A Healthy Gut = Healthy Immune system… and so much more!
This is the initial step in the evaluation for many health issues. Although the gut seems to be ‘internally’ located, it is actually exposed to many ‘external’ invaders, many of which we invite in! A properly-functioning GI system works to ‘weed out’ the bad and ‘hang onto’ the good, but in many cases, the system may be ‘broken’, leading to assorted symptoms in the body, many of which, have nothing to do with the gut! Gut symptoms may be the first or last sign of dysfunction and should become the initial focus to determine the basis of a health condition. This is particularly true when there are various symptoms affecting numerous body systems that appear to ‘make no sense’. We offer a wide range of tests and studies at Salus Integrative Medicine, PC to assess gut function and nutrition, the Personal Gut Microbiome Evaluation is typically a good starting point.
Personal Gut Microbiome Evaluation
Each of us is home to tons of bacteria, fungi, and viruses (I mean tons) that exist in and on our bodies. These microbes make up microbiomes, the gut microbiome is the largest. In recent years, more studies have been done and we have come to recognize how important the gut microbiome is to both our physical and mental wellbeing.
Using molecular information obtained from your gut microbiome, we can analyze your personal gut function, which is then used to identify the diversity and active beneficial organisms in your gut. This gives insight into how your body processes nutrients, handles ‘bad’ or pathogenic, organisms, or chases oxidation. This distinct characteristic of your gut offers insight into how your body handles other systemic metabolic processes and what can be done to improve overall body function. Your uniquely diversified microbiome, based on the gut microbes and organisms’ genetic profiles, tell a lot about how your body manages and controls chronic conditions, for instance, inflammation, nutritional absorption and insulin resistance. Based on this information, gut performance and function treatments can be tailored for your specific need.
While the microbiome is usually stable, things like stress, diet, environmental exposures, and antibiotics can lead to both short- and long-term disruptions. The microbiome is critical to our health. Gut microbes impact vitamin synthesis, immunity, digestion, hormone secretion, and inflammation. There is no better time to ‘have the guts’ to see how your gut microbiome is functioning!
