Have you ever heard of the gut-brain connection? It's a vital aspect of your health where the brain and gastrointestinal (GI) system communicate to keep your body functioning correctly. However, many things affect your gut, including hormonal changes.
Dysbiosis, which occurs when your gut isn't healthy, results in issues such as bloating, GI disorders, and chronic medical problems. Because hormonal changes are common in women, it's especially vital to be aware of your gut health and know how it's affecting your body.
GI map testing is one of the many ways to stay ahead of your gut health. Dr. Inga Zilberstein and her team offer GI map testing as part of personalized medicine along with menopause treatments at her office in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City.
Her aim is to keep you feeling your best through every stage of life. Here’s what you should know about why GI map testing is key for a woman's overall health.
Hormones are essential for everyone's health; they're chemical messengers that ensure every part of the body works as it should. However, many things affect hormones, and imbalances can lead to various symptoms, including in the gut.
Have you ever felt bloated or constipated right before your period? It could be due to changes in estrogen and progesterone, which fluctuate in a woman's body during her menstrual cycle.
The sex hormones also help regulate metabolism and digestion, which is why you may feel as though your pants don't fit the week before your period. Low estrogen levels cause digestion to slow, which also causes bloating and constipation.
A similar issue is true for women going through menopause. As estrogen and progesterone levels begin to decline, androgens, which are other sex hormones, rise. Androgens are partially responsible for metabolism, and higher levels can contribute to weight gain.
Women's hormones constantly fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle and change significantly during menopause. Because hormones control just about every function in the body, you may feel various symptoms when they're imbalanced.
You may notice GI symptoms before or during your period and other symptoms during pregnancy. You could also experience gut health issues as your hormones change during menopause.
A hormone imbalance can prompt symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, and constipation. It may also cause issues like irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea.
A comprehensive GI map test, using a stool sample, can find issues within the gut. The quantitative polymer chain reaction technology spots the DNA of parasites, fungi, bacteria, and other problems in the GI system.
We send the sample to the lab, where experts test it for various problems that could be causing gut symptoms. When Dr. Zilberstein gets the results, she discusses them with you as they relate to your health and symptoms.
She can devise a customized treatment plan to address symptoms and eliminate problems related to poor gut health. She can also address hormone imbalances that could be causing uncomfortable GI symptoms.
Gut health is crucial for your overall well-being, especially as you age and become prone to chronic disease. Maintaining your GI health is essential to living a long and healthy life.
The foods you eat, your environment, and other lifestyle factors affect gut health, leading to intestinal discomfort and other serious health issues. GI map testing provides Dr. Zilberstein with a comprehensive report of what could be causing gut health issues.
It lets you see and understand what's happening in your body. If you have certain parasites or bacteria, we can show you how to amend your diet and lifestyle to heal your gut and rid yourself of uncomfortable symptoms and, potentially, chronic health problems.
Because the gut directly affects your overall health and wellness, this test offers insight into living a healthier life. Even if you're not experiencing symptoms, it's a good idea to have the GI map test to know how your gut functions. The healthier your gut, the better off you'll be through every stage of life.
To get started with your GI map testing, contact Dr. Zilberstein today by calling her office, sending a text, or sending a message right here on our website.
