Traditional medicine focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Once the diagnosis is established, the diagnosis is cross-checked with the list of medications used to treat that particular disorder. Often times, the medications chosen are merely treating symptoms, rather than the root cause of the problem. This is often referred to as the “disease-drug” model.
The integrative or functional medicine approach focuses on prevention and, when problems present themselves, seeks to find the underlying cause. This approach is relatively simple and consists of identifying those things that might be making you sick and eliminating them, while at the same time replacing any identified deficiencies, be they hormonal or nutritional.
Congratulations! By completing the leaky gut protocol you have taken an important step in optimizing your health. Chances are you have seen significant improvements in the past month and are eager to find out what’s next?
If you want to experience more improvement, consider the following:
Personalized Nutrition Consult
Many of our patients benefit further from a personalized nutrition consult with our clinical nutritionist or health coach. They both realize that change is a process that occurs over time. They work with you each step of the way to create a personalized, sustainable plan that facilitates healing and promotes optimal health. We always encourage you to bring in your significant other, particularly if they do most of the cooking, to maximize the experience. In this way a custom, personalized nutrition plan can be created which takes into account your individual goals, needs, and dietary preferences.
Testimonials
Sensitivity to monosodium glutamate and aspartame (abdominal pains, bloating)
For 15 years, Neil Wiese regularly experienced abdominal pains and bloating that lasted all day, nearly every day.
"I went through many, many doctors," Wiese says. "I even went as far as the Mayo Clinic. Nobody could figure out what it was." In 2004, he attended a seminar by Dr. Guillory and, afterward, went to visit the doctor. After conducting tests and ruling out a number of potential causes, Dr. Guillory focused on the possibility that Wiese's digestive problems were related to monosodium glutamate (MSG), a widely used food additive.
Dr. Guillory recommended that Wiese avoid foods containing MSG. In addition, he recommended that Wiese steer clear of the artificial sweetener aspartame as well as high fructose corn syrup, also used as a sweetener. "I went on the diet and watched everything I ate," Wiese says. "I also kept a diary. And in the course of a month or so, I was better. I have slowly continued getting better for the last couple of years. My life has changed dramatically. It's a miracle for me."