Digestive Health
Digestive symptoms such as bloating, reflux, abdominal discomfort or changes in bowel habits are common, but the factors contributing to them can vary considerably from one person to another.
Rather than applying a standard “gut protocol”, the approach at Nutrigen Paris aims to understand the factors that may be affecting digestive function in each individual. Diet is one part of the picture, but digestive function, intestinal motility, the gut microbiome, medications, stress, lifestyle and nutritional status may all be relevant depending on the symptoms and health history.
Understanding digestive symptoms
Similar symptoms do not necessarily have the same underlying mechanism.
Bloating, for example, may be associated with altered intestinal fermentation, constipation or impaired motility, food intolerances, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), changes in the gut microbiome or other gastrointestinal conditions.
Reflux and upper digestive symptoms also require context, as several factors may contribute to their development.
Difficulties digesting particular foods or fats may likewise warrant consideration of different aspects of digestive function rather than focusing on a single presumed cause.
Changes in bowel habits can also reflect multiple influences, including diet, hydration, intestinal motility, medications, the gut microbiome and underlying gastrointestinal conditions.
The purpose of a detailed assessment is therefore not simply to identify foods associated with symptoms, but to understand which factors may be contributing to digestive dysfunction and which warrant further investigation.
A comprehensive digestive assessment
Digestive symptoms are considered alongside the individual’s medical history, diet, lifestyle, medications and supplements, stress, sleep and other health concerns.
Depending on the presentation, particular attention may be given to :
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Digestion and absorption i.e. factors that may affect the breakdown of food and absorption of nutrients.
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Digestive function including gastric, pancreatic and biliary factors where relevant.
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Intestinal motility particularly in the presence of constipation or altered bowel habits.
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Microbiome and intestinal fermentation including factors potentially relevant to dysbiosis or SIBO.
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Intestinal inflammation considered in the context of symptoms, medical history and appropriate investigations.
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Medications and supplements including their potential influence on digestive function, the microbiome and nutritional status.
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The gut-brain connection and the potential influence of stress on gastrointestinal function.
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Nutritional status particularly where digestive problems may be affecting nutrient intake or absorption.
Not every area needs to be investigated in every person. The assessment is guided by the individual presentation rather than by a predetermined protocol.
When functional testing may be useful
Functional testing can sometimes provide additional information when clinically relevant.
Depending on the individual situation, this may include comprehensive stool or microbiome analysis, digestive markers or breath testing for suspected SIBO. Blood tests and conventional medical investigations may also provide important information and, in some circumstances, be more appropriate than functional testing.
Testing is not systematic. It is considered when the results are likely to provide clinically useful information and help inform the personalised protocol. Where symptoms or findings warrant medical investigation, referral to an appropriate healthcare professional may be recommended.
Learn more about Functional Testing →
From assessment to a personalised strategy
The information gathered during the consultation, together with relevant test results and the latest scientific evidence, is used to develop an individualised protocol.
The approach will depend on the factors identified in each case. Recommendations may include personalised nutrition and lifestyle strategies and targeted supplementation where appropriate, with the protocol refined over time according to progress and response.
The aim is not to impose unnecessary dietary restrictions or follow a generic “gut healing” programme, but to develop a practical strategy adapted to the individual’s digestive health, wider health context and needs.
When medical investigation is important
Persistent or unexplained digestive symptoms should not automatically be attributed to food intolerance, SIBO or dysbiosis.
Symptoms or findings that may indicate an underlying gastrointestinal condition require appropriate medical assessment. Nutritional therapy is used alongside, and does not replace, medical investigation or treatment.
Where relevant, recommendations can be coordinated with the client’s doctor or gastroenterologist.