Did you know that the digestive system houses 70% of our immune system, plays a vital role in emotional well-being, transmits signals to the brain and is the home base for many essential bodily functions? For naturopathic doctors in Alexandria, gut health is the key to achieving a healthy and balanced body and mind.
What is Gut Health?
Your gut is your complete digestive system, including the stomach, liver, pancreas, large and small intestines, and gallbladder. The gut does more than digest your food – it also fights infections, sends signals to your brain, and helps maintain your emotional balance.
The gut microbiome consists of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. Everyone’s gut contains good bacteria and bad bacteria. The good bacteria aid in digestion and keep the bad bacteria in check. The harmful bacteria cause conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Keeping these bacteria balanced is the focus of Alexandria’s gut health specialists at Thrive Naturopathic.
Signs that You Have a Gut Imbalance
Some gut issues, such as Celiac disease, constipation, nausea, heartburn, bloating, and IBS, are impossible to ignore. Other health conditions seem unrelated to gut health, but our Alexandria gut health specialists know that they are directly linked to imbalances in this delicate but mighty system. They include many chronic conditions, as well as the following:
- Brain fog
- Allergies
- Food sensitivities
- Autoimmune diseases
- Fatigue
- Anxiety and depression
- Weight gain
- Headaches
- Sleep disturbances
- Sugar cravings
- Mood swings
Risk Factors for Developing Gut Health Imbalances
While some causes of poor gut health are obvious, such as diet, many other unexpected factors place you at risk for developing gut health imbalances.
Food-related risk factors include the food you eat, how it is prepared, and additives or preservatives. Sugary, carbohydrate-laden, processed foods are the biggest enemies to good gut health.
Alexandria gut health specialists know your gut can be thrown off-kilter by medications, especially antibiotics, and lifestyle choices such as alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. Poor sleep habits, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle also contribute to gut health imbalances. In addition, some people are genetically disposed to developing gut health issues.
Other contributing factors include environmental toxins, such as pollution, mold, and heavy metals.
What is the Naturopathic Approach in Alexandria to Gut Health?
Naturopathic medicine is a whole-body approach to health. Naturopathic doctors recognize many conditions, including diabetes, chronic pain, and autoimmune diseases, as symptoms of a more profound underlying condition. The focus of naturopathic medicine is to uncover and reverse these root causes to restore balance.
For naturopathic providers in Alexandria, gut health is always a primary suspect when patients feel unwell. These doctors understand how important the gut is to health and how easily it can become imbalanced. Your gut health evaluation and recommendations will include the following:
1. A Thorough Examination
Your initial assessment by your naturopathic doctor will start with a thorough physical examination. It will also include an in-depth medical history and lifestyle evaluation to pinpoint your risk factors for poor gut health. Your doctor may order laboratory tests for a clearer view of your health.
2. A Dedicated Team
For Thrive Naturopathic in Alexandria, gut health is a team effort. You will be paired with a health coach to guide you through the lifestyle and nutritional adjustments you need to achieve your health goals.
3. Dietary Changes
A healthy gut is built on the right foods – and this means, not just “eating healthy” but eating the specific foods which are right for you as an individual. We have a process by which you will uncover the ideal foods to fuel your body, setting you up for life-long health and vitality.
4. Supplements
You may require supplements, such as probiotics, vitamins, and minerals, to restore balance to your gut. These may include herbal antimicrobials to destroy harmful bacteria and probiotics to encourage the growth of good bacteria.
5. Homeopathy
Homeopathy is one of the secret ingredients in why our team gets such great results in restoring gut health. These very specific and individualized natural products have a remarkable ability to balance the nervous and immune systems – the underlying cause of so many gut health issues.
6. Stress Reduction
Stress plays a dramatic role in the gut microbiome. During stressful times the digestive process slows as part of the body’s natural fight-or-flight response. In addition, high levels of stress can increase the permeability of the intestinal lining, resulting in inflammation and discomfort.
Your naturopathic doctor and health coach will work on techniques to reduce stress levels and restore your gut health.
7. Lifestyle Modifications
Our team in Alexandria knows gut health is closely related to lifestyle choices. Naturopathic doctors create comprehensive wellness plans to adjust lifestyle factors to help you restore and maintain your gut’s natural balance. Some of the ways natural medicine can help you live a healthier lifestyle include the following:
- Smoking cessation support
- Exercise plans
- Better quality sleep
- Dietary adjustments and recommendations
- Relaxation techniques
- Detoxification
- Homeopathic remedies
At Thrive Naturopathic in Alexandria, Gut Health is Our Specialty
Because it’s crucial to your emotional and physical well-being, naturopathic medicine emphasizes restoring and maintaining gut health.
At Thrive Naturopathic in Alexandria, gut health is one of the most important things we consider when creating your wellness plan. If you’re sick of being sick and tired of being tired, it’s not “all in your head,” and it’s not normal to feel this way. Schedule your free, no-obligation discovery call, and let us help you rediscover your healthiest you.
