How We Support Gut Health at Tendwell: A Functional Medicine Approach
At Tendwell, we know that true wellness starts in the gut. Your digestive tract is more than just a place where food is broken down—it’s home to a complex ecosystem that influences everything from your hormones to your mood, immune resilience, and even how your body clears toxins. That’s why, when patients come to us with symptoms like bloating, fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, or hormone imbalances, we often start by looking closely at the gut.
Our Favorite Tool: The Gut Zoomer 3.0
To get a full picture of what’s happening in the digestive tract, we frequently use the Gut Zoomer 3.0 from Vibrant Wellness. This advanced stool test goes far beyond standard panels—it evaluates:
- The diversity and balance of gut bacteria
- Overgrowth of commensal strains and presence of pathogens, parasites, or yeast (like candida)
- Markers of gut inflammation and digestion (including enzymes, bile acids, and more)
- Immune function within the gut
- Markers of leaky gut, including fecal zonulin
- Sensitivity to gluten
- Estrogen metabolism
This comprehensive insight helps us understand not just what’s living in your gut, but how your body is interacting with it—making it easier to tailor a treatment plan that actually works.
Our “Weed, Seed, and Feed” Approach
Once we’ve reviewed your gut test results, we typically follow a personalized version of the functional medicine “weed, seed, and feed” protocol:
- Weed
We start by clearing out what doesn’t belong—this could include overgrown strains of normal bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, parasites, or yeast. We use targeted herbal antimicrobials, lifestyle strategies, and sometimes prescription support to rebalance the ecosystem.
- Seed
Once the gut has been cleared, we help reseed it with the right strains of probiotics, chosen based on your individual needs. We may also support digestive function with tools like digestive enzymes or bile salts, especially if there are signs of poor absorption or sluggish bile flow.
- Feed
Finally, we focus on nourishing your microbiome with the right prebiotic fibers, colorful polyphenol-rich foods (like berries, leafy greens, and cruciferous veggies), and gut-soothing nutrients. These help your good bacteria thrive and promote long-term gut resilience.
Why Gut Health Matters
Improving your gut health doesn’t just help with digestion—it can improve energy, clear up skin, balance hormones, enhance mood, prevent autoimmunity and support detox pathways (including estrogen metabolism). We often see powerful improvements in symptoms once the gut begins to heal.
If you’re curious about your own gut health, have an autoimmune condition or are dealing with chronic symptoms that haven’t responded to conventional care, we’d love to help you get to the root cause. The gut is often the best place to begin.
Make an appointment today for a free consultation to find out more.