Infections - Many times, an intestinal infection may be an acute assault on the body in which outward signs and symptoms are pretty obvious. That is not our patient. That patient will go to the doctor, get medication for a short period of time, and get better. The patient that comes into my office with some type of infection is the patient that has had a very low-grade smoldering infection for a long period of time. Often the traditional testing will yield normal results and the patient is told “you are fine, there is nothing wrong.” The most common infections that we see are either bacterial or viral in nature and include E. coli, Salmonella, Rotavirus, H. Pylori, and a few other less common ones. While many of these bacteria and viruses can be found in a healthy individual, when an imbalance within the body occurs, these opportunistic organisms take advantage and wreak havoc.

Food Sensitivities - This one is a biggie and can have a huge influence on a person’s overall health; not just their intestinal symptoms, although those are the most noticeable. Food sensitivities are different from food allergies. They are two different antibodies in the body that are causing the reactions. In a typical food allergy test, they are testing for IGE antibodies to food — also known as immunoglobulins. These are the antibodies that cause an immediate allergic reaction. EX: you eat a peanut and swell up — allergic reaction. The problem with this type of food testing is that most people already know what they are allergic to. Yet, they probably don’t know what they are sensitive to. A food sensitivity is a reaction that generally happens three or more days later. In this type of test, we are testing for IGG antibodies. Food sensitivities cause a breakdown in the intestinal lining of your gut and can lead to the digestive disorders listed above. It can also lead to leaky gut, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and an increased permeability overall.

Intestinal Parasites - Again, this is a lot more common than most people would think. A lot of people don’t like to think of the possibility of having an intestinal parasite — not very appetizing. However, it is estimated that 1 in 3 Americans currently have an intestinal parasite. Most people are able to fight off these parasites if they have an intact immune system (which is another story altogether), but if the immune system gets run down for whatever reason, it opens the door for the parasites to take hold and cause an issue. This type of problem is often one where symptoms tend to come and go depending on how healthy the person is and what they eat.

Stress - Yes, stress can cause intestinal problems. We have all experienced emotional upset and gotten a stomach ache from it. The mind-body connection is very strong in that way, but stress goes a lot deeper in causing digestive disease. Let me give you short explanation. When we are chronically stressed, it can lead to varying degrees of adrenal fatigue or exhaustion. Depending on what stage you are in, you will have different levels of cortisol and DHEA. DHEA assists the body in cell growth and repair. Without it, our bodies will struggle to keep up with the repair process. Cortisol is needed in the body as well. Most people are concerned with levels that are too high; it seems like every recent article on health is about cortisol being too high. I’ve got news for you. Too low is bad too. Cortisol is an anti-inflammatory and anti-viral. Without it, those two things go up.

Hormonal Fluctuations - As any woman that is out of balance hormonally can tell you, hormones play a vital role in digestive health; and for men, too. One of the primary ways the body eliminates estrogen is through the intestinal system. If the intestines are not working right, the body can build up excess estrogen and create a viscous cycle. The reverse of this is also true. If there is too much estrogen, it will mess up digestion and cause intestinal upset. This is a common occurrence in patients. What tends to happen is that during our normal daily lives we are exposed to a lot of exogenous (unnatural) estrogens. These estrogens build up in the body and we are not able to keep up. This then initiates digestive dysbiosis, which sets the stage for intestinal infection by bacteria, viral, or parasitic means. Again, leading to a terrible cycle.

Thyroid issues - Thyroid issues can often be tied to adrenal fatigue, but in and of themselves can cause problems with digestion. This can set the stage for other intestinal issues to take hold. Thyroid hormones are the primary hormones that regulate metabolism. If our metabolism slows, our entire body will slow down, including digestion. If digestion slows, excretion of toxins (estrogen) build up in the body = more digestion issues = more digestion issues.