As a patient starts to develop digestive symptoms, initially they write off the symptoms as a one-time occurrence. As the frequency, intensity and number of symptoms increase, they realize that this is not just a one-time occurrence and it is not going away on its own. Most patients eventually end up in a doctor’s office and share their symptoms with the doctor. The doctor recognizes them as digestive symptoms, runs a basic blood test, screening for typical markers. When almost everything comes back normal on that lab work and nothing explains all of their symptoms, then the doctor digs a little deeper and usually runs an upper GI (endoscopy). When that test is normal, the next test is usually colonoscopy. When all of the testing that a doctor typically performs comes back normal, the patient is given a diagnosis of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). In the medical profession, IBS is known as a “diagnosis by exclusion”. What this means is they have run all of the testing that they know for the symptoms given and all of those tests are normal but the patient still has all of the symptoms ( bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, reflux, cramping). So the patient is given a diagnosis of IBS and each symptom is treated with a different medication. There is no test that you can run to confirm the presence of IBS! It is a “catch all” diagnosis. The patient is left using over-the-counter or prescription medications the rest of their life and in many cases all of their symptoms still remain. The patient never really knows THE CAUSE OF THEIR DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS. Can a person ever expect to get rid of a problem if they don’t know what is causing the problem in the first place?

There is another condition less understood and accepted by the medical profession and public at large, Leaky Gut Syndrome. There are four different tests that can be run to confirm or deny its presence. It can be fixed and we can prove that we fixed it with follow up testing. Leaky Gut Syndrome or “intestinal permeability” is a condition where increased inflammation over time destroys the lining of the stomach and small intestine. Things that cause repeated inflammation over time are; the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)- a diet high in sugar, processed and refined carbohydrates, alcohol, GMO’s, herbicides and pesticides and overuse of antibiotics to name a few. The person is unable to break down their food thoroughly causing symptoms like acid reflux, gas, belching, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. They are not able to absorb the nutrients from the undigested food and they experience things like low energy and fatigue. The digestive system is a semi-permeable system, which means certain things are allowed to pass back and forth from the digestive system into the blood stream; however, in Leaky Gut Syndrome we have lost some of the control, causing undigested food particles, toxic waste, and bacteria to pass into the blood stream. The immune system then attacks these particles and identifies them as foreign so that the next time they are encountered they can be attacked even quicker. This will cause allergic and inflammatory reactions such as bloating, gas, migraines, eczema, food allergies, Rheumatoid Arthritis, chronic fatigue and more. The person then develops multiple food allergies and sensitivities and can eventually lead to autoimmune diseases.

Signs you have Leaky Gut include:

• Excessive fatigue
• Skin rashes, acne, eczema or Rosacea
• Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating
• Depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD
• Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac disease or Crohn's Disease
• Cravings for sugar or carbs
• Headaches, brain fog, memory loss
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Poor immune system
• Arthritis or joint pain

The key to treating Leaky Gut is changing your diet and eliminating foods that your body sees as toxic. We have seen many patient’s come in with some if not all of the symptoms listed above and by following Dr. Branham’s program have seen positive results within weeks; increased energy, decreased bloating/gas/constipation, weight loss, and better sleep to name a few. With diet changes and natural supplements along with extensive testing to find the underlying cause of the issue, you can repair the gut and reverse Leaky Gut Syndrome. If you are interested in seeing if you qualify for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Branham, give our office a call at (314) 647-1384.