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Probiotics are something we commonly think of when we think of yogurt or kefir and supporting our gut health. But there is so much more to it! And then there prebiotics that have been gaining more attention lately as well. What does all of this mean and should you be supplementing? Let's first dive in to the gut microbiome so we can understand this topic a little better. The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that live and work together in our gut.

Sometimes your nursing brain goes out the window when it comes to your kids. And sometimes it becomes your second brain and you have a gut feeling when something isnt right. That was the case for my six year old that was struggling with abdominal complaints. My son had gone for a few months of on-again, off-again stomach complaints. He had constipation and diarrhea and abdominal pain that would bring him to tears. He only ate the same five things and would cry everytime he tr

We have all heard the phrase, Test - don't guess - right? And although I agree with this phrase, I also think there is a big caveat to this as well. Gut health is the cornerstone of what I do as a Functional Gut Health Nurse, but we also need to look at your foundations First. You would never want to build a house without a foundation first, right? The foundation is what is going to keep your house from collapsing eventually. A strong foundation for a house, means a strong lo

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is given it's name because it is a collection of symptoms and your provider does not have a definitive diagnosis for you. "Syndrome" is another term used for a collection of symptoms that occur together. It is usually given when you have already ruled out other digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, or Colon cancer. It typically involves digestive symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, abdominal pain

Why do we use a Food First approach in Functional Medicine? Why is this not how things are traditionally looked at in healthcare today? Let's dive in... Food is information Eating food is something that we, as humans, all do several times a day and has the biggest impact on our health, our mood, our mental health, our immune system, our energy levels, and more. Over 70% of our immune system is located in our gut! We absorb vital nutrients here. We obtain energy through the fo

Leaky gut has become a hot topic over the last several years. It's also known as Increased Intestinal Permeability. A large majority of individuals have this going on and probably have no clue that it is occurring, what it is, or how to overcome it. Unfortunately, it is something that is often overlooked, or not addressed in the traditional healthcare model. It is one of the reasons behind your pesky GI symptoms that you have been ignoring or think is just a "normal" part of

You know how when you get nervous about something and you get "butterflies" in your stomach? This is the easiest way of understanding the gut-brain connection, because most people have experienced this feeling at some time in their life. Your brain understands that you are nervous and is sending signals to your belly and giving you that sensation of butterflies in your stomach. This happens through what is known as the Vagus nerve. It is a long nerve that travels from your br

Subtle signs of poor gut health you might be ignoring Your gut is talking to you...are you listening? Have you heard that if you ignore the check engine light of your car, that it might lead to some pretty big issues, or may even cause your car to break down on you? Well the same goes for your health. If you ignore the symptoms that your body is giving you, eventually you are going to develop disease and your body is going to break down on you. Our body is designed to work to

Curious about functional medicine or functional nurses? I hope this helps to answer some of your questions!

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