Gut Health

What is gut health?

Your gut health significantly impacts your body's overall wellness. Gut health refers to how well the lining of your digestive tract protects from toxins, absorbs nutrients, releases hormones, and breaks down foods. It also takes into account the balance of your  microbial flora which is known as your" microbiome.”

Your gut health affects your immune system, heart health, sleep patterns, digestion, brain health, and mood stability. Poor gut health contributes to digestive conditions such as: 

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Crohn's disease 
• Ulcerative colitis 
• Chronic constipation 
• Diverticular disease
• Hepatitis 
• Gallbladder disease  and gallstones
• Liver and kidney disease
• Pancreatitis 
• Peptic ulcer disease

Recent research suggests that your gut health and your microbiome may also contribute to anxiety, dementia, fibromyalgia, depression, Parkinson's disease, autoimmune disease, allergies, diabetes, obesity, and more. 

What impacts my gut health?

Several factors can impact your gut health. An essential step in protecting and healing your gut is identifying the underlying causes of your improper digestion, malabsorption, and gut inflammation. 

Some things that could affect your gut health include: 

• Stress
• Food intolerances
• Bile acids
• Infection
• Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Chronic alcohol intake
• Hormone imbalance 
• Gut microbiota dysbiosis 
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy
• Aging 

ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine uses food, supplements, and a personalized protocol to improve your gut health and get you on your way to your best health. 

How does the 5R Protocol improve my gut health?

Dr. Kapoor utilizes the 5R Protocol to identify and treat the root causes of poor gut health, taking each step in succession until your gut is healthy again. 

Remove

The program begins by removing anything that impacts your gut health, including pathogens, foods, medications, physical and mental stress, systemic inflammation, and environmental stressors. 

Replace

After removing harmful impacts on your gut health, your treatment plan focuses on replacing vital digestive enzymes, bile salts, fiber, and other elements necessary for proper digestion and absorption.

Re-inoculate

To rebuild a strong gut, you must re-inoculate your intestines with good bacteria that heal your gut lining and help fight harmful bacteria that cause inflammation and breakdown of the protective barrier between your digestive tract and body. 

Repair

Once healthy bacteria thrive in the gut, you must regenerate and repair your intestinal lining with nutrient-rich foods and targeted supplements. 

Rebalance

Finally, Dr. Kapoor supports you as you incorporate appropriate mind-body practices that support your gut's ability to protect and heal itself. 

The 5R program incorporates the essential aspects of gut health, including microbiome assessment, effective absorption, balanced gut flora, improved intestinal permeability, reduced inflammation, immune regulation, and a healthy nervous system. Together, these steps heal your gut and protect your overall health. 

Call or schedule an appointment online with ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine today to protect and restore your gut health.