Food impacts our mood, focus, and energy via the gut-brain axis. I talk to patients every day on how to optimize their food to feel better. There are 3 factors of food that we address and work on: 1) Nutritional deficiencies: When vitamins and minerals become deficient from alcohol, medications, caffeine, and low intake of certain foods. We can evaluate
2) Malabsorption: When nutrients from the food we eat do not get absorbed properly in the digestive tract. I look at how well someone is absorbing or digesting food two ways. One way to evaluate malabsorption is through metabolic markers in the urine. These compounds may reflect malabsorption or intestinal overgrowth.
Another way to evaluate how well we are digesting food is through stool testing.
Elastase 1 is a digestive enzyme secreted exclusively by the pancreas to break down fat, giving a direct indication of pancreatic function and how well we are breaking down our fats. Fecal fats in the stool (known as steatorrhea) are normally emulsified by bile salts and absorbed in the small intestines. High levels of fat in the stool may be an indication of maldigestion. High levels of fecal beta-glucuronidase can indicate unfavorable metabolic changes in the colon. Beta-glucuronidase may indicate gut imbalance and impaired detoxification. Immunoglobulin A is the primary immunoglobulin in the intestinal mucosa. It represents a “first line of defense” in response to antigens and pathogens in the GI and respiratory tracts. In addition to protecting against pathogens, secretory IgA plays a major role in helping to maintain balance in the gut microbiome and protecting against exposure to food-derived antigens. High secretory IgA may suggest food sensitivities. Anti-gliadin IgA is a marker that suggests how our gut is responding to gluten. Fecal calprotectin is the most studied marker of gastrointestinal inflammation. Inflammation in the gut leads to inflammation in the brain.
3) Food sensitivities or intolerances: When problems occur after a certain food is eaten. Food sensitivities can lead to pain, brain fog, fatigue, headaches, rashes, and more. Food testing is available for all ages with a finger prick test.
Once we begin working on these root cause factors, we can choose healthier options when eating out and implement small changes at home that work for our schedule. I provide shopping lists, meal plans, gut healing tips, and simple but effective solutions. Food and gut health are both vital keys to feeling better, having optimal focus, and achieving our health/life goals. 🍣🌮🥩🥦🥑🍑🍖🥗
This bowl is from @plummarket and contains chicken, salmon, kale, lentils, quinoa, couscous, navy beans, edamame, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, coconut milk, and sweet potato. On weekends, I enjoy eating out at least once and having a guilty pleasure of some kind. For the week, I plan my meals on Sunday. During the week, I cook at home. It's all about finding balance. Food builds us or breaks us. Choose yours wisely! I love helping people choose food that is best to enhance their energy, mood, and focus.
I am currently helping clients virtually to restore health and immunity. If you are seeking guidance regarding COVID19 or other viral infections, I provide support to optimize virus fighting ability. I am working with local offices that are offering proper COVID19 testing and treatment. I’m extending my friends and family discount to all frontline workers - grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, delivery drivers, healthcare workers, farmers, etc. If you know anyone on the frontlines, please let them know about this, they need support more than ever. Contact me for natural medicine support or at-home collection testing. Most of these at-home collection tests are now available for $75 with insurance.
At-home-collection kits are now available for the following:
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Evaluation
Comprehensive Digestion Analysis
Nutritional Evaluation
Hormone Evaluation
Parasite Evaluation
Neurotransmitter Evaluation
Food Intolerance Testing
Food Sensitivity Testing
Candida Overgrowth Testing
Cortisol and Adrenal Health Evaluation
Environmental Toxin Analysis
SARS-CoV-2 Stool Testing
If you would like to book a new virtual appointment and have never worked with me before, please call 773-472-0560, or you can fill out the form here during closed hours: www.drfelty.com/appointment.
If you are a patient at Balance Health and Wellness and would like to book a virtual appointment, please call 773-472-0560 to schedule an appointment.
If you are a patient of Green Circle Wellness and would like to book a phone appointment, please call 312-877-5512 to schedule an appointment.