GI Health

Roughly about ten years ago, the role of the gastrointestinal microbiome became a ‘hot topic’ in the science community when we discovered our gastrointestinal microbiome may play a larger role in our health than previously believed. From then on, research around the GI, especially the lower GI (including the small and large interesting) skyrocketed and continues to be a highly researched area, as well as a fascinating one.

What is the Microbiome?

Our colon (large intestine), is found to harbor a complex community of over 100 trillion microorganisms meaning our gut has more than 10x the amount of our own human cells and contains 100x more genes than our own body.^1,2 1% human, 99% microbes. Let that sink in…We have learned the gut sends 10x more signals to the brain than the brain sends to the gut; a discovery to make us rethink who is really in charge.  Not to mention our rich microorganism filled skin with 10⁶ bacteria per square centimeter.³  We can think of ourselves as a walking ecosystem.

To add to the complexity of the microbiome, every individual has a unique microbiome, demonstrating the difficulty of understanding the gut and microbiome. We have learned the maintenance and health of our microbiome is inseparable from host health, as the microbiome influences human physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function.¹ Disruptions to the microbiome have been linked to chronic gastrointestinal conditions.¹

Symptoms related to GI issues include bloating, brain fog, fatigue, reflux, depression, anxiety, constipation, diarrhea,cramping, improper digestion of fats, and low stomach acid. These symptoms are not normal no matter how ‘normal’ they have become in your life. If not addressed, these GI issues can lead to more serious health issues including leaky gut, food sensitivities, IBS, IBD, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), gallbladder removal, micronutrient deficiencies, chronic fatigue and depression, hormone imbalances, metabolic syndrome, and the list goes on.When it comes to GI issues, the dietary intervention can be very different from the general health and Nutrition protocol/intervention

What to expect:

• Individualized and specialized dietary intake based on food allergies, food sensitivities, and symptoms related to GI distress.
• An elimination diet – removing all foods that cause discomfort as well as the top food sensitivities/allergies including wheat, gluten, corn, soy, oats, and some nuts
• Specialized, short term meal plans with educational resources to meet macro- and micronutrient needs, remove inflammation, improve GI symptoms, and eventually create positive health changes that can be sustained
• How to balance a meal with protein, fat, and carbohydrates while also focusing on high quality, anti-inflammatory foods
• Educate clients on higher quality brands vs lower quality brands related to our food, drinks, and supplements
• Determine specific supplements that will compliment your lifestyle changes and help remove or repair a variety of GI issues for short periods of time typically 1-3 months (All supplements are medical grade)
• Help find and refer to a specific health professional that may be necessary in your health journey
• Determine additional GI functional testing that may be necessary (i.e breath test to determine SIBO)
• A strong support system available for messaging 7 days a week depending on what is needed
• GI health is something I am very passionate about. Starting when I was in college, I began to have GI issues that ultimately led to a wide range of health issues. I began suffering from food sensitivities that eventually led to only a handful of foods I could eat without getting intense bloating and fatigue.  I went to multiple doctors and continued being told I was ‘fine’ while having many serious physical issues. After many years, I finally stumbled upon a functional practitioner and a Dietitian who finally gave me some individual answers and helped determine what was wrong while using a natural and functional approach. If you have been told you are ‘fine’ or the only option is to take medication without lifestyle intervention, or you were told a generic reason without in depth explanation or treatment, then it is time to re-think a new approach.

 References:

1. Guinane CM, Cotter PD. Role of the gut microbiota in health and chronic gastrointestinal disease: understanding a hidden metabolic organ. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2013;6(4):295-308. doi:10.1177/1756283X13482996
2. Bäckhed F, Ding H, Wang T, et al. The gut microbiota as an environmental factor that regulates fat storage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004;101(44):15718-15723. doi:1073/pnas.0407076101
3. Grice EA, et al. A diversity profile of the human skin microbiota. Genome Res. 2008;18:1043–1050. doi: 10.1101/gr.075549.107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]