GASTROINTESTINAL CONDITIONS

SYMPTOMS

Our Gastrointestinal tracts (our guts) are home to 70% of our immune system. When our GI system is out of balance, it affects every other organ in our body. Our GI function depends on the billions of bacteria that colonize it, when that bacterial population is unbalanced, disease occurs.

Symptoms such as:

• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Pain
• Nausea

Can be related to many different Gastrointestinal causes, such as:

• Yeast Overgrowth
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Small Bacterial Intestinal Overgrowth
• Gluten Intolerance
• Parasites
• Imbalanced Gut Flora
• Food Sensitivities and Allergies

We do an in-depth clinical  evaluation into the status of your gut health, searching for a root cause of their symptoms. Our treatment protocols focus on eliminating toxins and offending agents, rebalancing gut flora, focusing on reducing inflammation, restoring gut function of nutrient absorption. Right bacterial population is crucial to the overall gut function. Bacteria produce Short- chain Fatty Acids (SCHAs) as a byproduct of their metabolism, which is crucial for our gut function. Imbalances or deficiencies in these SCFAs production leads to gastrointestinal disease.

We also pay a very large attention to the function of the small bowel.

Our small bowels are largely responsible for digesting all of the nutrients from our foods. The normal small bowel, which connects the stomach to the large bowel, is approximately 20 feet long. Very few bacteria are supposed to live in the small bowel when compared with the large bowel, or colon.

WHAT ROLE DOES THE SMALL BOWEL PLAY?

The main role of our small bowel is digesting food and absorbing nutrients. It is also plays a very important part of the immune system and contains a vast network of lymphoid cells (cells of the immune system that help fight infections and regulate the immune system).

The normal (beneficial) bacteria that are an essential part of the healthy small bowel also perform important functions. These beneficial microorganisms help protect against bad (i.e. pathogenic) bacteria and yeast that are ingested. They help the body absorb nutrients, and also produce several nutrients (such as short chain fatty acids) and vitamins like folate and vitamin K. These bacteria help maintain the normal muscular activity of the small bowel, which creates waves that move the intestinal contents, like food, through the gut.

SIBO IS OFTEN UNDER-DIAGNOSED

Some studies suggest that between 6 to 15% of healthy, asymptomatic people have SIBO, while up to 80% of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have SIBO.

SIBO is largely under-diagnosed. This is because many people don’t seek medical care for their SIBO symptoms, and because many doctors aren’t aware of how common SIBO is.

The most common symptoms of SIBO include:

• Abdominal pain/discomfort
• Bloating and abdominal distention
• Diarrhea
• Constipation (generally associated with methanogens)
• Gas and belching
• In more severe cases, there may be weight loss and symptoms related to vitamin deficiencies.

We design a comprehensive and individualized approach to treating patients with gastrointestinal complaints and disorders, restoring their health back to balance. Give us a call if you live in Ellensburg, Yakima, Selah, Richland, or anywhere in central Washington.