Digestive Health
A Functional Medicine Approach to Digestive Health
The most common “diagnosis” of digestive dysfunction is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS can present itself in many ways and disrupt your quality of life and affect your day-to-day functioning. You’ve probably heard about a wide range of treatments for IBS, but dietary changes can especially make a big difference for patients with this condition. Medications that slow down bowel movements (for diarrhea) or speed them up (for constipation) can also be really helpful. And when it comes to reducing life stress, it’s not always easy to do, but it can definitely have a positive effect on your digestive symptoms. To find out more, talk to one of our London digestive health experts today. Conventional medicine takes a narrow view of digestive and gut issues. Their approach is to focus on symptom management and medicate problems as a band-aid instead of looking at the underlying issues that lead to gut dysfunction. There has been a failure to recognize how extensive the influence of the gut can be on overall health and especially symptoms unrelated to the digestive system such as headaches, fatigue, and mental health disorders.
Causes
Digestive health disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, Barrett’s esophagus, inflammatory bowel disease, and Crohn’s disease can be caused by a number of factors including gut infections which can include
- fungal
- parasitic
- bacterial infections
- fodmap sensitivities
- leaky gut
- chronic emotional stressors
- food sensitivities
In addition, what will affect it is how we eat (being mindful), what we eat when we eat and medications (particularly antibiotic use). A lot of the time gastrointestinal disorders can be traced back to a period in your life when you were under significant stress physically or emotionally which acts as a trigger that leads to the development of symptoms associated with poor digestive health.
Common Symptoms
- Constipation
- Diarrohea
- Headaches
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- GERD
- Low sex drive
- Stomach Distension
- Chronic fatigue
- Burping
- Acute depression
- Panic attacks
- Insomnia
- Acne
- Excessive Gas
Treatment
As well as using a functional medicine approach, our treatment protocols vary with each patient based on their symptoms, history, and lifestyle. We aim to identify the root cause of gut dysfunction and the core imbalances that are interfering with your body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients. We see a lot of patients improve immeasurably with some simple changes to diet and lifestyle alone, however, chronic conditions will warrant a lot more investigations including gut testing which can include microbiome testing and the SIBO breath test.
Our highly experienced team is committed to helping you treat your digestive system and digestive health issues. Our expert practitioners focus on approaches beyond symptomatic relief and concentrate on causative factors. At the London Centre for Functional Medicine, we provide life-changing solutions that will assist you in achieving your health goals and the best treatment plan for you.
Our Approach
Optimal Nutrition and Absorption
Imbalances to our digestive system contribute to a wide variety of symptoms and conditions. We are what we eat and what we absorb. Any dysfunction can lead to a sub-optimal functioning body and immune system
Supplement Support
Depending on the condition, your practitioner can recommend some targeted supplements to help support the body, reduce deficiencies, overcome infections and balance the microbiome.
Testing
We work on the motto of testing rather than guessing which can be quicker and cheaper in the long run. Our functional medicine doctors and practitioners who work can recommend specific gut testing related to gastrointestinal health, such as the SIBO breath, candida test, and parasite testing to look at what is causing your issues.
Targeted Treatments
Our practitioners can recommendations additional treatment or lifestyle interventions that have proven effects to help you overcome a specific digestive condition.
Our Client's Feedback
Support
Once you reach out to us, the team will guide you through the collaborative process with a practitioner, We will gather the information we need to understand you better and help support and motivate you along your health journey.
Experience
We take the complex and try to make it simple. Many patients have gone to multiple doctors before they reach us. By taking a functional medicine approach, we can focus on the core imbalance and what needs to be addressed to improve your health picture.
Custom Approach
There is no one size fits approach as each patient is unique. Thus, no plan or protocol is the same. Everything about you including symptoms, lifestyle, diet, genetics and capacity to heal is different and will require a personalized approach.
london center for functional medicine