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Gut Dysbiosis: 3 Types That Can Lead to Leaky Gut
At Harmony with Food, my goal is to help clients identify and address the root causes of digestive issues through functional nutrition. Using advanced testing, personalized nutrition coaching, and customized anti-inflammatory meal plans, we can address conditions at their source, whether it's food sensitivities, microbiome imbalances, or even genetics through nutrigenomics—eating in tune with your genes. Later in the show, we’ll dive into a trending topic: hydrogen water. Many patients ask me about it, and since it’s generating a lot of buzz, I’ll share my insights—stay tuned! We'll also pick up where we left off last week, covering the three main types of gut dysbiosis: low diversity dysbiosis, digestive insufficiency dysbiosis, and inflammatory dysbiosis. Understanding each type can help pinpoint what’s really going on in your gut, and functional nutrition testing can provide essential insights on how to resolve it.
Learn more about how to pinpoint issues by testing, not guessing. Schedule a free call with me today to learn more.
Many digestive issues are often misdiagnosed or over-treated with medications that don’t address the underlying problem. That's why I advocate for functional nutrition testing to help determine what’s actually causing the symptoms, avoiding the guesswork.
Gut Dysbiosis (or "Leaky Gut")
Gut dysbiosis, often referred to as "leaky gut," occurs when the balance of bacteria in your gut is disrupted. For simplicity, we’ll call it leaky gut as we discuss the different types, starting with low diversity dysbiosis.
Low Diversity Dysbiosis: We discussed this last week, but here’s a recap. Low diversity often results from a lack of variety in diet, excessive antibiotic use, or exposure to food chemicals. Symptoms might include constipation, bloating, and abdominal pain. Tests can reveal low diversity indices, like the Shannon index, and deficiencies in short-chain fatty acids that help maintain the intestinal barrier. A more diverse, fiber-rich diet can help boost gut diversity, which has shown to support overall health and even resilience to infections.
Digestive Insufficiency Dysbiosis: This form is often tied to chronic stress or medications, like long-term proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which can impair your body’s ability to break down food. Symptoms might include bloating, indigestion, or feeling uncomfortably full. We test markers like pancreatic elastase and secretory IgA levels to assess this, and address deficiencies through targeted supplementation and dietary changes. Reducing stress also plays a significant role here, as chronic stress diverts blood flow away from the digestive organs, impacting their function.
Inflammatory Dysbiosis: This type of dysbiosis can cause inflammation throughout the digestive tract, potentially contributing to conditions like SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or candida overgrowth. Inflammatory dysbiosis disrupts gut transit time, affecting nutrient absorption. Testing can help identify specific imbalances, enabling us to tailor a plan that may include anti-inflammatory foods and targeted supplements to restore balance.
The Power of Personalized Nutrition
Functional nutrition goes beyond generic advice; we tailor every recommendation based on your unique needs and test results. Through testing like food sensitivity panels, microbiome analysis, and nutrigenomics, we get precise data about your digestive health. This lets us create a meal plan that’s not only effective but sustainable.
The science even supports eating a variety of plants weekly—up to 30 types—for greater microbial diversity. Research from the American Gut Project shows that variety often trumps dietary labels like “vegetarian” or “vegan” for gut health, underscoring the importance of balance and diversity over strict diet labels.
Finding Your Balance
Digestive health isn’t just about what you eat, but how you approach meals. Practicing mindful eating—finding that sweet spot where you’re satisfied without overindulging—can make a big difference. Before each meal, let your body anticipate the flavors and textures; this "cephalic phase" of digestion, as it’s known, actually stimulates digestive juices. When you’re in tune with your hunger cues, you’re more likely to eat just what you need.
Test, Don't Guess
Whether you’re dealing with IBS, food sensitivities, or simply want a healthier gut, functional nutrition testing is a powerful tool to uncover the root causes of digestive distress. Take the guesswork out of your health journey and reach out for a free consultation at Harmony with Food. It’s time to take control of your health—starting from the inside out. Remember, test don't guess. Schedule a call today!
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