Let’s get to the bottom of that gut feeling

Digestion is foundational to our health and sense of wellbeing. It determines our ability to absorb nutrients from our diet, nutrients required to fuel our bodies. Issues with digestion are frequently a cause or aggravator of health concerns, especially when it comes to mental health. There are a variety of ways that our digestion may influence our mood, including:

 

Nutrient Deficiencies.

Diets and digestive concerns may make it difficult to absorb nutrients food and could cause a deficiency. Vitamin B12 for example, is absorbed in the small intestine and is typically very low in vegan diets. These deficiencies can often cause mood symptoms, in the case of low B12 it can cause or contribute to symptoms of fatigue, irritability, and depression.

 

Nervous System.

A sophisticated nerve brain-gut highway ensures communication can travel both ways, one of the reasons why digestion issues often surface during stressful periods or mental health concerns. The vagus nerve plays an important role here, recently gaining a lot of attention in research and the media.

Microbes.

Our gut microbiome (the community of bacteria and other living things in the gut) is connected to our brain health via a number of mechanisms, including the nervous system and the immune system. Associations between gut microbes and depression, as well as anxiety, have been established and is an exciting area of research. 

 

Immune System.

Immune system: studies suggest that certain inflammatory cytokines (immune messenger proteins) may be involved in the development of depression and anxiety, which is why we think inflammation plays a major role in poor mental health.

 

Investigating the cause of digestive concerns is important when treating mood and/or the gut, and it’s important to look at digestive function from the mouth and throat, all the way down to the colon and rectum. Lab tests can often provide important information and answers that can guide treatment too. Your health history, presenting symptoms, and a physical exam will determine whether any testing is recommended.

Conditions treated include

 

  • Indigestion

  • Gas and bloating

  • Nausea

  • Diarrhea and/or constipation

  • IBS

  • Heartburn and GERD

  • SIBO

  • Candida

  • Dysbiosis

  • Hiatal Hernia

  • H Pylori

  • Food sensitivities

  • Intestinal permeability

 
 
 
 

Laboratory testing available includes

 

  • Stool analysis to assess the different microbes of the gut environment

  • SIBO breath test, to investigate for a bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.

  • Food sensitivity test

  • And so much more. Please ask if there’s a specific test you’re looking for.