GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS IN TAMPA.
Gastrointestinal Health is essential to all aspects of your life, not just your food digestion. In fact, 70-80% of your immune cells are found in your digestive tract. Every day, your body fights against foreign chemicals, bacteria, and viruses often introduced to your body through the food you eat. If your gastrointestinal system isn’t performing at its best, then you’re at risk for a variety of conditions and diseases that could affect your day-to-day life.
SYMPTOMS OF POOR GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH.
When your gastrointestinal tract is compromised, severe problems can develop such as IBS, Crohn’s Disease, Bacteria Overgrowth, Intestinal Parasites and Leaky Gut Syndrome.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders found today. This problem is triggered when the autonomic nervous system puts the digestive system in overdrive. Its symptoms vary widely from person to person, but patients often experience uncomfortable or unhealthy digestive issues. Symptoms often include:
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Gas
- Diarrhea, constipation, or alternations of the two
Depression and anxiety are two other symptoms of IBS, caused by the uncertain nature of the problem. IBS is often a symptom of a greater problem, such as Crohn’s disease or a leaky gut.
CHRON’S DISEASE.
Crohn’s disease occurs when there’s inflammation in the digestive system. With this condition, the immune system attacks healthy cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Experts believe certain people have a genetic predisposition to the disease.
Symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain, cramps, constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Weight loss
Crohn’s disease can manifest itself throughout a patient’s life, sometimes flaring up when they are younger, and other times waiting until the patient is older to become a severe problem.
OVERGROWTH OF BAD BACTERIA.
If normal gut functions are compromised, then bad bacteria could take over the gut. This leads to common systems of gastrointestinal distress mentioned above, including unhealthy weight loss. Your digestive system requires a delicate balance of bacteria to perform at peak levels. When this bacterial balance is thrown off, your body can’t digest food and absorb nutrients effectively.
A few symptoms of an overgrowth of bad bacteria include:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Weight loss
The weight loss is often caused because the body cannot absorb the nutrients it needs to function on a day-to-day basis. The body may become weaker as a result of nutritional deficiencies and a lack of energy from food.
INTESTINAL PARASITES.
Similar to an overgrowth of bad bacteria, intestinal parasites wreak havoc on a healthy digestive system but might not cause any symptoms for several years.
Intestinal parasites can be as varied as other gastrointestinal diseases and cause just as many problems. There are two common types of parasites found in the gut: helminths (worms) and protozoa. Parasites are often contracted from eating contaminated food or water or by not practicing proper hygiene.
Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Chronic exhaustion
- Unexplained weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Diarrhea, cramps or abdominal pain
- Blood in stool
- Itching or rashes, particularly in the groin area
LEAKY GUT.
The walls of your small and large intestines are semi-permeable, allowing digested nutrients to pass through and get absorbed by the bloodstream. However, these microholes that allow food to pass through can grow out of proportion, creating a leaky gut. With a leaky gut, contents of the digestive system leak into the bloodstream or lymphatic system.
- A few common symptoms include:
- Headaches, fatigue, or fogginess
- Skin rashes
- Gas, bloating, and cramps
- Food sensitivities
TREAT GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH ISSUES.
Many people suffer from various forms of gastrointestinal distress. Sometimes the symptoms are mild enough or rare enough to be overlooked, but other times they can affect a person’s mental as well as physical well-being.
Doctors take gastrointestinal health very seriously, because one symptom can often be a sign of a larger problem. Knowing how deeply gastrointestinal distress affects someone can help doctors create a plan of action to improve the health of their patients.
As you can see, there are dozens of potential threats to your gastrointestinal health. By working with dietary professionals, you can develop a nutrition plan that keeps you comfortable and healthy. Contact the team at Matrix Hormones to discuss your gastrointestinal needs.
FIX YOUR GUT HEALTH.
Matrix Hormones is here to guide you in the right direction. If you don’t know what treatment might be right for you, please contact us for a free consultation so we can help guide you to the best program or plan for you.