If you've ever experienced gas, bloating, indigestion, anxiety, or frequent illness, you may have dismissed these symptoms as unrelated or commonplace issues. However, according to Julie Davey, a nurse practitioner and expert in gut health, these seemingly disparate conditions are often interconnected and rooted in an imbalance within the gut microbiome.
In a recent podcast interview on the Root Cause Medicine Podcast, Davey shed light on the intricate relationship between gut health and overall well-being, explaining how an imbalance in the gut can manifest in various ways throughout the body.
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The Gut Microbiome: The Key to Understanding the Connection
The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem comprising trillions of microorganisms residing in the digestive tract, plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. Davey emphasizes achieving a balanced gut microbiome, stating, "We're always going to have some opportunistic or pathogenic bacteria. Nobody's perfect. We get exposed to things all day long, so it's really about having that good balance in the microbiome."
When this delicate balance is disrupted, a cascade of symptoms can arise, affecting various bodily systems. Davey explains, "If we're not digesting and absorbing fat properly, we're not manufacturing and utilizing hormones like we should. That's another common thing that I see."
Symptoms: The Body's Cry for Help
According to Davey, common symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea are often the body's way of signaling an underlying gut issue. "If you are someone who has one or more of those symptoms more than just occasionally, on a regular basis, then something is not right in your gut. Something is off, something is out of balance," she warns.
However, gut-related issues can manifest in other, less obvious ways. Davey elaborates, "Sometimes we don't connect the dots. We may say things like 'I don't know if I should do this test. I want to do this GI-MAP test. It seems cool and it seems like you could get an idea of your overall health and wellness, but I don't really have any gut symptoms.'"
She then lists several seemingly unrelated symptoms that could indicate an underlying gut imbalance:
- Multiple food sensitivities or intolerances: "It's often what we consider healthy foods. They just can't tolerate them. Really, I try to just explain very simply to patients that, 'It's not really an issue with the food, it's an issue in your gut that is causing that, so we haven't gotten to the root of the problem yet.'" Increased intestinal permeability is often the root cause.
- Poor sleep: "We know that the microbiome produces and releases many of the same sleep-influencing neurotransmitters, things like dopamine, serotonin, GABA. Those are produced in the brain, but also in the gut. Melatonin is produced in the gut as well."
- Weakened immune system: "We know 70% to 80% of our immunity lives in our gut lining, and so that is really important. If someone is feeling like they're getting sick all of the time and their immune system just isn't strong, that's a common sign."
- Anxiety and depression: "Studies show that we have positive effects on our emotional wellness through good gut health. We know certain bacteria are linked to mental health issues and emotional issues."
- Skin issues like acne, eczema, and psoriasis: "Our skin is a huge way that our body detoxes. Often, these are just signs that something deeper is going on. Our body's crying out for help."
- Hormone imbalances: "We know the gut microbiome plays a huge key role in the regulation of hormones including estrogen levels. It even influences the risk of developing estrogen-related diseases like endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, breast cancer, prostate cancer."
- Difficulty losing weight: "We know that studies show that dysbiosis plays a major factor in weight gain, low-grade inflammation that's caused by some of these pathogens, this leads to increased fat storage, insulin resistance. It's harder to lose weight if our gut health is not good or is out of balance."
Davey emphasizes the importance of recognizing these seemingly unrelated symptoms as potential indicators of an underlying gut issue, stating, "Whatever you're experiencing, if you're not at your highest state of wellness and you don’t feel great every day, then dig, work with somebody that will help you figure out what is going on because you deserve to feel great, and you don’t have to live that way. It is your body telling you something is off."
The Root Cause: Identifying and Addressing Gut Imbalances
To address these diverse symptoms and restore overall well-being, Davey advocates for identifying and addressing the root cause – the gut imbalance itself. She recommends comprehensive stool testing, such as the GI-MAP test, which utilizes advanced DNA-based technology to detect pathogens, assess digestive function, and evaluate the overall gut microbiome.
In her practice, Davey often encounters patients who have been diagnosed with conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). However, she views these diagnoses as starting points rather than endpoints, stating, "In functional medicine, we may say, 'Oh, yes, you have an IBS-type picture. You have the symptoms, but why do you have that?' Then we want to dig further and really, I like to think of it like peeling back the layers of an onion to see what is actually going on underneath the surface."
Addressing the Root Cause: A Multifaceted Approach
Once the underlying gut imbalance has been identified, Davey employs a multifaceted approach to restore balance and alleviate symptoms. She emphasizes the importance of lifestyle modifications, such as:
- Eating whole, unprocessed foods and eliminating processed foods, sugar, and artificial additives.
- Practicing mindful eating by sitting in a relaxed environment, chewing thoroughly, and taking deep breaths before meals to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" state).
- Incorporating probiotics from food sources like yogurt, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, and fermented vegetables, as well as prebiotic fibers from foods like bananas, onions, garlic, and asparagus to support a healthy gut microbiome.
- Managing stress, which Davey identifies as a major contributor to gut imbalances. "You can do all the other things right, and if you don't deal with the stress, you will not get better. You just won't. It impacts our body and our gut that much."
In addition to lifestyle changes, Davey may recommend targeted supplementation or targeted antimicrobial therapies to address specific pathogens or imbalances identified in the gut.
The Interconnected Nature of the Body
Throughout the interview, Davey emphasizes the body's interconnected nature and the far-reaching impact of gut health. She cites examples of patients who experienced significant improvements in seemingly unrelated conditions, such as hormone imbalances and weight issues, simply by addressing their gut health.
"I actually had a client several years ago. I distinctly remember her because, at the end of the protocol that I had given her, she said, 'I took these supplements that you told me to take, but to be honest, I didn't change anything I was eating, I didn't change any exercise I was doing,' but she lost 13 pounds just by getting rid of the bad stuff, rebalancing the microbiome, improving her gut health," Davey recounts.
This interconnectivity extends to other organs and systems as well. Davey highlights the importance of the gallbladder in digesting fats and absorbing nutrients, noting that many individuals experience digestive issues after having their gallbladder removed.
"If you don't have a gallbladder, there's no place for the bile to be collected. Instead, your liver actually releases the bile straight into the small intestines. The bile goes into the small intestines, which still allows you to digest most foods, it's just larger amounts, especially of fatty foods, greasy foods, even high fiber foods, become a little bit harder to digest," she explains.
Davey advocates for better education and awareness around the implications of gallbladder removal, suggesting that many individuals are not adequately informed about the potential digestive challenges they may face and the need for supplemental bile salts to aid in digestion.
The Gut-Brain Connection
One of the most intriguing aspects of Davey's insights is the connection between gut health and mental well-being. She highlights the role of the gut microbiome in producing neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which are commonly associated with mood regulation and emotional balance.
"We know that the microbiome produces and releases many of the same sleep-influencing neurotransmitters, things like dopamine, serotonin, GABA. Those are produced in the brain, but also in the gut. Melatonin is also produced in the gut," Davey explains.
This gut-brain connection sheds light on the potential link between gut imbalances and conditions like anxiety and depression. Davey cites studies demonstrating the positive effects of good gut health on emotional wellness, stating, "Studies show that we have positive effects on our emotional wellness through good gut health. We know certain bacteria are linked to mental health issues and emotional issues."
Addressing the root cause of gut imbalances, Davey has witnessed improvements in her clients' mental and emotional states, further illustrating the interconnectivity of the body's systems.
Moving Beyond Conventional Approaches
Davey's approach to addressing gut health issues contrasts conventional medical practices, which often focus on symptom management rather than identifying and treating the underlying cause. She recounts her experiences in traditional medicine, where patients with gastrointestinal complaints were often prescribed antacids or stool softeners or advised to increase fiber intake without delving deeper into the root cause of their symptoms.
"Honestly, it's mostly Band-Aid approaches, unfortunately. If you need an endoscopy or colonoscopy, if you have significant symptoms or family history or something like that, then certainly those tests would be appropriate. But, most of the time I see patients who have gone that route and all of those tests are normal. Then we do a comprehensive stool test and it's like, 'Whoa, I have all these things wrong?'" Davey remarks.
The Power of Awareness and Advocacy
Throughout the interview, Davey emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and advocacy in achieving optimal health. She encourages individuals to become students of their bodies, paying attention to signals and symptoms that may indicate an underlying imbalance.
"Start becoming a student of your body. What I mean by that is just pay attention. Our bodies are so smart. Every day your body is sending you signals. If you're having symptoms, it's like your body is crying out that something is going on. Don't just dismiss, don't just get so busy that you put everything off because that's only going to compound and you're only going to feel even worse," Davey advises.
She also cautions against normalizing abnormal symptoms, a common tendency she has observed in her practice. "This is the one that I hear all the time, and I did this too, 'Well, I really only poop twice a week, but that's just normal for me.' I'm like, 'No, not normal.' You have convinced yourself that it's normal because you think, 'This is just the way I am. I just have to be this way,' and that's not true."
Encouraging individuals to listen to their bodies, question perceived norms, and seek guidance from knowledgeable practitioners, Davey empowers them to take an active role in their health journey and uncover the root causes of their symptoms.
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Conclusion
Julie Davey's insights into the interconnectivity of gut health, physical symptoms, and overall well-being offer a profound paradigm shift in how we approach and address chronic health issues.
Davey's emphasis on comprehensive testing, holistic lifestyle modifications, and addressing the root cause rather than merely managing symptoms provides a path forward for those seeking lasting solutions to chronic conditions. Her advocacy for self-awareness, questioning perceived norms, and seeking guidance from knowledgeable practitioners empower individuals to take an active role in their health journey.
Ultimately, Davey's approach reminds us that the human body is an intricate and interconnected system, and by nurturing and restoring balance in the gut, we can unlock a ripple effect of healing and wellness that extends far beyond the digestive tract.
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