A Functional Approach to Gut Dysfunction & IBS
The topic of gut health can sometimes feel like a buzzword, but the reality is that so many of us are dealing with chronic digestive issues. It can look different for everyone, but any combination of frequent constipation, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, and bloating is a sign from our bodies that there is dysfunction. In my office, I tend to see patients who have been dealing with dysfunction for years and years. They’ve seen the gastroenterologist, had the colonoscopy, and everything came back as “normal”. Sometimes they’ve had the SIBO test and taken the rounds of antibiotics, but the symptoms soon reappear. The question quickly becomes okay, but what now? Am I going to have to deal with this forever? The answer to that question is 100% no. This is where a functional and integrative approach to digestive health is essential.
Understanding Functional vs. Pathologic
Typically the first step when dealing with chronic gut issues is a referral to the gastroenterologist. This is where they investigate any potential pathology, like cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease, etc. If these are not detected upon colonoscopy, then typically your chronic symptoms are considered a functional gastrointestinal disorder, most often irritable bowel syndrome. This diagnosis can be frustrating for patients, but I always say that the good news is that pathology has been ruled out. Now is when we can take a functional approach to this functional gastrointestinal disorder.
The Definition of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder
Before jumping into the functional approach to gut healing, it is important to define functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID). This is a group of incredibly common disorders that are characterized by chronic and persistent GI symptoms without structural or biochemical cause determined by gastroenterology. FGIDs can affect any part of the GI tract, including the esophagus and stomach. The most common FGID diagnosis is IBS, but other common diagnoses include functional dyspepsia, functional constipation, and many others.
Common Symptoms of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Constipation
Bloating
Indigestion
The 5R Approach to Gut Healing
As we start looking at our treatment approach, we must first look at the underlying root cause. Of course there can be multiple contributing factors, but most often I am looking at things like low grade inflammation, chronic stress or infections, the microbiome, altered intestinal permeability (sometimes called leaky gut), sympathetic nervous system activation, and potential immune dysfunction.
The 5R approach to gut healing is used commonly in the naturopathic and functional medicine world as a way to improve the function of the digestive system. Every patient is different in how organize the 5Rs in our treatment roadmap, but these are the guiding principles that we keep in mind.
Remove
The first step of gut healing is to identify and remove any stressors that may be causing damage to the gut. This could look like a brief trial of food elimination (always with a goal of reintroduction) or it may even involve looking at your stress levels, which can be contributing to the gut dysfunction.
Replace
This step involves replacing nutrients that may be affected by the digestive dysfunction. This may look like using specific micronutrients for a short period of time. Some practitioners will use things like digestive aids.
Repopulate
This step is all about repopulating the gut microbiome! After taking away any stressors (remove), we shift to focusing on the balance of bacteria in the gut. This can include probiotics and prebiotics to reestablish the environment or terrain of the gut. Here, we look at probiotic strains to best fit you and your body.
repair
This is my most used step of all. The gut lining is greatly affected by inflammation and chronic stress, which can leave us with altered intestinal permeability, often called “leaky gut”. A “leaky gut” can contribute to various symptoms throughout the body like skin issues, mood disorders, autoimmunity. For long term gut health, we focus on repairing the gut lining and mucosal barrier.
rebalance
What I consider a big underestimated step is rebalance. This is the step where we focus on rebalancing our nervous system. This includes looking at the parasympathetic nervous system, especially the vagus nerve. Here is where we find practices that help us address our stress daily. Think of these as our foundational wellness practices.
Moving Towards to Feeling Better
Whenever someone is dealing with a functional gastrointestinal disorder like IBS, the stress that comes along with it can undoubtedly make symptoms worse. We can find ourselves spiraling into food rules, restriction, and an overall feeling of grasping at straws because we want to feel better. Just know, that a functional approach is there for you. If you are in Maine or Massachusetts and struggling with your digestive health, then consider booking your free discovery call here.
About the Author
Dr. Hannah is a naturopathic doctor providing whole body adjunctive healthcare to patients in Maine and Massachusetts. She believes every patient has their own unique health journey, which influences her personalized treatment approach. She has a passion for helping women, mothers and families heal and thrive, all while uncovering the root cause of whatever ails them. Her goal is to empower and guide her patients on the path towards healing the mind, body and soul through natural methods of healing. Dr. Hannah sees patients locally in Portland, Maine. Through telehealth, she is happy to serve the people of Lewiston, Ellsworth, Belfast, Bangor, and all the towns in between! She now sees Massachusetts patients through telehealth as well!
Disclaimer
The information provided on or through this website is for educational and informational purposes only. This information is not a substitution for proper and personalized medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or trusted healthcare provider before making an adjustments or changes to your healthcare regimen. Natural medicine is not inherently harmless, and therefore it is important to speak with your healthcare providers for personalized medical advice.