Gut health is absolutely fundamental to address when considering improving overall health. Why is this? We all know the adage, “you are what you eat!” In reality, this is only a partial truth. A more accurate statement is “you are what you digest, absorb, and assimilate.” Digestion is that actual physical process of breaking down food and nutrients obtained from our diet. Absorption is the process of said nutrients crossing through the lining of our digestive system and entering the blood stream. Assimilation is the process of getting the nutrients into cells or whatever destination awaits a given nutrient. What can impair the above processes? The answer, several different things can impair our ability to digest, absorb, and assimilate such as: stress, anxiety, decreased stomach acid production, food sensitivities/allergies, an imbalance of gut bacteria, inflammation in the gut, parasitic infections, bacterial infections, viral infections, yeast/fungal overgrowth, and much more. If our gut health is negatively impacted this can have great ramifications not only within our GI system and metabolism, but also on our mood and behavior, immune system and nervous system and endocrine (hormones) system!
So, how can we assess what is truly going on inside of the gut? The answer, of course, is to analyze the poop! The test that we utilize at Jordan Chiropractic Clinic is the Gastro Intestinal Microbial Assay Plus or better known as the GI-MAP. The GI-MAP is a functional stool test that analyzes the following:
- How well are you breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from the diet?
- What is the lay of the land of the gut microbiome? In other words, what is the balance of good bacteria versus opportunistic (potentially bad) bacteria?
- Is inflammation in the GI-Tract present?
- Are there pathogens present in the GI-Tract such as bacterial pathogens, viral pathogens, and/or parasite pathogens?
As you can see, this test provides a myriad of super helpful information to gain a solid understanding of the state of your gut health. As you can see, your poop says a lot about your gut health which again is crucial when addressing overall health and wellness, which in turn helps the clinician or provider form a plan of action that is tailored to you and the specific needs of your gut health based on the test.
Who stands to benefit from having a GI-MAP ran? See the infographic attached to this article! If you or a loved one or friend have gut health issues, contact our team to set up a FREE Functional Medicine Consultation with Dr. Luke Moore to see if a GI-MAP is right for you!
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Author
Dr. Luke Moore
Chiropractor
Dr. Moore has long believed that true health is a harmonious balance between the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. Dr. Moore’s drive to understand chronic illness and its effects on the human body as a whole are what inspired him to pursue the healing arts. Dr. Moore is a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic and graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City. Dr. Moore also completed his undergraduate studies at Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City with a degree in Human Biology. Dr. Moore’s pursuit of continuing education has led him to spend upwards of 400 hours of continuing education with the American Board of Chiropractic Internists studying functional and internal medicine in addition to a wide variety of fields such as Epigenetics, Acupuncture, Kinesiology, and Sports Medicine. Dr. Moore enjoys the challenge of learning new things and applying through the healing lens. Dr. Moore is thrilled to be a part of Jordan Chiropractic.