Carol: What is GI mapping?
Sarah: It’s a lab test that I order online and an email and or text I send to the patient. This test will show us any parasites, mold or yeast happening in the gut, and it will also show any missing good bacteria, as well as digestive enzymes. It can also show if your gallbladder is working efficiently if you eat a certain amount of fat for three days prior to doing it and can show if you were intolerant to gluten by either eating cross reactive, gluten products or eating gluten itself.
Carol: That was very helpful. Thank you.
Continuing, are there any fears that you’ve noticed that a prospective or current patient would have when considering naturopathic work?
Sarah: The biggest fear I’ve noticed right now is around money and /or not having insurance. I try to make care as affordable as possible for everyone. I’m here to help. I’m not here to just take people’s money.
As far as labs are concerned, for example, I have a different way of going about it so it’s not so expensive. I do what I can because I feel for them so deeply. I just want to help them at that point. I try to help where I can.
Carol: How do you do labs?
Sarah: I get their information and add them as a patient under my account. I will order test (s) from there. It will send out an email and/or a text with a link where the test(s) can be paid for. From there if blood work is ordered, they will help you find a lab near you and schedule an appointment for you. This is different than tests that come directly to you for saliva or stool. You will set up your appointment with a local lab in your area and go and get your blood work done and they will take it from there. I will end up with the test results and schedule a new appointment to go over those results with your customized protocol in hand.
Carol: Does anyone ever have fears about “will this work for me?”
Sarah: I’ve been through that myself. That’s why I look at each case seeking the root cause. It’s why I look at genetics as well. If there’s something in the genetics that’s mutated, that’s going to prohibit another supplement from working. If it’s something that I need to detox you from and you have a detox gene mutation, that’s something I’m going to look at first. I’m going to make sure the gene mutations are all being supported and working as best as we can to get them to work before I go and try to do any detoxing with someone.
Carol: So how do you test genetics?
Sarah: I have DNA testing through most of the labs. I do have a specific DNA company that I go through that will come back with someone’s genetic testing of what has snips on it, which are your gene mutations. Then it will tell me what supplements are needed to correct those gene mutations and it will tell lifestyle changes that are needed to be made because of it. Foods that you need to change if you need to change anything, sleep patterns, all of that stuff. It’s very detailed, and gives me what needs to happen, including what you’re methylating and what you’re not methylating.
Carol: Okay, you mentioned methylating. What does that mean?
Sarah: The best way to describe methylating is that the body is not utilizing nutrients correctly. It’s just getting stuck there in your blood and not being utilized in your organs and in your body the way that it should be utilized.
Carol: Based on all of that, are there many products at one time included in a protocol?
Sarah: Sometimes. yes. It depends on what genetic mutations there are. It can, a lot of the time, depend on how many gene mutations come back. Some people only have one gene mutation and then all that is needed is one product and they’d be good to go and sometimes it comes back and there’s 10 of them. I figure what supplements this person needs to be able to start methylating those specific gene issues. It can be a few products and it could be several. At that point, I then need to get the patient on those because if they are deficient in any of them, then the body is not going to work right without it.
Carol: Since we are discussing the gut, would that mean you’d have to address detoxing for parasites, address food intolerances, food allergens…
Sarah: I pull everyone off certain foods for food sensitivities. We get a food sensitivity test and we keep the patient off those foods while we are healing the gut. I do a healing protocol. It’s only for three months. Most of the time unless you’ve been sick for a very long time, it can take a little bit longer just to get them to where they can tolerate those foods again, and not tear up the gut all over. I just pull them off, as I said, for a few months (a bit longer if necessary) and then I proceed with the gut healing protocol, and then they’re good to go.
Carol: If I were diagnosed with leaky gut, what does that mean exactly?
Sarah: You’re missing good bacteria from your gut, and probably possible digestive enzymes as well. Also, that you are not digesting your food enough for you to absorb it the way you should be absorbing it. That is what we need to figure out: what specific enzymes and bacteria you’re missing so we can replace that and help your body function at optimal levels.
