Do you have gut symptoms such as – bloating, constipation, gas, reflux or food intolerances?
Do you still have symptoms despite having received treatment for a gut condition?
Or lots of tests have been done but still no cause has been found?
Gastro-intestinal issues such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and autoimmune conditions (e.g Coeliac disease, Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease) are prevalent and there is much that can be done from a functional approach whereby we look at underlying factors to address them and help alleviate the symptoms.
IBS is often a diagnosis of exclusion whereby patients experience symptoms although there is no sinister pathology found on investigations including blood test and endoscopy/colonoscopy. However, there is now much research into how there may be underlying gut microbiome abnormalities and how diet can also have a great impact in controlling the symptoms. A low FODMAP diet has been shown to improve IBS symptoms. By virtue of the fact that most our immune system is in the gut, it would also make sense to look at the gut and its microbiome in autoimmune conditions- even if there are no gastro-intestinal symptoms. For example, patients with coeliac disease can present with skin conditions, liver failure or seizures.
Underlying factors that are looked at in the functional approach includes diet, gut dysbiosis, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial/fungal overgrowth), food intolerances, stress, lifestyle factors and emotional factors. Without addressing these factors, the condition is unlikely to improve by itself or patients will need to continue medications to control their symptoms, often only partially.
