Testing for digestive health (GI MAP & GI Effects)

Digestion is, without question, the cornerstone of good health. If you are suffering from poor digestion - whether you have constipation, bloating, reflux or a host of other symptoms - it affects almost every other part of your life. The symptoms alone can range from mildly troubling to profoundly painful to deeply embarrassing. And poor gut health can lead to a host of other problems, including poor nutrient absorption, auto-immune conditions, and much more.

Diagnosing and treating gut issues can be challenging. For many years, I've found comprehensive stool testing, particularly in people without a clear diagnosis, to be extremely helpful and frequently life-changing. Stool testing has evolved over the last few years as the science of the microbiome has improved and deepened. This means that current methods can look at a number of functional markers, such as the presence of fat in the stool, as well as estimating the health of an individual's microbiome.

For several years I've relied on a test called GI Effects, from Genova Diagnostics (https://www.gdx.net/product/gi-effects-microbial-ecology-profile). It's a great test that covers a number of markers of digestive health. More recently I've started using the GI MAP test from Diagnostic Solutions (https://www.diagnosticsolutionslab.com/tests/gi-map). This test is simlar but has some advantages over GI Effects for some people. It is particularly good with the microbiome analysis and includes more pathogens.

Both tests are usually partly covered by insurance, depending on the plan, though there is always some out-of-pocket cost with both of them (ranging from about $150 to $250). Both are incredibly useful genuinely help with diagnosis and treatment of digestive problems.

Please feel free to ask about getting one of these tests for yourself. I'm dedicated to providing personalized care for each individual and am more than happy to discuss this with you.