Your gut is essentially the other brain in your body. A phenomenon known as the brain-gut axis means that your gut and brain talk to each other and have an influence on symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, diarrhea, and bloating.
When your gut is out of whack, you can experience various symptoms that affect your mood and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. One way to find out what’s going on, such as discovering an infection you were unaware of, is through GI-MAP® testing.
Dr. Inga Zilberstein offers personalized medicine including GI-MAP testing at her practice in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York. As an experienced OB/GYN, she’s committed to providing testing and recommending treatment for women who are experiencing chronic health issues so they can improve their overall wellness.
GI-MAP testing analyzes your delicate microbiome to look for viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria that could be causing uncomfortable symptoms. GI-MAP testing looks for a lot of different organisms in the gut, but it also assesses inflammatory markers and antibiotic-resistant genes.
It’s an at-home testing tool that involves taking a stool sample that you send to a lab for analysis. The results shed light on a variety of issues within the gut, including digestive symptoms, mood disorders, and autoimmune problems, and Dr. Zilberstein interprets the results and makes personalized recommendations for better health.
The GI-MAP test kit comes with everything you need to collect a stool sample. Follow the directions carefully to ensure you get accurate results. After sending in your sample, you can expect to get results in about one to two weeks.
Once you receive the results, you make an appointment with Dr. Zilberstein to discuss the findings. She can make you aware of gut dysfunction and provide a customized approach to improving your gut health and your overall health.
Some results may require follow-up testing, which we can schedule for you. This can provide a better understanding of specific concerns and allow your care team to provide better treatment options.
GI-MAP identifies issues with your gut health and provides insight on health conditions. For example, it can reveal the underlying cause of irritable bowel syndrome or let you know about areas of your gut that aren’t optimized.
The GI-MAP results give Dr. Zilberstein information on various aspects of the gut including:
She utilizes these results to find ways to address the root cause of your symptoms and to provide a customized treatment plan to help you feel your best. The presence of certain viruses, bacteria, or fungi reveal more about what’s causing your symptoms and how to best treat them.
GI-MAP testing is an excellent tool to get a better understanding of your gut microbiome and how it affects your body, and it’s a great gift to yourself this holiday season. Contact Inga Zilberstein, MD, to learn more about precision medicine and GI-MAP testing. Call or text 830-254-5941, or send a message through our website.
