4 things you can learn from stool testing
Stool testing is a tool I use with EVERY client. It helps take the guesswork out of figuring out what’s actually going on in your gut and what we need to do to fix it. I always remind my clients it’s a PIECE of the puzzle (but sometimes a really big one), we have to also address diet, sleep, stress, movement too.
But if you’re doing everything right as far as eating well and working on your foundations and see NO progress with your bloating, constipation, reflux, stomach pain and more, a stool test can help move the needle.
Here are 4 things you can learn from stool testing that can be a game changer for getting back to enjoy food, not stressing about the bathroom, and regaining energy:
Identify gut infections like H. Pylori, candida, parasites, and bacteria. I could do a deep dive on each one of these pathogens. We naturally have these living in our gut, but we have major problems (cue bloating, irregular BMs, reflux, stomach pain, and more) when they overgrow and get out of balance.
Evaluate digestive function by looking at fat digestion (steatocrit) and enzyme production (elastase-1). We don’t look directly at stomach acid levels, but there are some hints we can get from your test about your stomach acid level. Our digestion is essential for not just breaking down food and getting in nutrients, but also killing bacteria — it’s part of our immune system! When we have poor digestion digestive issues pop up AND we can have overgrowth of “bad gut bugs” (see #1) that aren’t getting killed like they’re supposed to.
Check levels of good, healthy bacteria that keep the microbiome in balance, help digest food, product nutrients, and keep inflammation at bay. This is the grass in your lawn. You might not feel so good when there’s dead grass or bald spots. Those healthy bacteria affect a lot of what’s going on all over our body.
Look at gut immune function and response to gliadin (a protein in gluten). Secretory IgA is your army in your gut and your anti-gliadin IgA is like the special forces that respond to gliadin, which is in gluten. We run into issues when your army is angry (that means it’s fighting something) or is weak (it’s worn out and tired). And when your anti-gliadin IgA is elevated it can mean you’re not responding well to gluten (note: this is not a marker for celiac disease or a gluten allergy. I’ve seen it normalized in many clients when gut issues are addressed!).
Those are just a few of the things we are able to look at on a stool test. You can see how stool testing can help us go deeper in figuring out what’s going on in your gut and causing your stomach problems.
And the best part is when you understand what’s going on your can take the right steps to actually address it. That’s what really makes the difference when it comes to fixing your gut.
We offer the Gut Jumpstart which includes a stool test, full assessment and diet review, then we’ll meet for a 1:1 call where we’ll review your individualized action plan so you can start taking steps towards healing and being symptom free.
The Gut Jumpstart is perfect for you if you’re ready to take action, but you’re feeling totally stuck about what to actually do. We’ll give you a step by step plan so you can feel confident about the right steps.
