Walk into almost any health food store and you’ll find an entire wall of probiotics, digestive enzymes, prebiotics, and other gut health supplements. It can be overwhelming. And the biggest question I hear is: “Which one should I take?” Or “is this supplement good for everyone?”
My answer is usually: it depends.
After years of working with clients, I’ve learned that gut health is deeply personal. Two people can have the same complaint such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, food sensitivities and have completely different underlying issues.
That’s why the first thing I do when working with a client is slow down and get to know them.
I want to understand their history, their symptoms, their nutrition, their lifestyle, their stress ( actually the first thing I do is ask about their emotional background), their sleep, and their relationship with food. I spend time listening and not just looking at a symptom or a lab value.
When appropriate, I then use functional blood and stool testing to help us understand what is actually happening inside the gut, including the status and balance of the microbiome and how much inflammation is playing a role in their particular symptom or illness.
The goal isn’t to collect more tests or create a cabinet full of supplements. The goal is to gather meaningful information and use it to create a specific, individualized strategy.
Sometimes that may mean changing the diet. Sometimes it may involve targeted supplementation. And sometimes, the best answer is not another supplement at all.
Your gut is as individual as your fingerprints. Your history is different. Your microbiome is different. Your needs are different.
So instead of asking, “What’s the best gut supplement?”
Maybe the better question is:
“What does my gut actually need?”
That’s the question I want to help my clients answer because personalized care starts with taking the time to truly understand the person behind the symptoms.
To address specific health issues, I invite you to connect with me directly.
Faraz Berjis
Core Integrative Digestive wellness Inc.(CIDW)