Regaining Your Gut Health with Erez Functional Medicine

Gut issues can be extremely challenging, impacting nearly every aspect of your daily life. As someone deeply passionate about gut health, I have honed my expertise over many years to help individuals like you overcome such distressing symptoms.

It's my mission to uncover and address the root cause of your gut issues, helping you feel your best again. Together, we will work to regain your gut health and optimize your overall wellness using a personalized functional medicine approach.

Common Gut Conditions We Treat

If you’re experiencing symptoms from any of the following gastrointestinal disorders or diseases, and conventional treatments weren’t enough, I’m here to help:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): A disorder with symptoms like cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.
• Food Allergies/Food intolerance: These reactions are often the reason why patients struggle with uncertainty about what they can eat and how their gut will respond.
• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and SIFO (Small intestinal fungal overgrowth): Characterized by excess bacteria or fungal organisms in the small intestine, causing pain,  bloating, gas, nausea, diarrhea, constipation and more.
• Chronic Constipation: Chronic constipation can be have many underlying causes related to poor diet, lack of exercise, or certain medications.
• Gluten Intolerance: Sensitivity to gluten that causes discomfort but does not damage the intestines.
• Celiac Disease: An autoimmune disorder where gluten ingestion leads to damage in the small intestine.
• ‍GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease): A digestive disorder that affects the lower esophageal sphincter.‍
• Gut Infections:  Including H. pylori, giardia and other parasites. These infections are common cause of ulcers and chronic gastritis.‍
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS): is a condition where mast cells release excessive histamine and other chemicals, causing chronic inflammation and a variety of allergic and inflammatory symptoms.‍
• Crohn's Disease: An inflammatory bowel disease causing severe digestive tract inflammation.‍
• Ulcerative Colitis: Another type of IBD, marked by long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract.

Understanding What’s Causing the Problem

I understand how gut issues worsen your quality of life. That's why I am dedicated to helping you identify and effectively manage your potential triggers. Based on our initial new patient consultation, we’ll work together to determine if any of the following triggers are causing your condition:

Microbial Imbalances and Dysbiosis

‍Conditions like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) exemplify how harmful bacteria can disrupt normal gut function. We diagnose this by using breath tests that measure hydrogen, methane, and other gases. Additionally, an overabundance of other opportunistic species with names like Klebsiella, Clostridium, Citrobacter, and Methanobrevibacter can be the root cause of gut symptoms and are not commonly tested or treated by conventional gastroenterologists. Additionally, an overabundance of fungal and yeast species in the gut is a very common cause of symptoms. We perform testing to see which natural antimicrobials could be the most useful in treating these overgrowths. Many people with the above issues also have a lack of healthy gut bacteria that help protect their gut from the unhealthy bacteria. We, therefore, identify your particular deficiencies so we know just the right species to add back in. With testing, we can identify if you are deficient in Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia, etc.

Leaky Gut/Gut Inflammation

This is also a common underlying problem, leading to many downstream issues including skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and a host of autoimmune diseases. In a leaky gut, the lining of the intestines becomes more permeable, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and pathogens to pass through the gut barrier and enter the bloodstream. A weakened gut barrier leads to increased inflammation throughout the body and brain, potentially leading to symptoms including anxiety, depression, insomnia, chronic fatigue, increased pain, and brain fog.

Food Intolerances

While classical food allergies such as those to peanuts or shellfish are well-known, other types of reactions are slower, more insidious, and challenging to identify without professional assistance. These are better referred to as food immune reactions because they often do not involve IgE antibodies, which are typically associated with immediate allergic responses. Instead, they involve other immune system components, such as IgG, IgA, complement proteins, histamine, and inflammatory chemical messengers. These substances can increase gut inflammation and contribute to a leaky gut, which we discussed above. Identifying and managing these food immune reactions requires a thorough understanding of the immune system's role in gut health and a comprehensive approach to testing and treatment. We identify which foods are causing issues through a comprehensive approach that includes elimination diets and specific food immune reaction tests, helping you to avoid these triggers and relieve your symptoms.

Malabsorption

‍Malabsorption is a condition where the small intestine cannot adequately absorb nutrients, including sugars like fructose, lactose, and sucrose. Malabsorption testing for these sugars is essential for identifying issues in the digestive system that can lead to IBS-like symptoms. When malabsorption occurs, undigested sugars can reach the large intestine, where they are fermented by gut bacteria. This fermentation process produces gas and short-chain fatty acids, leading to symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and discomfort. These symptoms can mimic those of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), making it crucial to identify and manage specific malabsorption issues to provide appropriate treatment and dietary adjustments.

Motility and Autonomic Nervous System Imbalances

‍Your gut is home to much of your immune system and also a complex network of nerves that helps control your gut function, production of digestive juices, and, the rhythmic contraction of your intestines, known as peristalsis. This is a primary factor in common GI symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and disorders like IBS. The vagus nerve, in particular, is one of the longest nerves in your body and innervates all the different parts of your intestinal tract from your esophagus all the way down to your large intestines. To address the symptoms above, we can measure and then modulate the tone of this nerve. Addressing this can also improve symptoms like anxiety and insomnia. With most patients, we work on lowering the sympathetic tone of the autonomic nervous system to improve digestion and motility and get your gut functioning optimally.

Histamine and Mast Cell Activation

Histamine is a chemical involved in the body's immune response and functions as a neurotransmitter. It is released from mast cells, a type of white blood cell in your body. When histamine levels become imbalanced, it can lead to various symptoms, including those seen in Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), which causes widespread inflammation. Overactive mast cells can trigger gastrointestinal issues similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. The connection between MCAS and IBS-like symptoms underscores the importance of considering histamine regulation in managing digestive health issues. If we find this is an issue for you, we work to address it by balancing your immune system and microbiome, speeding up your elimination of histamine, and blocking its effects. We also use natural compounds, and sometimes medications, to stabilize mast cells, leading to long-term improvement in your symptoms.

Our Approach: The 5 R's of Gut Healing

At Erez Functional Medicine, I follow the 5 R's approach to restore your gut health effectively:

• Remove: Eliminating harmful foods, infections, allergens that trigger your symptoms.
• Replace: Replenishing essential digestive components like enzymes and acids to aid digestion.
• Reinoculate: Introducing beneficial bacteria through high-quality probiotics and prebiotics.
• Repair: Providing nutrients like zinc and omega-3 fatty acids to soothe and reduce gut inflammation.
• Rebalance: Creating a lifestyle plan that supports your overall health, including managing stress and improving sleep.

Imagine Your Health Journey

At Erez Functional Medicine, you are an integral part of your own health journey. Each step we take is aimed at not just treating symptoms but at achieving deep, lasting health changes. By understanding the unique challenges your gut issues present, I guide you through a personalized path of discovery and recovery.

Our journey begins with a comprehensive assessment, pinpointing the specific imbalances and triggers affecting your well-being. As your guide, I will help you navigate through the complexities of gut health, emowering you with knowledge and actionable strategies. Together, we will tackle each challenge, from microbial imbalances to food intolerances, ensuring every treatment step is tailored to your needs.

As improvements begin to manifest, you'll find yourself regaining energy and enjoying life's activities again. The goal is not just to relieve your symptoms temporarily but to provide a sustainable plan that enhances your overall wellness. I am committed to helping you maintain these gains, supporting you long after initial symptoms have subsided.

Our partnership continues as we consolidate the health improvements you've achieved. With ongoing support and guidance, you'll have the confidence to manage your health independently, equipped with the tools for continued success. This is not the conclusion of your health story but the beginning of a revitalized life, full of potential and free from the constraints of your previous symptoms.

Ready to embark on this transformative journey? Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation today and take the first step toward a healthier, more vibrant you.