Gut Feelings

I’m all about asking the TMI questions as it relates to gut function.

Why? Because gut health is crucial to our immune function, mental health, & overall well-being.

Aside from the more obvious symptoms (abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux), gut dysfunction can mask itself as eczema, psoriasis, acne, allergies, headaches, anxiety, depression, hormone imbalance, just to name a few.

Poor gut health has sadly become the new norm. Makes sense though, since we live in a world where we’re under chronic stress, exposed to environmental toxins, and have to go out of our way to get food that’s nutrient dense and sans chemicals.

In working with patients on their gut health, I first and foremost address the foundations of health - diet, stress, sleep, & movement. I then prescribe individual recommendations (dietary modifications, supplements, herbs) meant to help support a healthy microbiome (internal landscape).

In cases where symptoms are severe and/or don’t respond to a trial with basic treatments, I often recommend further workup. Most often this involves a stool analysis to assess for gut infection, balance of good vs bad bacteria, and levels of inflammation.

PSA: you should be able to occasionally indulge in your fave foods, without having to suffer days of discomfort as a result. As we work toward improving gut health, tolerance to foods often greatly improves!