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Gastrointestinal Issues 2018-04-25T19:39:33+00:00

Gastrointestinal Issues

At David Allen Nutrition, we firmly believe that the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract is the root of most pathologies and discomfort.The scary thing is that individuals can suffer through a lifetime of GI issues without ever realizing it! Most of the time, patients who visit us for weight loss, autoimmune disorders or chronic pain complain of experiencing some degree of bloating,flatulence and irregular bowel movements. This is an indication that the integrity of the GI tract has been disturbed. Some healthcare practitioners overlook the importance of the GI tract and treat only the surface problems that arise from a compromised GI. Such treatments are only Band-Aid solutions that may help in the short run, but do more damages than good in the long run as medications used to relieve GI can further deteriorate it.

“Within three days of starting the GI cleanse, I felt like a new person. “

April Beaty

At David Allen Nutrition, we are taking a radical approach to making our patients feel better and performing at their optimal levels. We dig into the heart of problemssearching for answers within the GI tract in hopes of building a sturdy foundation so that the body can begin functioning properly once again. We start by healing, eradicating pathogens and re-balancing the GI tract. We listen attentively to your symptoms and with the assurance of advanced testing, we strive to harmonize your GI tract so that it can get the most energy and nutrients from the food that you eat, and so that you can get the most out of every single day.

The gastrointestinal tract covers all areas from the mouth to the anus. From the moment that we put food in our mouth, the digestive tract begins to break down our food by secreting digestive enzymes. The stomach is the main site of churning and mixing of the food, while the nutrients are primarily absorbed in the intestines. Several factors can influence the efficiency of digestion and absorption of nutrients, from the pH of our intestinal tract to the tightness of the sphincters that control pressure and flow of the food down the tract.

While we are strong proponents of adopting a healthy diet to live a long fulfilling life, depending on the integrity of our gastrointestinal tract, some nutrients may be poorly absorbed even if we are getting enough of them in our diet. Some pathologies relating to the gastrointestinal tract that we help with are Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI), Celiac Disease, Peptic Ulcers and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

There is a huge community of bacterial microbes that co-exist with us found mostly in the large intestines but also some in the small intestines. Collectively, they are known as the gut microbiota. At David Allen Nutrition, we are interested in investigating the activity of the gut microbiota, as they play an important role in digestion and absorption. Recent cutting-edge scientific studies have shown that the benefits of a balanced gut microbiota extend beyond the GI tract, but also positively influence liver function, cardiovascular health, immune system, and cognitive capabilities.

Just like how each individual is defined by their genetic code passed down from one generation to the next, the gut microbiota has its own unique genetic code. Cutting-edge research has allowed scientists to sequence the microbes’ DNA, collectively known as the microbiome. What is intriguing is that scientists found vast differences between the microbiomes of individuals eating different diets, living in different geographical locations and adopting different lifestyle patterns. The gut microbiota is being constantly altered by environmental exposure ever since the moment that we were born. For example, babies born from a natural birth harbor different species of bacteria in their gut than babies born from Caesarian section. This is because the birth canal contains tons of bacteria that babies pick up as they pass through it. Environmental programming makes each individual’s microbiome vastly different, and these changes have great consequences. The gut microbiota can be a powerful tool to explain why some individuals are obese, lean, have weak immune systems or are predisposed to cardiovascular diseases. Through research and investigation, the gut microbiota will only be able to tell more phenomenal associations between the gut and diseases. We, at David Allen Nutrition, are dedicated to keep up with the science and offer innovative therapies to our clients.

The function of the gut microbiota is to ferment some proteins and the indigestible fibers abundant in fruits and vegetables that are otherwise indigestible by human enzymes. The microbes do this without oxygen, and they release lactate that is primarily used by the liver and Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) that are used by the brain. There is a difference in the roles of beneficial and harmful bacteria. The beneficial ones educate our immune system to defend against pathogens and out-compete the pathogenic bacteria at the same time. The imbalance of microbial organisms, or the overpopulation of pathogenic bacteria and yeast, can cause disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Enterocolitis, which is the infection of the intestinal lining.

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