Is your “gut” telling you it’s time to see a doctor?

As we pursue better health in a world of chronic illness and autoimmune disease, we are increasingly aware of the need to look inward. We know our gut is connected to everything in our body: immunity, mental health, hormones, weight. But when was the last time your doctor asked how you eat, relax, exercise, sleep and find happiness?

What is the gut microbiome?

Luckily, Dr. Graham knows a thing or two about what goes on in the gut... He’s been fascinated by the microbiota in there since 2001 -- way before it was trendy! Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that we’re hosting trillions of microorganisms in our intestines. There are thousands of different species of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses in there, all of whom (for the most part) mingle peaceably with each other and the other “tenants” in our bodies. But conflict is bound to arise from time to time, with trillions of residents trying to coexist under one roof… And it does.

Some of those species can get pretty… “irritated” or “inflamed,” let’s say. And an angry gut microbiome is not a quiet one! You might notice the turmoil in your stomach: feeling bubbly or bloated, not-so-normal bowel movements and heartburn are all warning signs of trouble in paradise. Not so obvious, maybe, are skin conditions of the same origin: eczema or acne might be signalling inflammatory activity among the microbiota. Even autoimmune diseases may be traced to an unhappy gut microbiome.

So if you are noticing some of these symptoms, what can you do?

The scoop on poop: analyzing your microbiome

Dr. Rob is an advocate for testing, not just guessing. As a Chef who also happens to be Board Certified in Internal and Integrative Medicine and trained in Functional Medicine, the Doc believes dis-ease begins in the gut and does extensive microbiome testing for ailments like candida, dysbiosis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and leaky gut.

Testing your gut health will help you determine what you need to focus on and whether or not you have any serious issues that require more effort to address. Done more than once, it can also help indicate whether or not you’re on the right track with the changes you’re making.

Trust your gut

At FRESH Med, evaluating and treating your gut health is the first step in many of our programs. We’ll take you through the FRESH acronym: your relationship to Food, Relaxation, Exercise, Sleep and Happiness -- as well as environmental exposures -- can impact your gut health more than you might realize. 

So if you’re not feeling so FRESH and you’ve got a gut feeling a mischievous microbiome is to blame, come see us! Dr. Graham is #1 at #2.