How Can I Heal My Gut?
When considering root cause issues, overall gut health is one of the first places we look. Poor diet and symptoms such as indigestion, bloating, cramping and not moving your bowels normally everyday, can suggest unhealthy gut flora. This can lead to whole body inflammation and the development of autoimmune diseases.
More about the Gut…
Newer research and the health movement in our society has allowed us to become more and more educated when it comes to gut health and the immune system. Many patients are already familiar with the term “leaky gut” and how this can cause immune issues and development of a wide variety of diseases, ranging from heart disease and hypothyroidism. Leaky gut is the understanding that the foods we eat can affect the integrity of our gut lining. Zonulin is the protein in our gut that controls how wide the openings are that separate what’s in our gut tube from what’s in our bloodstream. Small openings are important for nutrients to be absorbed into the body, but things like gluten, yeast, bacteria and sugary foods can cause a rise in zonulin levels. In turn, the permeability of not just nutrients but also toxins from the gut into the bloodstream goes up. Testing your zonulin level can give you a good idea if leaky gut is a concern for you.
What Kind of Testing Can I Do?
Comprehensive stool testing is also beneficial in identifying the overgrowth of bacteria occurring in the gut. Overgrowth of abnormal pathogens is called dysbiosis. What has also been found to be common among our patients is overgrowth and/or suppression of the normal, healthy gut flora.
Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory offers a four page comprehensive stool analysis which includes any overgrowth of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and worms. This testing also measures levels of our normal gut bacteria, and lastly, outlines an entire gut health panel. The gut health panel includes inflammatory markers, gut immune cells, as well as indicators for how well your body is digesting foods.
