Digestive dysfunction is widespread today and is often at the center of more serious concerns, like autoimmune conditions. Gastrointestinal conditions go hand-in-hand with autoimmunity. One in fifty people is reported to be diagnosed with an autoimmune condition.1 When you think of gut dysfunction, you probably associate it with symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, acid reflux, and heartburn. But dysfunction in your gut is also associated with issues with your skin, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, poor sleep, hormone imbalance, weight gain, thyroid disorders, anxiety, depression, and food intolerances to name some of them. In those conditions and with chronic digestive issues, you may want to consider GI testing.
Digestion is considered the top healing priority for the body because when it becomes dysfunctional, it can cause further dysfunction downstream which can lead to a variety of health issues. Without optimal digestion, absorption doesn’t occur. If this becomes long-term, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and a variety of negative health results, as a consequence of malabsorption.
What the GI MAP provides
A lot of people feel that they aren’t getting the information they need regarding their digestive and gut health concerns. The GI MAP uses DNA analysis to determine health benefits or disease risks from microorganisms that populate the body. It gives so much great insight into what is actually going on inside of you. It can provide a lot of information about your gut health, and your gut health can indicate a lot about your overall health.
Some of the benefits of the GI MAP over other stool tests:
- It only requires one sample. Traditional testing has used 3 samples.
- Traditional stool testing only provides information on whether or not pathogens are present. The GI-MAP provides quantitative measurement.
- It uses DNA analysis, making it highly sensitive and more accurate.
- It’s fully automated, minimizing the risk of error.
Nothing is the end-all, be-all for testing, but in the world of functional lab testing, the GI MAP is a super valuable one. It can help to identify blocking factors to your healing and save you time, money, and frustration in the long run when trying to find the root of your stubborn symptoms.
Valuable information that the GI MAP provides includes:
- Bacterial or viral pathogens
- Parasites
- Worms
- H-pylori
- Normal bacteria
- Opportunistic bacteria
- Possible autoimmune triggers
- Yeast or fungal overgrowth
- Intestinal health
- Inflammatory markers
- Immune markers
Don’t forget the foundations
Besides testing, it’s also important to support the foundations. The foundations include a nutrient-dense diet, digestion, blood sugar regulation, minerals, fatty acids, hydration, stress, and sleep. I include this with all of my clients. When you combine supporting the foundations with functional testing, healing is sure to happen!
If you are interested in taking the next step with working 1:1, reserve a free 20-minute consultation, to see if nutritional therapy would be a good fit. I offer functional testing, including the GI MAP and the MRT Food Sensitivity Test.
References:
- Restorative Wellness Solutions. The GI-MAP. [PDF File]. 2020. P 3.
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