gi
hEALTH
Healing Begins in the GUT
Your digestive system is the foundation of whole-body health. Dysfunction in the gastrointestinal tract doesn’t stay local. Signals from the gut are sent throughout the body manifesting as seemingly unrelated conditions. Learn how we approach gastrointestinal disorders using a functional medicine framework.
The Far-reaching Influence of the Gut
Gut-Brain Axis
The vagus nerve links gut and brain bidirectionally — impacting mood, cognition, anxiety, and sleep quality.
Gut–Immune Axis
70% of immune tissue lines the GI tract. Dysbiosis drives systemic inflammation, allergies, and autoimmunity.
Gut–Hormonal Axis
The microbiome modulates estrogen, cortisol, and thyroid hormones — affecting energy, weight, and cycles.
Gut–Skin Axis
Intestinal permeability and dysbiosis are primary drivers of acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea.
Addressing the Full Spectrum
Leaky Gut / Intestinal Permeability
Identifying triggers — gluten, stress, NSAIDs, toxins — and rebuilding the mucosal lining with targeted nutrients.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
Breath testing, targeted antimicrobials or herbals, and prokinetic support to eradicate and prevent recurrence.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
We identify SIBO, dysbiosis, motility issues, and food sensitivities as underlying triggers — not just managing symptoms.
Dysbiosis & Candida Overgrowth
Comprehensive stool analysis guides targeted treatment to rebalance the microbial ecosystem sustainably.
Celiac & Gluten-Related Disorders
Complete dietary guidance plus nutrient repletion and gut healing protocols for full mucosal recovery.
Food Sensitivities & Intolerances
Elimination protocols, IgG/IgE testing, and gut repair to distinguish true intolerances from gut-barrier dysfunction.
A Functional Medicine Approach to GI Evaluation
1. Comprehensive medical and nutrition history
2. Laboratory Evaluations–may include:
- Gut Microbiome Analysis: A deep stool analysis using PCR and DNA sequencing to identify bacteria, fungi, parasites, and inflammatory markers — giving us a complete picture of your gut ecosystem
- SIBO Breath Testing: Lactulose or glucose breath testing distinguishes hydrogen, methane, and hydrogen-sulfide dominant small intestingal bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine.
- Intestinal Permeability Studies: Zonulin, occludin, and actomyosin antibodies assess the integrity of your gut lining and identify immune activation from barrier breakdown.
- Food Sensitivity Panels: IgG and IgA-mediated food reactivity testing identifies inflammatory triggers that may be silently perpetuating gut and systemic symptoms.
- Organic Acids Testing: A urine-based window into cellular metabolism, microbial byproducts, mitochondrial function, and nutritional status — revealing the downstream effects of gut dysfunction.
A Functional Medicine Approach to Treatment
By identifying and removing triggers, restoring microbial diversity, repairing the intestinal lining, and supporting digestive function, we help you create lasting gastrointestinal health rather than temporary symptom relief.
The framework we use, personalized to your needs or course, is often referred to as The 5R Framework. It is a stepwise set of interventions informed by your presentation and GI studies:
- Remove: Eliminate whatever is harming the gut environment–pathogens, inflammatory foods, stressors, toxins…
- Replace: Restore what the digestive system is missing to function properly–including digestive enzymes, bile acids, fiber, nutrients…
- Reinoculate: Rebalance the gut microbiome by introducing and nourishing beneficial bacteria, using prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenol-rich foods…
- Repair: Rebuild the physical integrity of the intestinal lining — the mucosa and tight junctions that form the gut barrier, using such as L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, butyrate, bone broth, colostrum…
- Rebalance: Address the broader lifestyle factors that influence gut health long-term–stress management, sleep, exercise, mindful eating and dietary patterns.
In practice, some steps overlap or are applied simultaneously depending on your situation, but the sequential logic always guides clinical decision-making.