Millions of Americans suffer with problems of the digestive tract. Digestive tract dysfunction, in its many forms, is one of the most common problems we work with in our office. Why are so many people, especially women, having chronic digestion problems these days? Are there natural remedies for such problems? The solution may not be as simple as taking a probiotic or digestive enzymes. Most of the new patients we see suffering with digestion issues are already taking these kinds of supplements yet they still have problems. So what is missing? What else could be causing the problem? This is where an integrative medicine approach may be the answer you have been looking for. You probably need the help of someone who can help you put the pieces together again and get your digestion function back on track.

The most common digestive tract problems we treat include:  

• IBS

• Food allergies or intolerance

• Leaky gut syndrome

• Chronic constipation

• Chronic diarrhea

• Gas and bloating

• Histamine intolerance

• Crohn’s disease

• Ulcerative colitis

• Gut infections and flora imbalances

The two most common causes of digestive tract dysfunction we find in our office are food-related problems and neurotransmitter imbalances. It is not a lack of probiotics or digestive enzymes or even stomach-acid problems. Since the primary role of the digestive tract is to accept food, break it down into a form that can be absorbed and the elimination of waste; it makes sense that diet and food choices may be the source your problem. There is however another very important aspect of digestive tract health to consider, and that is the regulation and control of this system. Your digestive tract actually has its own “brain” called the enteric nervous system; this gut-brain controls and regulates the many different functions of the gut. Utilizing a functional medicine approach, we very often discover that this brain is not producing sufficient levels of brain-chemicals (neurotransmitters). If you suffer from this problem, gut health simply will not become normalized until it is addressed properly.

Food intolerance / Allergy

Your digestion problems may be due to a particular food or foods, but how do you know which food(s) to avoid? This is a very common issue we deal with in our office and we often utilize a variety of food tests to help us narrow down which foods are creating gut dysfunction. Testing for food intolerances or allergies can be a very useful tool when it comes to constructing a gut-friendly diet plan. Without food testing, determining what you should or should not be eating can become a daunting task. We have been working with food intolerances and allergies for over 17 years now, so we understand not only the functional medicine aspect of diet modification but the emotional component dietary restrictions as well. Identifying and eliminating problematic foods is sometimes the only effective solution for some of our patients.

Gut-Brain Chemicals  

Your gut-brain / enteric nervous system controls and regulates the various functions of your digestive tract. Many problems of the digestive tract are actually due to neurotransmitter imbalances. Just in the same way the brain found in your head controls the primary functions of your body, the enteric nervous system is your second brain and it controls and regulates the function of your gut. The nerve cells (neurons) in your brain and gut do not actually touch each other; the only

way they can “talk” and perform their functions is through the use of neurotransmitters. These vital chemicals carry the message from one neuron to the next. Without sufficient neurotransmitters, nerves and the organs they regulate cannot be controlled properly.

When your head-brain can’t produce sufficient neurotransmitters, you may experience problems like depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, migraines, ADHD, etc. When your gut-brain can’t produce enough neurotransmitters you may experience IBS, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain, nausea or even an inflammatory bowel response. More often than not, we see an overlap of neurotransmitter deficiency. This means that many people are not only suffering from a brain deficiency but also a gut-brain deficiency. Did you know that your gut-brain produces more of the neurotransmitter serotonin than your brain? Just to put this in perspective, your gut-brain produces over 90% of all the serotonin in your body!

It also produces another very important neurotransmitter called dopamine; dopamine is a very important for regulating gut function and balancing the effects of serotonin. It also plays a vital role in histamine balance, inflammation and immune system regulation.

The key to digestive system neurotransmitter health is having sufficient levels of these chemical and keeping them in balance. Using an integrative medicine approach we have had very good success in achieving this balance; and without the use of medications. You may not have even considered neurotransmitter imbalance as a potential cause of your digestive tract problems, but for many people this is the underlying problem that is causing their symptoms.

Antidepressants

Neurotransmitter imbalances are a rapidly growing problem today. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, from 1999 to 2012 the percentage of Americans using antidepressants increase from 6.8% to 13%. As mentioned above, many times we find an overlap between brain and gut-brain neurotransmitter imbalances. Another problem we see in our office is that some people start to develop digestive problems (and other signs of neurotransmitter imbalance) after they have been on antidepressants for a few years. Many times we are able to address the imbalance while leaving the medications in place.  For more information on how antidepressants can lead to neurotransmitter imbalances, go to our blog page.

If you suffer from a digestive system problem, we just might be able to help you find the answers you have been looking for. We take an integrative medicine approach when helping our patients restore health and balance to their bodies once again.

For more information about functional medicine, integrative medicine or Dr. Sexton go to napervilleintegratedwellness.com or contact our Naperville office today!

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