Friday, October 7, 2011

LAB TESTING: GIFX

 Intestinal Ecology: GIFX

GIFX, is short for GastroIntestinal Effects. 

GIFX is a lab that actually tests the complete ecology or environment of the GI tube. 

The GI tube, from mouth to anus, is really an external structure.  It is a semi-permeable tube that allows absorption of nutrients and elimination of waste.

It contains approximately half of your immune cells and function.  So, if you have allergies, asthma, frequent colds, ear infections, or sinus infections, the GI tube could be the problem. 

In fact it contains the same mucosal tissues as the sinuses, so what affects this tube, also affects the sinuses. 

The GIFX is a microbial analysis.  I describe it as a population analysis of this very important neighborhood.  A census of sort. 

The GIFX uses a complex DNA analysis for microbial contents, so the days of “purging” are over.  (In the past, for GI analysis, we would give a med that purges the contents for collection.)

WHAT YOU GET

A full census of who is there and who is not. 

As you may know, there are millions of healthy bacterial inhabitants that function as digestive and immune enhancers.  You may have seen the commercials, “Eat this yogurt and wave goodbye to your digestive distress.”

If the mafia has moved in to the neighborhood, however, the healthy families of bacteria will not stick around. 

We also want to know if there are any illegal immigrants, mafia or whatever we might call them.  These are the yeast and candida species, bacterial pathogens (bad guys), and worms, protozoan, or fungal parasites. 

In almost every instance where I have struggled helping someone improve their health, when we ran the GIFX we found a parasite.  I don’t know why the parasites are so confounding, but I have learned from this experience, and now suggest the lab sooner rather than later!

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

The saying goes…you are what you eat.  Or you can take it a bit further and say: you are what you absorb…or you are what you don’t eliminate. 

If your GI tube ecology is off, the lining will become inflamed, which in itself could cause back pain, kidney pain, liver problems…plus the digestion and absorption process will be compromised, so that great diet and supplements are ineffective. (sound familiar?)

And, the immune effects are also compromised.  You don’t have a significant line of defense; in fact, your immune system may be preoccupied with battling the yeast or parasite immigrants.  (no offense to immigrants!)

This constant immune defense is stressful.  It activates the adrenal physiology and whacks out your hormone cycles and blood sugar regulation.  It burdens the liver from all the immune chemicals and clean up required.  Now you have a full blown health problem, not localized to the GI tract. 

On the other hand, we can run this test, get a full census of who is there and who is not there, move out the uninvited guests and replace the desired inhabitants.  And in a couple months time, you drastically reduce your stress load, immune burden, and improve your digestive capacity.  This all feels really GOOD!  More energy, less toxic, clear mind.

In fact, I would suggest this test as a wellness profile rather than just a test for the chronically ill.  You never know what you might find until you look!

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