What Gastroenterologist Dr Paul Froomes Recommends for Gut Health
Dr Paul Froome on Gut Health
When discussing Gut Health, Melbourne gastroenterologist and microbiome expert Dr Paul Froomes highlights that poor diet is the key driver of gut dysbiosis, which then fuels insulin resistance, cravings and ongoing gut symptoms. His approach focuses on simplifying food choices, correcting dysbiosis and then rebuilding tolerance to plant fibres rather than relying on extreme or highly restrictive diets.
1. Start by Ruling Out Red Flags
Dr Froomes is clear that you should first exclude serious pathology, such as inflammatory bowel disease or bowel cancer, before assuming symptoms are “just IBS”. This may involve investigations like a colonoscopy, where there are warning signs such as rectal bleeding, anaemia or unexplained weight loss.
2. Remove Ultra‑Processed Foods and Chemicals
He describes ultra‑processed foods and chemical “xenobiotics” as major disruptors of the microbiome and metabolic health. A core pillar of his advice is moving to what he calls more natural eating: cutting back on packaged, preservative‑heavy foods and focusing on real, minimally processed ingredients.
3. Eat Real Food: Protein, Healthy Fats and Plants
Dr Froomes recommends building meals around quality proteins, healthy fats and plant foods. For example, he suggests:
Grass‑fed beef and line‑caught fish are good protein sources.
Healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, coconut oil and medium‑chain triglycerides.
Green leafy vegetables are a gentle starting point for people who are sensitive to fibre.
This way of eating supports both metabolic health and the gut microbiome without the extremes of very low‑carb or carnivore plans long term.
4. Why Fermentable Fibres Matter
Dr Froomes cautions that although very low‑carb or carnivore diets can reduce bloating in the short term, they do this partly by removing fermentable fibres that feed gut bacteria. Over time, completely removing these prebiotic fibres narrows the gut ecosystem and may reduce the health‑promoting probiotic species we rely on for immune, brain, heart and muscle function.
Instead of avoiding fibre forever, his strategy is to correct dysbiosis and then slowly reintroduce fermentable plant fibres to the level a person can tolerate. He describes this as aiming for “resilience and balance rather than restriction”.
5. Practical Examples of Fermentable Fibre Foods
Once the gut has calmed and dysbiosis is being addressed, Dr Froomes encourages people to bring back fermentable fibres gradually, starting gently and then broadening out. Practical examples of fermentable fibre foods include:
Oats and barley (beta‑glucans).
Beans, lentils and other legumes.
Fruits such as apples, berries, citrus and ripe bananas (pectin and other soluble fibres).
Vegetables like carrots, artichokes, asparagus, onions and garlic (inulin, pectins and other fermentable fibres).
Resistant starch from green bananas, legumes and cooked‑then‑cooled potatoes or rice.
For more sensitive guts, he suggests beginning with small amounts of gentler fibres from green leafy vegetables before progressing to “heavier” options like beans and legumes.
6. Lifestyle Pillars Beyond Food
In interviews, Dr Froomes aligns with the view that gut and metabolic health sit on broader lifestyle foundations. Alongside food, he highlights stress management, sleep, sunlight, movement, strength training and social connection as key pillars that influence the microbiome and overall gut function.
7. Targeted Microbiome Testing When Needed
When symptoms persist or are complex, Dr Froomes often uses detailed stool and microbiome testing (such as shotgun sequencing) to see which bacteria are over‑represented, which beneficial strains are missing and how well the gut is functioning. This allows a more tailored plan to restore a probiotic, health‑supporting microbiome rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all protocol.
How Gut‑Directed Hypnotherapy Can Complement This Approach
At hypfocus.com.au in Melbourne, we support this kind of evidence‑based, balanced approach to gut health by combining medical and nutritional guidance with gut‑directed hypnotherapy. Our gut health Melbourne programs are designed to help calm the gut–brain axis, reduce symptom flares and improve quality of life for people living with IBS and other functional gut disorders. If you are looking for IBS hypnotherapy in Melbourne, gut‑directed hypnotherapy can be a powerful adjunct to the dietary and lifestyle strategies recommended by experts like Dr Paul Froomes.
For more information about specialist support, visit our dedicated page on IBS hypnotherapy in Melbourne to learn how gut‑directed hypnotherapy can help manage your symptoms.
