I think it is common knowledge that what we eat can sometimes lead to abdominal discomfort, bloating, constipation or diarrhea. What you may be surprised to learn is that the food we eat is potentially contributing to excessive amounts of inflammation in the body, putting us at risk for not only abdominal symptoms but autoimmune disease, metabolic disorders, neurogenic disorders and possibly some cancers.
Studies are still ongoing into the gut and how it affects our overall health. Currently, there is evidence that the cells of the intestinal wall, which should be tightly structured together, can sometimes be spaced further apart, allowing what should be kept within the intestinal walls to leak into the body and have the potential to cause wide spread inflammation or an immune response. Hence the colloquial term, “leaky gut”.
While “leaky gut” is not a medically recognized diagnosis, continued research is only finding more evidence to support the relationship between some illnesses and excessive intestinal permeability.
So, what to do with this new knowledge. If you are in perfect health and feel great…. well, nothing. However, if you’ve been worked up and treated for chronic pain, fatigue, abdominal concerns or other chronic health conditions but are finding no improvement or just want to know if there could be more to your diagnosis, then we have a test for your consideration.
Action Medicine is currently testing patients with the Food Inflammation Test. With this test, you will get a comprehensive evaluation of the most common foods and additives. Reactions are rated in severity from 0 (no reaction) to 4+ (severe reaction). Patients are asked to avoid the foods that fall into the 2+-4+ category for 6 weeks and evaluate their symptoms. Your health care provider will help explain the results and help you come up with meal plans. The test is not included in the membership, so you should speak with the office about your out of pocket expense.
We have presently tested 2 members of our team. From our tiny study of 2, we can tell you that by avoiding the recommended foods they not only feel better but have lost weight as well. If you are ready to take the next step to understanding your health, please contact the office today.
-Brooke Rieth NP
