Description
This session explores the principles of Functional Medicine in promoting optimal gut health by addressing the root causes of digestive imbalances rather than just symptoms. We'll discuss the critical role of the gut microbiome, diet, lifestyle factors, and personalized interventions in maintaining a healthy digestive system. The session will include a case discussion to illustrate how a functional medicine approach can be applied in real-world scenarios. Participants will gain practical insights into identifying triggers, restoring gut integrity, and supporting long-term gastrointestinal wellness.
Summary Listen
- Functional medicine aims to identify root causes of gut disorders like IBS and IBD, going beyond symptom management to potentially reverse the problem. Poor gut health is connected to immunity, mental health, skin health, and sleep. Common gut issues include GERD, IBS, IBD, SIBO, dysbiosis, constipation, diarrhea, and food allergies, often related to leaky gut.
- GERD involves stomach acid reflux due to low stomach acid or increased abdominal pressure from SIBO-induced fermentation, rather than solely from high stomach acid. Addressing GERD involves improving stomach acid levels and reducing intestinal fermentation by limiting carbohydrates and sugars. Long-term antacid use can be problematic and doesn't solve the underlying problem.
- IBS is caused by irritants in the bowels, such as inflammatory foods, dysbiosis (SIBO or SIFO), and undigested food. Micro biome testing can identify abnormal gut microbiota. Addressing IBS involves removing irritants through diet changes, managing infections, and using digestive enzymes.
- IBD involves chronic inflammation and autoimmune triggers within the gut. Factors include disturbed motility, visceral hypersensitivity, immune dysregulation, and altered gut microbiota. Addressing IBD involves identifying and managing inflammatory triggers, often related to gut dysbiosis.
- Constipation is linked to slowed intestinal movement due to food sensitivities, inflammation, microbiome imbalances, dehydration, low thyroid function, and insufficient fiber. Resolving chronic constipation requires addressing the gut microbiome.
- The root causes of gut disorders can be bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), dysbiosis, leaky gut (caused by long-standing infections), and parasitic/fungal infections. Treatment requires going beyond antibiotics, considering parasitic and fungal infections, reducing irritants, supporting digestion, and identifying and eliminating food sensitivities.
- A general protocol for gut health involves removing inflammatory foods, resetting diet/lifestyle/mindset, identifying and removing pathogens, replacing digestive enzymes, repairing the gut lining, and re-inoculating with healthy microbes via probiotics. An elimination diet identifies and removes problematic foods.
- Resetting involves mindset adjustments, ensuring adequate oxygen, sunlight, darkness, and nutrient-rich food for repair. Pathogens are addressed with antibacterial, antiparasitic, or antifungal treatments, depending on identified infections. The resulting space is then re-populated with beneficial bacteria through probiotic supplementation.
- Probiotics include soil-based varieties for initial stages of healing, *Saccharomyces boulardii* for creating a healthy environment and addressing diarrhea, and diverse *Lactobacillus* and *Bifidobacterium* species for repopulation after cleaning. Probiotics should be introduced slowly and dosages adjusted based on patient reactions.
- Repair and regeneration of the gut lining are critical, requiring nutrients like glutamine, MSM, N-acetylglucosamine, and mucin. Peptides like zinc carnosine, BPC-157, and thymosin beta-4 can accelerate gut repair. Once healing occurs, previously reactive foods can be reintroduced carefully.
- For chronic constipation with reduced gut motility, bitter herbs or pro-kinetic drugs may be used to eliminate toxins. Hydrochloric acid supplementation can also improve motility and act as an antimicrobial agent. In severe IBD cases with ulcerations, an elemental diet provides predigested nutrients to rest the digestive system and promote healing.
Sample Certificate
About the Speakers
Dr. Ashwani Garg
Consultant Chronic Disease Reversal & Brain Health, Functional Medicine Clinic, Bengaluru
Financial Disclosure
Comments
Comments
You must be logged in to leave a comment.