How we treat gut dysbiosis at SHA

Reversing gut microbiota imbalance requires a holistic approach that combines different medical disciplines and areas.

Headaches, heavy digestion, bloating or abdominal distension, changes in bowel habits, repeated infections, food intolerances… These are the most common symptoms associated with intestinal dysbiosis. The gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by trillions of bacteria, fungi, viruses and yeasts that serve a metabolic, immune, neuronal and protective purpose and are essential for optimal health and well-being.

As Ana Mayor, an internist and expert in Digestive Health at SHA Wellness Clinic explains, “different types of bacteria have different roles. For example, Bifidobacterium adolescentis performs a fibre-degrading or muconutritive function; Lactobacillus plantarum, a neuroactive one, and Enterobacter is a type of facultative pathogenic microbiota with a proteolytic function”.

All these micro-organisms form an ecosystem that is kept in delicate balance. The above symptoms appear when this balance is disrupted by an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep hygiene, medication or poor management of stress and emotions. But, as Ana says, “diagnosing dysbiosis is not an easy task because it manifests itself in different ways. Moreover, depending on the type, some symptoms may be more prevalent than others. That is why reversing it to get our microbiota back in balance is a complex strategy”.

The first step in getting the right treatment is to have a good diagnosis. “At SHA we have a team of professionals who study the symptoms, diet, lifestyle and drugs that may be influencing the microbiota”, says the experts. “To do this, we carry out an exhaustive clinical examination that includes an extended stool study, which provides us with data on inflammatory markers, such as calprotectin, zonulin levels, which allows us to know the state of intestinal permeability, the activity of the different metabolites, histamine and beta defensin 2 levels, as well as heavy metals, viruses, fungi and parasites and, of course, the distribution of all types of intestinal microbiota in order to guide the treatment as accurately as possible”.

Focused Pack Digestive Health

SHA’s Digestive Health Department is staffed by experts in different medical disciplines who take a holistic approach to recommending the best treatment to restore the balance and correct functioning of the guest’s intestinal microbiota. To that end, they combine fully personalised diet and physical exercise plans and emotional eating or stress management sessions with pioneering technologies such as intestinal ozone therapy, colon hydrotherapy, serum therapy or far infrared balance therapy.

To find out more about how emotional and digestive health are related, Click here