Are familiar with the term dysbiosis?
It means “microbial imbalance on or inside the body”. You may not know that it can be the cause of a wide array of symptoms.
All of our mucous membranes contain various types of bugs. Bacteria are the most prevalent but fungi, parasites, and viruses can also inhabit our membranes. The skin, lungs, sinuses, throat, nose, entire gastrointestinal tract, vagina, and urinary tract are all lined by mucous membranes. It is important to have the right balance of bugs in these areas so our bodies can function well. If we don’t, we can experience a wide array of unpleasant symptoms.
Some of the common symptoms of dysbiosis are:
- Rashes, including eczema, hives, rosacea, and acne.
- Respiratory problems such as asthma, sinusitis, allergies, chronic colds/coughs, and ear infections.
- Gastrointestinal problems such as IBS, gas and bloating, food allergies, and gingivitis.
- Urinary problems such as chronic urinary tract infections and interstitial cystitis.
- Genital problems such as cervical dysplasia, vaginal infections, endometriosis, and prostatitis.
As a doctor, I often ask “why?” to symptoms that my patients experience. When the answer of dysbiosis comes up, I still ask “why?”. Dysbiosis doesn’t just happen by chance, there are reasons it is allowed to develop.
Stress, too many antibiotics, improper diet, and toxicity can all be reasons for dysbiosis.
When I work with patients, I help them to address their stress, diet, and toxicity. All three must be addressed. I often see patients who have addressed the stress and diet but not the toxicity and are still struggling with symptoms of dysbiosis.
It is well known that candida (yeast) overgrowth often occurs with heavy metal or mercury toxicity. We can treat the candida, but we must also treat the toxicity or the imbalance will return. There are many ways to treat toxicity. In my practice, I use a gentle form of medicine that includes combination homeopathic remedies which help the body release toxins.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and have not explored dysbiosis, I encourage you do to so!
Until next time, take care!