Constipation is one of the most common symptoms we see in our clinic – affects up to 25% of the population – And whilst most people think of constipation as just an annoying symptom, it can also be the root cause of other symptoms and conditions, including fatigue, weight gain, low mood, and many more.

Many clients come to us having been labelled for many years as having IBS or functional constipation and encouraged not to look any further. We almost always find an underlying and treatable condition.

Chronic constipation is often not resolved with simple, conventional remedies like drinking more water and eating more fibre. This does not work for those people who have more going on in their gut, much to the confusion of patients and their family.

If you only know the symptom, you can only focus on suppressing those symptoms in the short-term. Using laxatives is a great example of only temporarily suppressing the constipation symptom.

1. Food allergies and sensitivities
2. Microbiome imbalances
3. Gut infections & inflammation
4. Neurological issues

Healing constipation is a journey. Our Functional Medicine Team will work with you to help identify and treat your specific underlying causes, and put you on a nutritional & lifestyle plan to optimal health & wellness.

The lining of the gut is made of millions and millions of cells. These cells join together to create a tight barrier that acts like a security system and decides what gets absorbed into the bloodstream and what stays out. ‘Leaky Gut’ or intestinal permeability is a consequence of an unhealthy gut, leading to a weakening in the gut lining.

When the bowel lining is altered or damaged, larger, undigested molecules are absorbed into the bloodstream and cause further inflammation, consequently preventing the absorption of beneficial nutrients.

Whilst this is a relatively new discovery, there are strong links between leaky gut, inflammatory digestive conditions and a number of wider health issues.

Since the discovery in 2000 of key regulators of intestinal permeability, better insights in to the ecosystem residing in our gut has provided support for the concept that a disruption of the gut environment may cause the onset of leaky gut and the exacerbation of many health conditions.

Our highly specialised functional gut testing, with significant supporting research, can actually identify and subsequently help us treat your underlying gut disorder. We utilise a unique Intestinal Permeability and Absorption (IPA) test focused on assessing intestinal permeability & damage, gut function, intolerances and the health of intestinal villi.

Increased intestinal permeability is primarily caused by the over-consumption of alcohol and processed drinks, pharmaceutical drugs, and diets consisting of low-fiber, high-fructose, preserved, and processed foods. Other factors such a stress, sleep disruption and intensive exercise has been shown to increase gut permeability.

Gut inflammation is typically accompanied by:

1. Impaired gut barrier function
2. Microbial imbalances
3. A hyperactive gut immune system

In other words, a compromised gut barrier, leading to increased intestinal permeability is required for gut inflammation to occur. However, the wrong gut bacteria, disrupted gut motility, or other factors (diet, medications, stress, etc) may be responsible for causing leaky gut in the first place.

The effects can be varied and severe, ranging from fatigue and bloating to heightened food allergies, protein damage, detoxification inhibition, and a weakened immune system.

Leaky Gut is associated with a wide range of chronic conditions, including allergies, obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, skin conditions, and more.

Unfortunately, many of these symptoms are unrecognized, and many cases of increased intestinal permeability are undiagnosed.