Is Your Gut Slowing You Down?
Stomach pain and disorders of the gastrointestinal system (GI) affect more people in the United States than those who suffer from heart disease, AIDS and cancer combined. Over 74% of Americans have lived with some type of GI-related symptoms for more than six months. Next to the common cold, GI discomfort is the most common reason people seek medical advice or turn to over-the-counter remedies.
We Help Our Clients Overcome Chronic Digestive Distress
The gastrointestinal tract is one of the most sophisticated systems of the human body. We often think of the GI tract for its primary role in digesting and breaking down food, but that is only a small part of a much larger role that the GI tract plays in overall health and disease.
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The GI tract is truly the gateway to the rest of the body; if our GI health is compromised, our overall health is compromised. That is why it is so often the best place to start when evaluating treatment strategies.
GI disorders affect more people in the United States than those who suffer from heart disease, AIDS and cancer combined. Over 74% of Americans have lived with some type of GI-related symptoms for more than six months. These illnesses can range from occasional heartburn to severe, terminal illnesses. Next to the common cold, GI discomfort is the most common reason people seek medical advice or turn to over-the-counter remedies.
Here are examples of symptoms and conditions associated with impaired GI function:
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Heart Burn
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Bloating & Gassiness
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Constipation/Diarrhea
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IBS/IBD
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SIBO/Dysbiosis
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Leaky Gut
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Parasites
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Ulcerative Colitis
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Celiac Disease
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Brain Fog
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Stress, Anxiety, Depression
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Food Sensitivities
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Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis
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Chronic Fatigue
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Allergies, Asthma
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Thyroid Disorders
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Diabetes
Health (and Disease) Starts In The Gut
As in most systems of the body, the quality of GI health is highly influenced by lifestyle choices such as diet, physical activity and sleep.
Convenient and inexpensive food choices often contain little nutritional value and promote an increase of toxic burden.
In addition, many people cope with daily stresses by turning to alcohol, tobacco, sugar and caffeine.
Over time, these lifestyle choices impair the basic functions of the GI tract and create an environment for disease development.
Perhaps the most obvious of all its functions, the GI tract is tasked with digesting and absorbing the nutrients within the food and beverages we consume.
Through a complex coordination of enzymes, acids, bile salts, peristaltic action, transporters, and microbial biotransformation, our GI tract must take complex foodstuffs and deconstruct them into macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, etc.) that can be transported into the body.
Each step in the processes of digestion is important, as it only requires a deficiency in one or a few micronutrients to lead to a metabolic dysfunction.
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Assessing GI Health Imbalances
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Our team has many tools to assess and treat GI dysfunction. One of the popular functional medicine approaches for GI-related conditions is the 5R approach: Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, Repair & Rebalance.
The Remove step restricts toxic, pro-inflammatory and potentially allergic foods from the diet, and eliminates harmful organisms. The traditional approach is to add a prescription medication to the body, but often the best medicine for our GI tract is in elimination and allowing the system to rest.
After the critical Remove step, our team can then help you address the need to Replace with digestive aids, Reinoculate with probiotics, and Repair a damaged GI tract.
Discover the key contributors to gastrointestinal health!
Introducing The Pillars of GI Health Program
The GI tract has core functions, which we call the Pillars of GI Health. The health of the entire gastrointestinal system is built upon these pillars and their interrelationship.
When all pillars are working properly and in harmony with one another, few symptoms are likely to occur. However, when one area is compromised, it places strain upon the other components. It can be difficult to determine which area triggered the downfall, since the relationship between each of these functions is interdependent.
Understanding the role each pillar plays in gastrointestinal health will help us determine the root cause of dysfunction and make appropriate recommendations for you.
The Pillars of GI Health Program provides a specialized lifestyle plan to help you begin the journey of regaining and maintaining optimal GI function.
Discover the key contributors to gastrointestinal health!
Here’s What The Pillars of GI Health Program Includes…
Digestion & Absorption
One of the main functions of the GI tract is to digest food and absorb nutrients from it. Digestion begins in the brain, when we see and smell food. Saliva and gastric juices are released while preparing for the meal, well before the first bite of food. This is why it is so important to spend time preparing our food, as this process plays a major role in healthy digestion. When you eat a meal, your mouth, by chewing, physically breaks down large food pieces into smaller molecules. Once the nutrients have passed the intestinal barrier, they enter the bloodstream and circulate to all your cells and tissues. These nutrients work to maintain organ function, energy production, and the growth and repair of new cells and tissues.
Elimination & Detoxification
Exposure to the air we breathe, the stress we feel and the food we ingest can add up to over 14 pounds of pesticides, herbicides, food additives and preservatives per year for the average American. The liver, together with the GI tract, is responsible for removing these toxins through a process called detoxification. The function of elimination and detoxification involves removing the unusable portions of the food you eat, as well as toxins. It is essential that both be completely eliminated from your body through urine and stool; otherwise, toxins build up and are stored in your tissues. A good measure of the health of the elimination pillar is how often you have bowel movements on a day-to-day basis. Ideally, you should have two to three well-formed bowel movements per day.
Microbiome Balance
The gut microbiome is an ecosystem composed of more than 100 trillion microscopic organisms, with over 500 different strains of beneficial yeast, bacteria and microorganisms that live in the GI tract. It is primarily located in the large intestine, although there are microorganisms housed along the entirety of the GI tract and your entire body. It is one of the most metabolically active systems in your body. These organisms maintain healthy and functional digestion and absorption from the GI tract, protect against pathogens, help to regulate immune function and blood sugar levels, and assist in vitamin production.
Barrier Function
The GI tract is one of the body’s largest protective cell layers, serving as a barrier between the internal body and the external world. Its critical function is to allow nutrients into the body, while preventing harmful substances from passing into the bloodstream. Not only does increased intestinal permeability affect the GI tract, but also the immune, nervous and endocrine systems. There can be many causes of increased intestinal permeability, including poor diet, chronic stress, toxin overload, and dysbiosis. The GI tract houses the majority of the immune system in the body—about 80% is closely related to the GI tract and plays an essential role in barrier function. If this selective barrier function is not maintained, a number of harmful substances may enter the body, triggering immune-related responses such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and food allergies.
Gut & Brain Function/EQ
Exposure to stress can result in changes of gut-brain function. Combined with a lack of regular eating, sleeping, and exercising, stress may lead to the development of a broad array of gastrointestinal disorders, as well as cause issues in other areas of the body. The major effects of stress on gut health include changes in motility, digestive secretions, intestinal permeability, mucous production, and bacterial diversity. There are several strategies you can do on your own or in partnership with your practitioner to help control stress and its impact on the gut.