Inside all of our digestive tracts are billions of tiny microbes that produce essential vitamins, combat harmful pathogens, and help our digestive systems run smoothly. They also help preserve the one-cell barrier between the outside world and the bloodstream, which keeps harmful substances out and helpful substances in. Imbalances in this microbiota can disrupt optimal function by creating downstream systemic symptoms and chronic conditions largely due to inflammation when the gut barrier is compromised. Factors that can lead to imbalances often include poor diet, environmental toxin exposure, stress, and certain medications.
Kris Bailey, Family Nurse Practitioner at Essential Health – Bozeman weighs in on how poor gut health can be manifested in the body and how to resolve gut issues through a functional medicine approach.
“We think of “gut issues” starting from the throat to the lower abdomen, but gut health is a much bigger player than that. When we have issues with gut health, for instance, gut permeability, this is going to have very different presentations for many people. Outside of being bloated or feeling “off,” symptoms could be migraines, anxiety, acne, rashes, poor sleep, or joint pain can each be a result of gut health that is not optimized. Knowing this, there are a number of things we can look for as an answer – food sensitivities, leaky gut, or other pathways that lead to poor gut health. At the end of the day, it’s an inflammatory process that can lead to flare ups related to food, histamine issues, or numerous other avenues to explore. The key is finding the root cause and the culprit of suboptimal gut health, then tailor treatment and lifestyle changes to help improve gut health.”
Gut health is tied to almost every system of the body. The term “leaky gut” is a popular phrase that refers to the presence of gap junctions in the gut lining.
“In a normal, optimally functioning gut, the gaps between each cell that line the intestine are closed. In a leaky gut, food, enzymes, and proteins that are being broken down in the gut can enter the blood stream. When we test for food sensitivities with a blood test, these foods can show up on results. A common question is “why do I have leaky gut?” There are a number of reasons, including the use of antibiotics, stress, traumatic events, or other gut issues linked to leaky gut such as candida overgrowth or SIBO. We can figure out what’s going on and address the root cause. We can think about leaky gut like a campfire that is smoldering but with no flame. If we add a Kleenex to the embers, it can cause a reaction and lead to a flare. So leaky gut is a similar situation: without knowing what to eat and what not to eat, we’re constantly adding fuel to this fire that never has the opportunity to truly die down and heal. If we keep adding these offending foods, this inflammatory process continues. In order for us to resolve this issue, we need to know what we have to take literally “off the table” and give our body the opportunity, along with supplementation and protocols, to heal that gut. Then, we can do a very slow reintroduction on foods that were flagged during sensitivity testing to determine what our body can tolerate. Typically, we can bring most of these things back and the issues can be resolved.
Introducing strategic changes with guidance from a functional medicine provider can provide long-lasting relief from acute and chronic symptoms associated with gut health. Our providers are experts in assessing gut health issues in patients through comprehensive and specialized testing, providing targeted solutions, and helping optimize gut health so you can feel your best. If you think you would benefit from speaking to our gut health experts in Bozeman, schedule a Meet & Greet with our team today.
Kris Bailey, FNP-C, ABAAHP, is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Essential Health – Bozeman. Kris’ clinical focus is helping clients achieve health optimization through preventative care, hormone balancing, regenerative medicine, IV nutrient therapy, thyroid management, stress reduction, gut healing, immune support, and weight management. Read more about Kris’ expertise here.