The gut should be considered as an extension of the brain, which can create and maintain inflammation in our body. While conventional medicine tends to focus on symptom relief with drugs or surgery, integrative medicine focuses on healing your entire system by addressing underlying causes of symptoms or illness.
What is the Microbiome and why does that affect my gut?
The microbiome is a collection of microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses that live on and inside the human body. Our bodies are complex ecosystems; each individual has their own unique microbiota—the microbial community living within them—that plays an essential role in our overall health. The gut microbiome plays a particularly important role in digestion, immunity, inflammation responses, metabolism, nutrient absorption, mental health and more.
The Impact of Disruption on Gut Health
Our digestive system works best when close to a state of balance or homeostasis. However, disruption to our microbiome can lead to dysbiosis or an imbalance between good bacteria and bad bacteria in the gut which has been linked to a range of chronic illnesses such as leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or its cousin small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO). Some contributing factors that can disrupt our microbiome include poor dietary choices such as processed foods high in sugar or sodium content (which feed bad bacteria) as well as long-term use of antibiotics or other medications that can kill off beneficial bacteria.
Treatment with Alliance Integrative Medicine (AIM)
At AIM we understand that our overall health is intricately linked to our microbiome so we offer physician-led services designed to help you better investigate your gut symptoms and tailor an effective treatment plan using evidence-based strategies. Our lab tests help us arrive at a precise diagnosis, so we understand how to address the underlying dysfunction for good – whether it is unresolved stealth infections, environmental toxins, food sensitivities or other endocrine or system-wide issues. Our wide variety of lab tested and physician approved supplements such as Fundamental Spore Based Probiotic+ can help maintain normal gastrointestinal balance, provides concentrated immunoglobulins to enhance mucosal immunity, supports digestion and micronutrient absorption, and maintains GI barrier health and integrity. You can learn more about choosing the right probiotic here.
Understanding the link between your microbiome and gut health is key to restoring balance within the body. While conventional physicians often turn to antacids which might ease symptoms in the short term, these solutions don’t always address underlying root causes that may be impacting one’s overall well-being. At AIM we believe that by focusing on one’s individualized needs through evidence-based strategies tailored specifically for you plus access to advanced laboratory testing where necessary –we are able help individuals achieve lasting results by bringing their gut back into balance. In partnering with AIM, we can make sure you don’t ever have to settle and your healthy gut future awaits.
