How to know if you need functional testing
Our health starts in our gut.
According to UCLA Health, at least 70% of our immune system resides in our gut and more and more research is indicating that almost all health conditions can be tied into our gut health. But how do we know what’s actually going on in there and what do we do about it? That is exactly what a comprehensive functional stool test can help us figure out.
Your gut is a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses and when they all are in balance, your body runs smoothly. These microbes can be either helpful or harmful and the integrity of your microbiome plays a huge role in your ability to break down food, your hormones, your immune system, brain functioning and your overall health. When there is an imbalance of these microbes, dysbiosis occurs, which can lead to a vast array of symptoms and chronic health conditions.
Signs of gut dysbiosis might present as typical GI symptoms like gas, constipation or diarrhea or may show up as less obvious problems like joint pain, autoimmune disease, difficulty losing weight, skin rashes or brain fog. Functional GI testing allows us to look at your specific microbiome, giving us a window to what is going on in your unique system that will allow us to offer specific action steps from these results.
What is functional GI testing and do I really need it?
Functional testing has become more and more popular with good reason. These tests dig in deeper than conventional tests to look for root-cause issues and often show how the body systems are working together.
When is Functional GI testing needed?
You should consider a functional GI test if you are experiencing any of the following…
Any type of chronic GI symptoms such as IBS, gas, bloating, reflux, diarrhea or constipation.
Chronic fatigue
Acne, eczema or other rashes
Joint pain
Headaches
Weight loss resistance
Mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression
Hormonal imbalance
Any type of chronic health condition such as autoimmune disease or diabetes
You’ve been to your doctor and “everything is fine” but you feel awful.
You’re curious where your gut health is and want a baseline for preventative health
Often starting with lifestyle changes can help with some of these symptoms, but there are times when further testing is really needed to dig in deeper and help uncover the root cause of what is driving your symptoms. A comprehensive stool test such as the GI MAP can be instrumental in helping uncover these upstream issues and give you specific action steps to start feeling better immediately. Additionally, an MRT Food Sensitivity test, when paired with a GI MAP, can help determine what foods and food-chemicals are causing an inflammatory reaction to you specifically to create tailored nutritional recommendations.
What is the GI MAP and why is it important?
The GI MAP is a top-rated comprehensive stool test that looks at a wide variety of microorganisms in your stool, including prevalent species of bacteria, fungi, parasites and other pathogens such as H. Pylori and E. coli. It looks at not only what is living in the large intestine, but also how well your digestive system is overall functioning by providing us information as to how effectively you are breaking down fats and producing pancreatic enzymes. It also gives us a window into your level of gut inflammation and how your immune system is functioning. The results show the specific levels of all of these factors, not just a positive or negative like many other tests. It does this through DNA analysis using a unique quantitative PCR method that offers a high level of accuracy and reproducibility that will help us create a personalized healing plan based off of your unique gut microbiome to allow you to start feeling better faster and to a higher degree.
What is the MRT?
The MRT, or Mediator-Release test, is a food sensitivity blood test that gives you quantifiable results of foods and food chemicals that are actively contributing to inflammation specifically for your body. When a triggering food is consumed, it causes an immune reaction by releasing proinflammatory mediators that are detected with this test. Food sensitivities can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, similar to those outlined above. This test will help you determine what to avoid and also what foods are in the clear for you.
The ideal combination is both a GI MAP and an MRT to take the guesswork out of GI healing and allow targeted-specific healing recommendations. The general plan is to identify what is happening in the gut, remove foods that are actively triggering symptoms and inflammation, heal the intestinal terrain and optimize digestion. Then, slowly reintroduce foods as tolerated.
Most of the time, when we work on key foundational pillars of health such as nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress, people feel a whole lot better. Symptoms start to resolve, energy shoots up and life feels better. However, what if you’re doing all the things but still struggling? You see your doctor and they tell you “everything is fine” and that it is probably just stress or to maybe try an antidepressant. What are your next steps? Functional GI testing, in the form of a GI MAP and MRT Food Sensitivity test, can provide invaluable information that is unique to you and allow for a clear path moving forward to help give you the relief you’ve been looking for.
Curious to learn more and find out if functional testing is appropriate for you?
