Could a gut microbiome stool test detect the hidden cause of your bloating or IBS?

Many describe our modern approach to resolving digestive issues as limited. This is because it focusses on symptoms, rather the cause. The trouble with this? Suppressing symptoms alone is a bandaid fix at best, and at worst, causes harmful side effects that can take some years to recover from.

The real secret to healing digestive issues and leaky gut for good is identifying the underlying root cause.  

As an integrative practitioner, one of my recommended ways to do this is via a Complete Microbiome Mapping stool test.

This simple, at home test can give invaluable information on the state of a person’s digestion, inflammation markers, presence of leaky gut, bacterial and fungal overgrowth, parasitic infections, liver function and more.

Let’s look at one of my clients in the Healthy Gut Reset as an example. My client had ordered a stool test recently to get to the bottom of her chronic constipation.

She was doing all the ‘right things’ – eating well, drinking plenty of water, having plenty of fibre and moving her body.

Despite her efforts, her bowels still weren’t emptying regularly or fully.

This is when a Complete Microbiome Stool Test can make all of the difference in understanding individual triggers and a suitable pathway for treatment.

It is a comprehensive test that helps clients understand the state of their digestion, and to identify any underlying causes of IBS type symptoms.

In this case, my client’s key findings were

·        High Methanobacteria– this bacteria is a common cause of chronic constipation, IBS and SIBO. It produces methane gases in the bowel leading to bloating and fermentation in the gut.

·        High Zonulin (Intestinal permeability / leaky gut). This can be linked to autoimmune, leaky gut, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and rheumatoid arthritis (my client has rheumatoid arthritis).

·        High Steatocrit (fat in stool)– poor digestion of fats in the diet due to low pancreatic enzymes and bile

·        Low beneficial bacteria – beneficial bacteria assist with digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, mood (neurotransmitter production) hormone regulation and maintaining a healthy intestinal lining

Understanding this can be such a huge relief for clients after many years of searching for answers and trying so many different approaches.

Now that we know what we’re dealing with, it becomes so much easier to create a personalised protocol to address the root cause.

For this particular client, it involved a 10-week gut rebalancing protocol, with 3 key phases to:

·        Calm inflammation and support digestion

·        Antimicrobial protocol to reduce methanobacteria

·        Restore and rebalance gut flora and repair intestinal lining

Click here for my 4 steps to heal your gut.

More than ever before, we are now understanding the health benefits and risks that are associated with the bacteria, funguses and microorganisms that inhabit our digestive tract.

With a simple, at home stool test, we are able to assess your microbiome health, as well as immune and digestive markers that can often be overlooked but contribute to illness and imbalance.

The Complete Microbiome Mapping test screens for pathogenic bacteria, beneficial bacteria, opportunistic pathogens, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

The test can be useful for those experiencing:

·        IBS or IBD

·        SIBO

·        GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease

·        Diarrhea

·        Bloating

·        Fatigue

·        Food intolerances and allergies

·        Leaky gut

·        Abdominal pain

·        Autoimmune conditions

For more info on my digestive health services, gut microbiome stool testing or food intolerance testing, view my Gut Health Practitioner Services page.

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