GI Effects – Test your Poo

Description

Health isn’t just about what you eat, it’s about what you digest and absorb! You can eat the best diet in the world but if you can’t properly break down and uptake the nutrients in your food it won’t optimally support your health.

Good digestion relies on a carefully coordinated series of digestive actions and secretions. This is supported by a thriving community of friendly bacteria in our guts which help to break down food and keep nasty microbes at bay.

A lack of any of the digestive juices, an imbalance in gut bacteria, an overgrowth of nasty microbes, or changes in how fast food moves through the digestive system can all adversely affect digestion.

Common symptoms associated with compromised digestive function include:

• Heartburn
• Frequent burping
• Food feels like it is sat in the stomach for a long time
• Abdominal cramps or pain especially after eating
• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Foul-smelling stools or gas
• Intolerance to high-fat foods
• Pale stools that float
• Fatigue
• Brain fog

What’s more, 70% of the immune system is located in the gut. This means digestive health is directly linked to immune health. If you find yourself getting unwell regularly, or you suffer from allergies or an autoimmune disease, digestive imbalances could be a contributing factor.

The digestive system is also an important exit route for toxins and old hormones. As a result, poor digestion is also linked to hormonal imbalances and skin conditions.

A GI effects stool test is one of the most comprehensive ways to assess digestive health and function. By assessing key digestive markers this test is able to give an overview of all aspects of digestive function.

It includes an assessment of:

• Fat digestion
• Protein digestion and pancreatic function
• Markers for inflammation, allergic response and gut immune function
• Microbial balance – including an abundance of beneficial species of bacteria and presence of yeasts, mould and other bacterial species
• Pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and parasites
• The integrity of the gut lining

A GI effects test is recommended when:

• You have symptoms of poor digestion (see above).
• You suffer from allergies.
• You have an autoimmune disease, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s, colitis or multiple sclerosis.
• You have a skin condition such as eczema, acne or psoriasis.
• You suffer from a hormone imbalance such as PMS, endometriosis, fibroids or polycystic ovary syndrome.
• You have had multiple courses or a long course of antibiotics.