Why Functional Medicine is the Gold Standard for IBS

In the United States, it is estimated that 10 to15 percent of the adult population suffers from symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), yet only 5 to 7 percent of adults have been diagnosed with the disease. IBS is the most common disease diagnosed by gastroenterologists and one of the most common disorders seen by primary care physicians.

Here at Gut Garden, we talk a lot about functional medicine and its unique approach to gut health and gut healing. But what is functional medicine exactly? And what makes this approach the gold standard for treating chronic digestive symptoms and IBS?

Conventional Approach

IBS can be classified as either diarrhea predominant (IBS-D), constipation predominant (IBS-C), or a mixed form (IBS-M). The diagnosis of IBS traditionally  leads to treatment recommendations with limited effectiveness. Due to the wide range of symptoms that may be experienced, the available pharmacological treatments are mainly targeted only at symptom reduction. Unfortunately, treating just the symptoms is usually just a band-aid approach that will not "cure" IBS without addressing the underlying cause.  

Enter Functional Medicine: Don't Guess - Test!

Functional Medicine determines how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of symptoms for each individual. Along with a detailed case history, the functional medicine doctor will order comprehensive tests to analyze a number of factors that may include:

• Microbiome abundance and diversity
• Presence of pathogenic bacteria, parasites or viruses
• Detection of yeast overgrowth
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Food allergies or intolerances
• Nutrient status

Treat the Root Cause

Before you begin any supplement regimen (even ours!), a functional medicine doctor will do the very important work to address the triggers. Embarking on a healing protocol to relieve symptoms before you treat infections, parasites, yeast, or food intolerances is like trying to drive with one foot on the brake. You've likely been sick long enough already - you might as well take the time to do it right!

Set the Stage for Healing

Now that you've eliminated the root cause of your symptoms, the healing can begin! Long term digestive symptoms wreak havoc on the gut in many ways, including:

• Imbalance of healthy to unhealthy gut bacteria
• Depletion of essential digestive functions - enzymes, bile, stomach acid
• Compromised strength of the intestinal barrier

GoodGut Program - Rebuild your Gut Garden

Gut Garden's GoodGut Program is based on the functional medicine approach to gut health and it is designed to rebuild and restore gut health long term. We offer an easy to follow roadmap to relieving digestive symptoms and strengthening the gut against future invaders.
Our steps include:

• CLEAN - Safely absorb and remove toxins and unwanted material through the digestive tract and out of the body with activated charcoal.
• PREPARE - Replace digestive enzymes that may have been depleted or compromised over time to help digest fats, carbohydrates, lactose and protein.
• PLANT - Reintroduce beneficial bacteria with our perfect probiotic to optimize metabolism, digestion, and immune function.
• FEED - Help beneficial bacteria thrive by feeding them with a broad spectrum resistant starch prebiotic to promote bacterial diversity.
• PROTECT - Restore and strengthen the intestinal lining with the amino acids and nutrients found in collagen peptides.

GoodGut Program

We've been there, and we know what it's like not to feel your best for weeks, months or even years at a time. We created Gut Garden and the GoodGut Program to take the guesswork out of restoring optimal gut health.