GI Repair & Restoration

Treat the Hole in the Middle!

A well functioning digestive system is critical to good health.

The latest research shows that 60-80% of our immune system is located in our gut, and 90% of our neurotransmitters (chemicals responsible for regulating mood) such as serotonin are made in our gut.

Problems in our gastrointestinal (GI) tract can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating or diarrhea; they can be the root cause of many chronic health problems. Gut imbalances have been linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, eczema and rosacea… just to name a few.

GI Repair & Restoration

At VITALITY WORX, we use the 4R approach to healing your GI tract: Remove, Replace, Restore, and Repair.

Remove the bad. The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract such as inflammatory foods, infections and irritants like alcohol, caffeine or drugs. Inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs and sugar can lead to food sensitivities. We typically recommend an Elimination Diet and possibly food sensitivity testing to determine if any foods are a problem for you. A comprehensive stool analysis is key to determining the levels of good bacteria as well as any infections that may be present. Removing the infections may require treatment with herbs, anti-parasite medication, anti-fungal medication or even antibiotics.
Replace the good. We then add back in the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, drugs (such as antacid medications), diseases or aging. This includes hydration, digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid and bile acids that are required for proper digestion.
Restore your flora. Restoring beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good bacteria is critical. This may be accomplished by taking a prebiotic/probiotic supplement that contains beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. Taking a prebiotic (food for the good bacteria) supplement or consuming foods high in soluble fiber is important. Taking the probiotics (bugs) without feeding them (prebiotics) can be a waste of time and money.
Repair your gut. Providing the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself is essential. We use supplements like L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps to rejuvenate the gut wall lining, and other nutrients include zinc, omega-3 fish oils, vitamin A, C, E as well as herbs such as slippery elm and aloe vera to repair the lining of your GI tract. No matter what your health issue is, the 4R program is sure to help you and your gut heal.