, Dr. Kelly Watkins joins Sandra to unpack the science and psychology behind the mind–gut connection and why approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are becoming an essential part of digestive care.

This episode covers:

• How stress and anxiety physically affect gut function
• The science behind the brain–gut communication loop
• Why CBT is increasingly used in digestive disorders
• Common psychological triggers for bloating, pain and IBS flares
• How gut symptoms and anxiety can reinforce each other
• Practical CBT tools for managing gut-related anxiety
• Why “it’s in your head” is a misleading and harmful myth

This conversation bridges the gap between gut health and mental health, tackles stigma head-on, and offers practical tools for anyone living with IBS, bloating, chronic pain or stress-related digestive symptoms.

About Dr. Kelly Watkins

Dr Kelly Watkins, BSc (Hons), MSc, PG Dip, PgD, is a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, EMDR Therapist, and HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist. With over a decade of experience working with clients across the NHS, HM Prison Service, private healthcare, and community settings, Kelly brings a unique blend of psychological expertise and mind-body understanding to her work.

Kelly supports clients worldwide through 1:1 work, online workshops and retreats designed to help individuals rebuild their relationship with food, understand the mind-gut connection, and heal the emotional patterns that contribute to digestive distress. Her integrative approach combines evidence-based psychological therapies with practical, holistic strategies that empower people to transform their wellbeing from the inside out.

Alongside her clinical work, Kelly lectures and supervises the next generation of CBT therapists and conducts research into personality disorders, staff training, and therapeutic engagement. She has also built a successful online platform, creating accessible education, digital resources, and mental wellness products for a global audience. Her content and expertise have led to regular media interviews and collaborations focusing on forensic psychology, mental health and whole-body wellbeing.

Passionate about demystifying therapy and reducing stigma around mental health, she is committed to supporting people to make meaningful, sustainable changes and live fuller, healthier lives.

Connect with Dr. Kelly Watkins:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Website

Join “The Live Gut Chat: A Night with The Gastro & His Daughter” on the 26.01.2026 at 5:00pm CET / 8:00pm Gulf Standard Time. You’ve listened to us in your ears, now join us in the room for a live recording of the pod. For more information and registration, click here.

Sandra and Wagdy are back with another episode, this time joined by Dr Jason Hawrelak all the way from Australia, to unpack the confusing world of probiotics: what they are, when they’re useful, and how to separate real evidence from clever marketing. This episode covers:

• Probiotics 101: what probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics actually are, why they all matter, and whether everyone really needs a probiotic supplement.
• Strain-specific science: which probiotic strains have evidence for IBS, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, mood support, and more plus the biggest myths Jason wants people to stop believing.
• Women’s health and probiotics: what we know (and don’t yet know)
• Prebiotics explained: why prebiotics often have a bigger impact on the microbiome than probiotics themselves and much more!

This was a practical, myth-busting conversation to help you choose probiotics with confidence and understand when they’re worth it, and when they’re not.

About Dr. Jason Hawrelak

Dr Jason Hawrelak is a researcher, educator, Western herbalist, and naturopathic physician with 25 years’ clinical experience. He did his PhD examining the capacity of probiotics, prebiotics and herbal medicines to modify the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and teaches worldwide on the topics of microbiota modification, clinical application of probiotics and prebiotics, and gut health. He has published extensively in these areas, including 20 textbook chapters. Dr Hawrelak is on the Medical Nutrition Council of the American Society for Nutrition and is a Fellow of both the American College of Nutrition and the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia. Dr Hawrelak maintains a busy telehealth clinical practice as lead clinician in the Hawrelak Gut and Microbiome Clinic.

Dr Hawrelak is Chief Research Officer at ProbioticAdvisor.com, which offers a searchable database that enables easy, evidence-based prescribing of probiotic products. He also established, and is Lead Educator at the Microbiome Restoration Center, an online educational centre devoted to training health professionals to become microbiome clinicians, through his key courses – Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Approaches to Gastrointestinal Disorders and Advanced Microbiome Manipulation.

Connect with Dr. Hawrelak:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Website and The Course

Disclaimer: This podcast is not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Always consult your healthcare provider for personalised medical advice. The content shared is for educational purposes only.