This page is dedicated to the Gutsy Glossary.
When you’re first diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and/or IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), doctors, nutritionists, and the Internet start spewing off term-after-term.
It’s hard to know what they all mean, especially when acronyms like IBS and IBD are used.
You’re trying to navigate the health condition at hand, not learn a whole new vocabulary.
I’m here to help!
Introducing the Gutsy Glossary, filled with acronyms and definitions. Below each term I will also include posts I have written in detail about the term. If you want to learn more, you always can.
Gutsy Glossary
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- A1C: A blood test that measures blood glucose levels to test for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
- A Gutsy Girl: it’s you, my darling
- AIP: The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, typically abbreviated AIP, is a powerful strategy that uses diet and lifestyle to regulate the immune system, putting an end to these attacks and giving the body the opportunity to heal.
- AIP search
- BM: Bowel Movement
- Bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine (BOSI): An overgrowth of bacteria that occurs in the small intestine (SIBO)
- Bowel movement (BM): An act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus.
- Bristol Stool Chart: A chart that breaks stools down into seven types that is used to help identify gastrointestinal distress or food sensitivities even.
- Butyrate: A short-chain fatty acid that gut bacteria produces when it breaks down food
- Complete blood count (CBC): A blood count that includes separate counts for red and white blood cells.
- Colonoscopy: a procedure where a long, thin and flexible tool is inserted via the rectum in order to view the bowels and colon
- Endoscopy: a procedure where a long, thin and flexible tool (endoscope) is inserted via the mouth
- FODMAP: Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS Diet): Created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, the GAPS diet aims to reduce overall inflammation throughout the body by supporting the gut lining through a very specific diet intended to detoxify and restore.”
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): GERD is what acid reflux progresses to, if/when it worsens. It is what occurs when stomach acid reverses back into the esophagus (where it’s not supposed to be).
- GI: The GI refers to both the upper and lower digestive systems. This is generally considered to start in the mouth (upper) and end in the anus (lower).
- Ghrelin: The hormone in your body that indicates hunger.
- Hydrochloric acid (HCL): An aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride HCl that is a strong corrosive irritating acid, is normally present in a dilute form in gastric juice, and is widely used in industry and in the laboratory.
- Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA axis): A neuroendocrine unit that is made up the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. This axis plays a key role in the body’s response to stress.
- IBD: Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- igE: Immunoglobulin E, antibodies produced in the immune system
- igG: Immunoglobulin G, the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation
- Insoluble fiber: Fiber that cannot be digested by our gut bacteria (does not dissolve in water)
- Insulin: A hormone released by the pancreas that signals to the body to utilize glucose that has been absorbed from the digestive tract.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): IBS is classified as a syndrome, not a disease. It includes a range of symptoms from constipation to diarrhea, cramping to abdominal pain, and more, but does not cause tissue inflammation (like IBD).
- L-glutamine: An amino acid known to protect and build the gut lining (the L indicates the specific structure of the amino acid used by humans).
- Leaky gut syndrome (LGS): Medically correct term is intestinal permeability. It occurs when the gut lining becomes damaged and what was once a barrier with tight junctions, has now become permeable.
- LDN: Low Dose Naltrexone
- Meal spacing (MS): The act of spacing out meals long enough in order to allow a rest and digest cycle.
- Microbiome: The community of living bacteria in your digestive tract.
- Migrating motor complex (MMC): Occurring approximately every 90 minutes, this is a cycle which takes place in the stomach and small bowel while fasting, and becomes interrupted by eating.
- Motility: Intestinal movement.
- Mylk: Plant milk like almond, coconut, cashew, and so on. Used as a replacement for dairy milk.
- NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen).
- Oral Food Challenge (OFC): A medical procedure in which a food is eaten slowly, in gradually increasing amounts, under medical supervision, to accurately diagnose or rule out a true food allergy.
- Poo-pourri: Fragrance spray for the toilet.
- Prebiotics: Foods that feed gut bacteria
- Probiotics: help improve the overall microbiome of the gut by restoring beneficial bacteria that have been depleted
- Processed foods: Foods that have undergone several manipulations from their original state (eg: potato chips vs. potatoes)
- Proline-rich polypeptides (PRPs): First isolated from ovine colostrum (the “first milk” produced by the breasts). Research indicates it helps restore cellular immune functions.
- Root-cause analysis (RCA): A method that uses different approaches and techniques to uncover the true (root) cause of any issue.
- Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA): Fatty acids that the gut produces such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate. They are important metabolites in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): When there is excessive bacteria in the small intestine.
- Soluble fiber: Fiber that can be digested by bacteria in the large intestine (dissolves in water).
- SCD: Specific Carbohydrate Diet
- Spoon theory: The idea that we are given a finite number of spoons, and each action we complete depletes one of those spoons. Sooner or later, they run out.
- Standard American diet (SAD): An acronym developed to define the diet (both macro and micronutrient composition) typical Americans eat.
- SIBO: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
- Special Diets. I have a graphic to show how I break these down, in case you see them listed on posts and in recipes.
- Spoon Theory: The idea that we are given a finite amount of spoons, and each action we complete depletes one of those spoons. Sooner or later they run out.
- Synbiotics: A combination of pro- and prebiotics
- Three pillars: The three components A Gutsy Girl believes are the foundation of gut healing-diagnosis, diet, and lifestyle.
- Ulcerative colitis (UC): A nonspecific inflammatory disease of the colon of unknown cause characterized by diarrhea with discharge of mucus and blood, cramping abdominal pain, and inflammation and edema of the mucous membrane with patches of ulceration.
What other terms must be added to the master Gutsy Glossary? Let me know in the comments below so I can add them for you.
Use these terms as part of your gut-healing journaling experience!
Xox,
SKH
