Today I have the privilege of speaking to Dr Joanna Macmeikan, a registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner, she is passionate about all things women’s health including painful periods, vaginal health & improving the vaginal microbiome. 

Joanna helps women live a life with less pain and more joy. Not only an incredible practitioner, but she also prides herself on being a mother, a bookstore lover, hula hooper and down to earth human. Joanna uses a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture to go beyond conventional medicine and address the root cause of imbalances within the body.

Highlights:
What is Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture?
How do they complement each other, and combine with nutrition to heal women?
What are the causes of painful periods?
How can we get to the root cause of period pain?
What herbs are used to support period pain and imbalances within the body?
Why is there taboo around vaginal health, periods and women health?

I loved chatting with Jo so much, I plan to record future Podcasts on her and chat about the Vaginal Microbiome & taboos around vagina's!

LINKS TO JO:
21 steps to pain-free periods and her website HERE.
Joanna's Instagram HERE.

LINKS TO SHERADYN:
Check out my 7-day challenge to overcome bloating & IBS HERE.
Register for my free Bloated to Beautiful online workshop (17th Feb, 6pm AWST) HERE.
Register for Pre-Sale Access to The Gut Hormone Solution 2021 HERE.
Follow me on Instagram HERE. 
Join my Private Facebook group HERE.
Check out my website HERE:

Today I have the privilege of speaking to Dr Joanna Macmeikan, a registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner, she is passionate about all things women&rsquo;s health including painful periods, vaginal health &amp; improving the vaginal microbiome. 
Joanna helps women live a life with less pain and more joy. Not only an incredible practitioner, but she also prides herself on being a mother, a bookstore lover, hula hooper and down to earth human. Joanna uses a combination of herbal medicine and acupuncture to go beyond conventional medicine and address the root cause of imbalances within the body.
Highlights:
<ul>
<li>What is Chinese Medicine &amp; Acupuncture?</li>
<li>How do they complement each other, and combine with nutrition to heal women?</li>
<li>What are the causes of painful periods?</li>
<li>How can we get to the root cause of period pain?</li>
<li>What herbs are used to support period pain and imbalances within the body?</li>
<li>Why is there taboo around vaginal health, periods and women health?</li>
</ul>
I loved chatting with Jo so much, I plan to record future Podcasts on her and chat about the Vaginal Microbiome &amp; taboos around vagina's!
<hr>
LINKS TO JO:
<ul>
<li>21 steps to pain-free periods and her website <a href="https://www.joannamac.com/about">HERE.</a></li>
<li>Joanna's Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joanna_macmeikan/">HERE.</a></li>
</ul>
LINKS TO SHERADYN:
<ul>
<li>Check out my 7-day challenge to overcome bloating &amp; IBS<a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/beat-the-bloat-challenge-signup/"> HERE.</a></li>
<li>Register for my free Bloated to Beautiful online workshop (17th Feb, 6pm AWST)<a href="https://pages.sheradyndekker.com/bloatingwebinar"> HERE.</a></li>
<li>Register for Pre-Sale Access to The Gut Hormone Solution 2021 <a href="https://pages.sheradyndekker.com/ghs">HERE.</a></li>
<li>Follow me on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheradyn_functionalnutrition/?hl=en"> HERE.&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Join my Private Facebook group<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/506200843374243"> HERE.</a></li>
<li>Check out my website<a href="http://www.sheradyndekker.com"> HERE:</a></li>
</ul>
<ul></ul>
<ul></ul>

Living with IBS, digestive pain and hormonal imbalances are considered “normal” for many females. But as a former sufferer, I (Sheradyn) am here to break the trend and educate you on what is actually causing your symptoms. Leading you beyond pills, painful periods & parasites, I will be sharing interviews & conversations with women’s health experts as well as inspiring you with real-life stories. If you’re looking to use nutrition & a natural approach to heal your body and want real talk, with real women, hit that subscribe button now.

Living with IBS, digestive pain and hormonal imbalances are considered &ldquo;normal&rdquo; for many females. But as a former sufferer, I (Sheradyn) am here to break the trend and educate you on what is actually causing your symptoms. Leading you beyond pills, painful periods &amp; parasites, I will be sharing interviews &amp; conversations with women&rsquo;s health experts as well as inspiring you with real-life stories. If you&rsquo;re looking to use nutrition &amp; a natural approach to heal your body and want real talk, with real women, hit that subscribe button now.

Empowered Hormones with Sheradyn Dekker

How to treat period pain with acupuncture and chinese medicine.

#4 Period Pain | Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine & overcoming period pain with Dr Joanna

Best and worst probiotics for IBS

One of the questions I get asked all the time is…

“What’s the best probiotic for IBS?”

And honestly? It’s one of the hardest questions to answer. Not because probiotics don’t work. But because IBS tells me almost nothing.

Two women can both be told they have IBS, both experience bloating every single day, and both be taking the exact same probiotic… yet need completely different treatment plans.

That’s where so much of the confusion comes from.

We’ve been taught to think probiotics are a one-size-fits-all solution. Find one with enough strains, enough CFUs, and eventually your gut will sort itself out.

Sometimes that works. A lot of the time it doesn’t. And when it doesn’t, most women assume they simply haven’t found the “right” probiotic yet.

But before you spend another $80 on a supplement, I think it’s worth understanding why probiotics help some people, make other people feel worse, and why choosing one has far less to do with the brand than it does with what’s actually happening inside your gut.

That’s exactly what we’re unpacking in today’s episode.

In this episode, we cover:
Why IBS isn’t enough: Why the label tells us what you’re experiencing but not what’s causing it.
How probiotics actually work: What they’re designed to do inside the gut—and why that differs depending on your symptoms.
The strains with the strongest evidence: Which probiotics have research behind them for constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and post-infectious IBS.
When probiotics backfire: Why feeling worse after taking one is often valuable information instead of something to ignore.
What to look for in a probiotic: Why strain selection, formulation and quality matter much more than the biggest CFU count on the label.
Why testing changes everything: Why I always want to understand what we’re treating before we decide what your gut actually needs.

The goal isn’t to convince you to take probiotics. It’s to help you stop guessing. Because sometimes probiotics are exactly what your gut needs.

Sometimes they’re not. Knowing the difference is what gets people better.

LINKS TO SHERADYN:
Assess your gut health in 3min HERE
Follow me on Instagram HERE. 
Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group HERE.
Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session HERE.

Best and worst probiotics for IBS
One of the questions I get asked all the time is&hellip;
&ldquo;What&rsquo;s the best probiotic for IBS?&rdquo;
And honestly?&nbsp;It&rsquo;s one of the hardest questions to answer.&nbsp;Not because probiotics don&rsquo;t work.&nbsp;But because IBS tells me almost nothing.
Two women can both be told they have IBS, both experience bloating every single day, and both be taking the exact same probiotic&hellip; yet need completely different treatment plans.
That&rsquo;s where so much of the confusion comes from.
We&rsquo;ve been taught to think probiotics are a one-size-fits-all solution. Find one with enough strains, enough CFUs, and eventually your gut will sort itself out.
Sometimes that works.&nbsp;A lot of the time it doesn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;And when it doesn&rsquo;t, most women assume they simply haven&rsquo;t found the &ldquo;right&rdquo; probiotic yet.
But before you spend another $80 on a supplement, I think it&rsquo;s worth understanding why probiotics help some people, make other people feel worse, and why choosing one has far less to do with the brand than it does with what&rsquo;s actually happening inside your gut.
That&rsquo;s exactly what we&rsquo;re unpacking in today&rsquo;s episode.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li>Why IBS isn&rsquo;t enough: Why the label tells us what you&rsquo;re experiencing but not what&rsquo;s causing it.</li>
<li>How probiotics actually work: What they&rsquo;re designed to do inside the gut&mdash;and why that differs depending on your symptoms.</li>
<li>The strains with the strongest evidence: Which probiotics have research behind them for constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain and post-infectious IBS.</li>
<li>When probiotics backfire: Why feeling worse after taking one is often valuable information instead of something to ignore.</li>
<li>What to look for in a probiotic: Why strain selection, formulation and quality matter much more than the biggest CFU count on the label.</li>
<li>Why testing changes everything: Why I always want to understand what we&rsquo;re treating before we decide what your gut actually needs.</li>
</ul>
The goal isn&rsquo;t to convince you to take probiotics.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s to help you stop guessing.&nbsp;Because sometimes probiotics are exactly what your gut needs.
Sometimes they&rsquo;re not.&nbsp;Knowing the difference is what gets people better.
<hr>
LINKS TO SHERADYN:
<ul>
<li>Assess your gut&nbsp;health in 3min <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-quiz/" data-outlook-id="3eb53866-7033-42fd-989b-d37f70dd749d">HERE</a></li>
<li>Follow me on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheradyn_functionalnutrition/?hl=en" data-outlook-id="77c6c035-eea0-4f05-b656-bc9ca9c5cbce">&nbsp;HERE.&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/412163273677745" data-outlook-id="50f42e02-21fd-4221-992d-57fce0bbb379">&nbsp;HERE.</a></li>
<li>Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-session/" data-outlook-id="c419fad2-3b43-428f-81aa-ad211e6b64ab">HERE.</a></li>
</ul>

EP #205 Best and worst probiotics for IBS

How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS & bloating)

If you’ve ever finished a course of antibiotics and thought, my gut has never been the same since… this is for you.

Because I know what you’ve probably been told. Finish the antibiotics. Maybe take a probiotic. Give it time. And while the infection clears… the bloating starts. Your digestion changes. You develop thrush. Your bowel habits aren’t the same. Food suddenly doesn’t agree with you anymore.

So you assume that’s just part of taking antibiotics. But let’s be clear. Antibiotics save lives. Sometimes they’re exactly what you need.

The problem isn’t the antibiotics.The problem is nobody tells you how to rebuild your gut afterwards.

Because antibiotics don’t just kill the bacteria causing the infection. They also wipe out many of the beneficial bacteria that support digestion, hormone metabolism, immune function, and a resilient microbiome.

Research shows that a single course of antibiotics can reduce microbiome diversity by up to 30%. Some bacteria recover within weeks. Others take months. And some may never fully return without the right support.

Today’s episode breaks down what antibiotics actually do to your gut, why symptoms like bloating and thrush happen afterwards, and how to rebuild your microbiome properly instead of simply hoping it recovers on its own.

In this episode, we cover:
What Antibiotics Really Do: Why antibiotics reduce beneficial bacteria alongside harmful ones, and how that impacts digestion, immunity, hormones, and recovery.
Why Thrush Happens: How wiping out protective bacteria allows Candida to overgrow, why this is so common after antibiotics, and what you can do to prevent it.
The Gut-Brain Connection: How antibiotic use affects communication between your gut and brain, influencing digestion, mood, and overall recovery.
The Five R Framework: How removing ongoing stressors, replacing depleted nutrients, repairing the gut lining, reinoculating beneficial bacteria, and rotating foods helps rebuild a healthy microbiome.
Choosing the Right Probiotics: Which probiotic strains actually support recovery after antibiotics, when Saccharomyces boulardii is helpful, and why more probiotics aren’t always better.
Feeding Your Microbiome: The role of fermented foods, prebiotic foods, and dietary diversity in helping your microbiome recover instead of simply masking symptoms.

Antibiotics aren’t the enemy.

But assuming your gut will automatically bounce back can leave you dealing with bloating, thrush, IBS symptoms, and hormone issues long after the infection has gone.

You don’t need to fear antibiotics.

You need to understand how to rebuild your gut afterwards—and give your microbiome the support it actually needs to recover.

Your gut isn’t broken. It just needs the right environment to heal.

LINKS TO SHERADYN:
Assess your gut health in 3min HERE
Follow me on Instagram HERE. 
Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group HERE.
Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session HERE.

How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS &amp; bloating)
If you&rsquo;ve ever finished a course of antibiotics and thought, my gut has never been the same since&hellip; this is for you.
Because I know what you&rsquo;ve probably been told. Finish the antibiotics. Maybe take a probiotic. Give it time.&nbsp;And while the infection clears&hellip; the bloating starts. Your digestion changes. You develop thrush. Your bowel habits aren&rsquo;t the same. Food suddenly doesn&rsquo;t agree with you anymore.
So you assume that&rsquo;s just part of taking antibiotics.&nbsp;But let&rsquo;s be clear.&nbsp;Antibiotics save lives. Sometimes they&rsquo;re exactly what you need.
The problem isn&rsquo;t the antibiotics.The problem is nobody tells you how to rebuild your gut afterwards.
Because antibiotics don&rsquo;t just kill the bacteria causing the infection. They also wipe out many of the beneficial bacteria that support digestion, hormone metabolism, immune function, and a resilient microbiome.
Research shows that a single course of antibiotics can reduce microbiome diversity by up to 30%. Some bacteria recover within weeks. Others take months. And some may never fully return without the right support.
Today&rsquo;s episode breaks down what antibiotics actually do to your gut, why symptoms like bloating and thrush happen afterwards, and how to rebuild your microbiome properly instead of simply hoping it recovers on its own.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li>What Antibiotics Really Do: Why antibiotics reduce beneficial bacteria alongside harmful ones, and how that impacts digestion, immunity, hormones, and recovery.</li>
<li>Why Thrush Happens: How wiping out protective bacteria allows Candida to overgrow, why this is so common after antibiotics, and what you can do to prevent it.</li>
<li>The Gut-Brain Connection: How antibiotic use affects communication between your gut and brain, influencing digestion, mood, and overall recovery.</li>
<li>The Five R Framework: How removing ongoing stressors, replacing depleted nutrients, repairing the gut lining, reinoculating beneficial bacteria, and rotating foods helps rebuild a healthy microbiome.</li>
<li>Choosing the Right Probiotics: Which probiotic strains actually support recovery after antibiotics, when Saccharomyces boulardii is helpful, and why more probiotics aren&rsquo;t always better.</li>
<li>Feeding Your Microbiome: The role of fermented foods, prebiotic foods, and dietary diversity in helping your microbiome recover instead of simply masking symptoms.</li>
</ul>
Antibiotics aren&rsquo;t the enemy.
But assuming your gut will automatically bounce back can leave you dealing with bloating, thrush, IBS symptoms, and hormone issues long after the infection has gone.
You don&rsquo;t need to fear antibiotics.
You need to understand how to rebuild your gut afterwards&mdash;and give your microbiome the support it actually needs to recover.
Your gut isn&rsquo;t broken. It just needs the right environment to heal.
<hr>
LINKS TO SHERADYN:
<ul>
<li>Assess your gut&nbsp;health in 3min <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-quiz/" data-outlook-id="3eb53866-7033-42fd-989b-d37f70dd749d">HERE</a></li>
<li>Follow me on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheradyn_functionalnutrition/?hl=en" data-outlook-id="77c6c035-eea0-4f05-b656-bc9ca9c5cbce">&nbsp;HERE.&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/412163273677745" data-outlook-id="50f42e02-21fd-4221-992d-57fce0bbb379">&nbsp;HERE.</a></li>
<li>Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-session/" data-outlook-id="c419fad2-3b43-428f-81aa-ad211e6b64ab">HERE.</a></li>
</ul>

How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS & bloating)

EP #204 How to heal your gut after antibiotics (prevent thrush, IBS & bloating)

The top 10 causes of IBS (that your GP hasn’t told you about)

You’ve been told it’s IBS. Maybe you were given a low FODMAP handout, told to manage your stress, eat more fibre, or “just avoid trigger foods.” And maybe some of that helped for a bit.

But if you are still bloated, constipated, gassy, reacting to foods, or thinking about your gut all day — something has been missed. Because IBS is not a root cause.

It’s a label doctors use when your gut symptoms are real, but no one has properly figured out why they’re happening.

And that’s where women get stuck.

They spend years cutting foods, trying supplements, managing symptoms, and blaming themselves. Thinking they need more discipline. More restriction. More probiotics. But there is always a reason your gut is struggling.

And no — it is not “just stress.”

Today’s episode breaks down the most common root causes I see driving IBS symptoms in clinic, why generic IBS advice keeps women stuck, and what actually needs to be investigated if you want to fix your gut properly.

In this episode, we cover:
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): Why bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine causes bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, and food reactions — and why low FODMAP only masks symptoms.
Methane-Dominant IMO: How methane-producing organisms slow gut motility and drive chronic constipation.
Low Stomach Acid: Why poor digestion leads to fermentation, bloating, reflux, and bacteria thriving where they shouldn’t.
Parasites & Infections: Why hidden infections are more common than women realise and can quietly drive symptoms for years.
Dysbiosis: How imbalances in your microbiome affect digestion, hormones, inflammation, immunity, and overall gut function.
H. pylori: Why this common infection contributes to reflux, nausea, bloating, and poor digestion.
The Nervous System Connection: How chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation directly affect gut motility and digestion.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Why some women are not dealing with a gut issue at all — but a muscular coordination issue affecting bowel movements.
Food Fear & Restriction: How years of cutting foods and under-eating can make gut function worse over time.
The Testing Gap: Why standard testing often misses the real drivers behind IBS symptoms — and why proper testing changes the whole treatment approach.

You are not failing because you ate broccoli, and you are not “bad” at gut health because another probiotic didn’t work.

If you’ve been stuck bloated for years, reacting to foods, planning your day around your gut, and feeling like nothing is helping… that is not something you just ignore and manage forever.

Something underneath is driving it, and until you figure out what that is, you’ll keep going in circles trying random diets and supplements hoping one finally fixes it.

You don’t need more guessing. You need proper investigation, proper testing, and a plan that actually matches what is going on in your body.

LINKS TO SHERADYN:
Assess your gut health in 3min HERE
Follow me on Instagram HERE. 
Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group HERE.
Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session HERE.

The top 10 causes of IBS (that your GP hasn&rsquo;t told you about)
You&rsquo;ve been told it&rsquo;s IBS. Maybe you were given a low FODMAP handout, told to manage your stress, eat more fibre, or &ldquo;just avoid trigger foods.&rdquo;&nbsp;And maybe some of that helped for a bit.
But if you are still bloated, constipated, gassy, reacting to foods, or thinking about your gut all day &mdash; something has been missed.&nbsp;Because IBS is not a root cause.
It&rsquo;s a label doctors use when your gut symptoms are real, but no one has properly figured out why they&rsquo;re happening.
And that&rsquo;s where women get stuck.
They spend years cutting foods, trying supplements, managing symptoms, and blaming themselves. Thinking they need more discipline. More restriction. More probiotics.&nbsp;But there is always a reason your gut is struggling.
And no &mdash; it is not &ldquo;just stress.&rdquo;
Today&rsquo;s episode breaks down the most common root causes I see driving IBS symptoms in clinic, why generic IBS advice keeps women stuck, and what actually needs to be investigated if you want to fix your gut properly.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li data-start="1081" data-end="1282">SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth): Why bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine causes bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea, and food reactions &mdash; and why low FODMAP only masks symptoms.</li>
<li data-start="1284" data-end="1387">Methane-Dominant IMO: How methane-producing organisms slow gut motility and drive chronic constipation.</li>
<li data-start="1389" data-end="1510">Low Stomach Acid: Why poor digestion leads to fermentation, bloating, reflux, and bacteria thriving where they shouldn&rsquo;t.</li>
<li data-start="1512" data-end="1634">Parasites &amp; Infections: Why hidden infections are more common than women realise and can quietly drive symptoms for years.</li>
<li data-start="1636" data-end="1758">Dysbiosis: How imbalances in your microbiome affect digestion, hormones, inflammation, immunity, and overall gut function.</li>
<li data-start="1760" data-end="1857">H. pylori: Why this common infection contributes to reflux, nausea, bloating, and poor digestion.</li>
<li data-start="1859" data-end="1985">The Nervous System Connection: How chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation directly affect gut motility and digestion.</li>
<li data-start="1987" data-end="2130">Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Why some women are not dealing with a gut issue at all &mdash; but a muscular coordination issue affecting bowel movements.</li>
<li data-start="2132" data-end="2239">Food Fear &amp; Restriction: How years of cutting foods and under-eating can make gut function worse over time.</li>
<li data-start="2241" data-end="2391">The Testing Gap: Why standard testing often misses the real drivers behind IBS symptoms &mdash; and why proper testing changes the whole treatment approach.</li>
</ul>
You are not failing because you ate broccoli, and you are not &ldquo;bad&rdquo; at gut health because another probiotic didn&rsquo;t work.
If you&rsquo;ve been stuck bloated for years, reacting to foods, planning your day around your gut, and feeling like nothing is helping&hellip; that is not something you just ignore and manage forever.
Something underneath is driving it, and until you figure out what that is, you&rsquo;ll keep going in circles trying random diets and supplements hoping one finally fixes it.
You don&rsquo;t need more guessing.&nbsp;You need proper investigation, proper testing, and a plan that actually matches what is going on in your body.
<hr>
LINKS TO SHERADYN:
<ul>
<li>Assess your gut&nbsp;health in 3min <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-quiz/" data-outlook-id="3eb53866-7033-42fd-989b-d37f70dd749d">HERE</a></li>
<li>Follow me on Instagram<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheradyn_functionalnutrition/?hl=en" data-outlook-id="77c6c035-eea0-4f05-b656-bc9ca9c5cbce">&nbsp;HERE.&nbsp;</a></li>
<li>Join my Private Gut Health Facebook group<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/412163273677745" data-outlook-id="50f42e02-21fd-4221-992d-57fce0bbb379">&nbsp;HERE.</a></li>
<li>Book a Free Gut Health Planning Session <a href="https://sheradyndekker.com/gut-health-session/" data-outlook-id="c419fad2-3b43-428f-81aa-ad211e6b64ab">HERE.</a></li>
</ul>

The top 10 causes of IBS (that your GP hasn't told you about)

#4 Period Pain | Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine & overcoming period pain with Dr Joanna

Empowered Hormones with Sheradyn Dekker

In 1 playlist(s)

Empowered Hormones with Sheradyn Dekker

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips