Troubleshooting your Gut

Heartburn:

• What: A burning sensation in the chest, often close to a meal.
• Why: Can be caused by certain foods, hiatal hernia, or low stomach acid.
• Common treatment: Antacids, Proton Pump Inhibitors (not recommended long-term).
• Functional Medicine treatment: Eliminate troublesome foods, consider Betaine HCl supplementation.

Gas and Bloating:

• What: Belly bloating and gassy feeling after meals.
• Why: Low stomach acid within one hour of meals; lack of digestive enzymes after one hour.
• Common treatment: Antacids, anti-gas medications.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Cranberry Drink, Lemon Water, Betaine HCl for low stomach acid; digestive enzymes for enzyme deficiency.

Constipation:

• What: Hard stools, infrequent bowel movements, feeling of incomplete emptying.
• Why: Food intolerances, inadequate water and fiber intake, low magnesium.
• Common treatment: Laxatives, fiber supplements.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Food elimination protocol, adequate hydration and fiber intake, probiotics, magnesium supplementation.

Diarrhea:

• What: Loose or watery stools.
• Why: Infection, dysbiosis, food intolerance/allergy, stress, laxatives, excessive magnesium/vitamin C.
• Common treatment: Medications like Imodium, BRAT diet (Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).
• Functional Medicine treatment: Stool test for root cause identification, food elimination, herbal/nutritional support, fiber intake.

Irritable Bowel:

• What: Intermittent constipation, diarrhea, stool urgency/frequency, cramping.
• Why: Infection, dysbiosis, food intolerance/allergy, stress, autonomic nervous system imbalance, yeast overgrowth.
• Common treatment: Medications.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Stool test for root cause identification, food elimination, herbal/nutritional support, fiber intake.

Gall Bladder:

• What: Sluggish gall bladder, gallstones, poor digestion of fats.
• Why: Overweight/obesity, female gender, age over 40, reduced physical activity, processed foods, sugar, possibly gluten.
• Common treatment: Fat-free diet.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Testing, dietary changes, gut healing, bile flow stimulation, supplementation for fat digestion.

Candida:

• What: Overgrowth of yeast in the gut.
• Why: Imbalance due to antibiotics, medications, diet, stress, hormone imbalances.
• Common treatment: Symptomatic treatment, not recognized in traditional Western medicine.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Dietary changes, herbs/nutraceuticals, antifungal medications, probiotics, prebiotics, stool testing.

Dysbiosis:

• What: Imbalance of gut microbiome.
• Why: Antibiotics, medications, stress, poor diet, elevated blood sugar, infection, inadequate stomach acid or enzymes.
• Common treatment: Not recognized as a problem in traditional Western medicine.
• Functional Medicine treatment: Elimination protocol, dietary changes, pre- and probiotics, fiber, stress reduction, nutraceuticals, stool testing.

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth):

• What: Overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.
• Why: Dysbiosis, low stomach acid or enzymes, antibiotics, stress, elevated blood sugar.
• Common treatment: Antibiotics, probiotics

  • Functional Medicine treatment: Remove root causes, heal the gut, use herbs/nutraceuticals targeting bacteria, incorporate pre- and probiotics, address stomach acid and enzymes, consider antibiotics if necessary, conduct a breath test for proper diagnosis.

    
    

Food Allergies, Food Sensitivities, and Autoimmune Disorders (continued):

The most common reason people develop food allergies and sensitivities is due to a leaky gut, which is often a result of imbalances in gut function and the intake of certain foods, medications, or stressors that further disrupt it. It is estimated that most individuals who haven't addressed their diet or gut health have some level of leaky gut. When the gut is leaky, substances enter the body through the gut walls that shouldn't be there, triggering an immune response and leading to food allergies and sensitivities.

Functional Medicine experts identify three components necessary for an autoimmune disorder to occur:

1. Leaky Gut
2. Genetic Predisposition
3. Trigger (such as a stressful event, chronic stress, poor diet, infection, childbirth, accident, etc.)

To address food allergies, food sensitivities, and autoimmune disorders, the primary step is GUT HEALING and REBALANCING, which you are already on your way to achieving.