Empowering Patients with Gut Health Tools - BodySite Remote Patient Care

The tools you need to help patients in between visits with their GI specialist.

Gut health is a vital component of patients’ overall health. But, should primary care practitioners and non-gastroenterologists touch on this area with their patients? When it comes to recommending the basics, it wouldn’t hurt.

Today’s experts are linking issues with gastrointestinal and digestive health to a myriad of life threatening conditions such as “obesity, type 2 diabetes, hepatic steatosis, intestinal bowel diseases (IBDs) and several types of cancer.” Not to mention its affect on mood, immunity and a variety of other important factors to overall health.

Considering the gravity of this issue, it’s important to check in with your patients who may not even know that they need to see a specialist. Ask them GI related questions and then begin with the basics prior to, or in addition to a referral.

For patients who are experiencing issues with their gut and/or digestion, here are the top 5 tools that you can use to help your patients in between their visits with their gut health specialist.

1. Whole Foods

A prescription for whole foods is a great way to help patients to begin healing the issues in their gut. Be sure to advise them about foods that are considered inflammatory, such as foods that are high in sugars (sugary sauces, cola, and more), unhealthy fats (canola oils, shortening, butter substitutes) and simple carbohydrates (bleached bread products and other sweets).

A great tip to assist them with eating less of these inflammatory foods is to advise that they stay away from the middle aisles of the grocery store, where most frozen, boxed and packaged foods are.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” still rings true in 2022. Make sure patients are eating enough fruits and vegetables. By starting in the produce section and working their way around the store, their cart will be filled with fruits and vegetables first.

2. Probiotics

Probiotics are packed with healthy bacteria that a patient who isn’t eating enough of the whole foods we mentioned above. While probiotics are available in a wide variety of supplements, they can also be consumed naturally through foods/beverages such as kombucha, kefir and greek yogurt.

ADigital Health is proud to be integrated with the Fullscript supplement dispensary for easy supplement prescribing right from our remote patient monitoring software. Click here to learn more.

3. Food Tracker/Journaling

It’s essential that patients who are experiencing gut health issues keep track of what they’re eating, how much of those foods they’re eating and when they’re being consumed. For some, the food itself might be contributing to the overall problem, whereas other times they are just consuming too much of one type of food.

Whatever the case may be, having patients utilize a food tracking solution will allow them to be more aware of what food choices they are making and in conjunction with journaling, they’ll learn how those food choices affect them.

There are even HIPAA food tracking solutions that allow you as the provider to see your patients’ progress.

4. LowFODMAP Diet and Leaky Gut Protocol

Eating healthier overall may not cut it for some patients, in fact many are experiencing gut issues due to specific sensitivities or their symptoms are just considered more severe. As previously mentioned, those waiting for specialists guidance may benefit from a care plan that guides them through identifying sensitivities or overall gut health guidance.

Two plans that can help for patients experiencing gut health issues are the Low FODMAP Diet and the Leaky Gut Protocol. The Low FODMAP Diet has been used to identify food sensitivities, help with GI distress and treat symptoms associated with IBS/IBD. The Leaky Gut protocol has traditionally been used to heal the gut.

5. Stress Reduction

Finally, stress plays a role in our gut’s microbiome. A study conducted on healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic, found that the gut bacteria of the frontline workers was significantly disrupted over the course of the first year of the pandemic. This disruption lasted over a year for individuals involved in the study.

This is why mindfulness and stress reduction practices shouldn’t just be discussed, but highly encouraged. Make sure you’re asking your patients about what they’re doing to reduce stress in their lives and offer helpful advice, suggestions, and information on the value of stress reduction.

Gut Health and It’s Importance

Gut health can be an issue that you and your patients look into with the help of their GI specialist. To better care for your patients in this area, keep track of patient progress and remain curious about gut health, as the medical community continues to measure and observe its vast intricacies and growing importance.

If you’re not already using ADigital Health as one way to support patients with GI issues and distress, start a 30 day free trial today to try it out with no obligation. You may cancel at anytime.

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