Gut Health & Digestive Disorders
More and more research indicates that gut health is the secret to optimizing overall health. In fact, the gut microbiome (the trillions of microbes that live in your intestines) is where 70% of the body’s immune system is housed! Prioritizing gut health and addressing digestive disorders are the first steps to a happier, healthier you. As a gut health specialist in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, we seek to help you restore and maintain digestive health and wellness.
What are Digestive Disorders?
Disorders of the digestive tract, sometimes called the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, impair the ability of food and drink to be broken down into nutrients that the body can absorb and use as energy and building blocks for cells.
Common digestive disorders include:
- Stomach or abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- IBS
- GERD or Reflux
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Celiac Disease
- Food sensitivities and intolerances
Leaky Gut & Gut Dysbiosis
In a healthy person, the ratio of “good bacteria” to “bad bacteria” living inside the gut microbiome is relatively stable. However, when the amount of “bad bacteria” surpasses that of the good, a situation called gut dysbiosis occurs.
Gut dysbiosis is a condition characterized by an alteration in the abundance or composition of the microbiota.
With gut dysbiosis comes increased intestinal permeability, also known as leaky gut.
This increased permeability allows harmful microbes, toxins, and undigested food particles to infiltrate the bloodstream causing your body to mount an inflammatory response.
Gut dysbiosis can occur due to aging, dietary effects, drugs, gastrointestinal infections, and certain health conditions. Gut dysbiosis and leaky gut often contribute to the root cause of your digestive disorder.
10 Signs of An Unhealthy Gut
- You have an inconsistency in bowel movements.
- You have abdominal bloating and pain.
- You have weakness and mental fatigue.
- You have unexplained weight gain.
- You have skin irritation.
- You have sleep disturbances.
- You have food intolerances.
- You have bad breath.
- You have joint pain.
- You have excessive sweet cravings.
How to Improve Gut Health Naturally
Work with a Gut Health Specialist in Chicago
At Peak Health Institute, we use a functional medicine approach. Our process starts by helping patients treat their chronic health problems by evaluating the health of their gut and treating any gut imbalances.
By focusing on gut health, we optimize digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. Nourishing and healing the body via the gut positively impacts not only gastrointestinal symptoms but also other symptoms or concerns present in the body.
Ultimately, digestive concerns present a big problem – and also a big opportunity for improving overall health. Having healthy digestion determines what nutrients are absorbed and what toxins, allergens, and microbes are kept out. The digestive system is directly linked to the health of your whole body. Work with a gut health specialist in Chicago to get your gut health under control.
Schedule a Consultation Today!