Gut Health & Digestive Issues

<!-- Version: V2 | Created: 2026-02-13 | Voice: Clinic Matt -->

Gut Health & Digestive Issues

URL slug: /gut-health Meta title: Gut Health Treatment in Salado, TX | Functional Medicine | Rooted Health Meta description: Chronic bloating, IBS, SIBO, reflux? We find the root cause — bacterial imbalance, leaky gut, food reactions — and fix it. Functional medicine in Salado, TX. Target keywords: gut health Salado TX, SIBO treatment Central Texas, IBS doctor Temple TX, functional medicine gut health, leaky gut treatment near me

---

If You've Been Living in the Bathroom

Bloating that makes you look six months pregnant by dinnertime. Diarrhea that controls your schedule. Constipation for days despite doing "all the right things." Reflux that won't quit no matter how much omeprazole you take.

Your gastroenterologist ran an endoscopy, maybe a colonoscopy. They said everything looked "normal." Handed you a PPI prescription. Maybe said "it's just IBS" and sent you home with fiber supplements.

If you're searching for a gut health specialist near you who actually investigates the root cause, that's what we do every day. Here's the thing: "IBS" isn't a diagnosis. It's a description. Irritable Bowel Syndrome just means "your gut is irritated and we don't know why." That's not an answer — that's a surrender.

I don't stop there. Your gut doesn't randomly decide to stop working. Something is driving it. And that something is usually fixable.

---

Where I Start

Same as always — metabolic markers and an expanded thyroid panel. Because gut dysfunction and metabolic dysfunction are connected more often than not.

But when gut symptoms are the primary complaint, I'm thinking about a few specific things from the start:

Bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Bacteria that belong in your colon migrate up into your small intestine where they don't belong. They ferment carbohydrates, produce gas, cause bloating, diarrhea, sometimes constipation. This is incredibly common and incredibly under-diagnosed.

Leaky gut. The lining of your intestine becomes permeable. Stuff that should stay inside the gut — partially digested food particles, bacterial fragments — leaks into your bloodstream. Your immune system sees them as invaders and starts mounting an inflammatory response. This drives systemic inflammation, food sensitivities, autoimmune flares, brain fog, joint pain — it's not just a gut problem.

Dysbiosis. The wrong bacteria dominating your gut. Not enough beneficial species. Too many opportunistic ones. This throws off digestion, nutrient absorption, immune regulation, and even neurotransmitter production (most of your serotonin is made in your gut).

Food sensitivities. Not allergies — sensitivities. Your immune system reacting to gluten, dairy, eggs, whatever it's sensitized to. This creates chronic low-grade inflammation in the gut lining that prevents healing.

Inflammation and mucosal breakdown. Your gut lining is constantly exposed to food, bacteria, bile, acid. If the protective mucus layer breaks down or the tight junctions between cells get damaged, you end up with chronic inflammation that perpetuates the problem.

---

How I Figure Out What's Driving It

Patients drive to our clinic from Temple, Killeen, Belton, and across Central Texas for this level of investigation. Most conventional GI practices aren't set up to dig this deep.

History matters. Recent antibiotic use? Food poisoning? Travel? High stress? History of autoimmune disease? These are all clues.

Symptom patterns tell the story:

• Bloating 30-90 minutes after eating → likely SIBO or bacterial fermentation

• Reflux that doesn't respond to PPIs → often low stomach acid, not high

• Alternating diarrhea and constipation → dysbiosis or motility issues

• Worsening symptoms with high-fiber foods → bacterial overgrowth feeding on fiber

Testing (when needed):

• SIBO breath test — gold standard for diagnosing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

• Comprehensive stool testing (GI-MAP or similar) — identifies specific bacterial imbalances, parasites, yeast overgrowth, markers of inflammation and gut barrier function

• Food sensitivity panels — IgG/IgA testing for delayed immune reactions

• Inflammatory markers — high-sensitivity CRP, ESR — tells me if there's systemic inflammation

I don't run all of this on day one. We start with clinical suspicion based on your symptoms and history, then layer in testing as needed. The goal is to be systematic without drowning you in unnecessary costs.

---

What Treatment Actually Looks Like

Step 1: Remove the triggers. This is usually dietary. Eliminate foods that are actively feeding the problem or provoking immune reactions. For a lot of patients, this means a temporary elimination diet — removing gluten, dairy, grains, sugar — to quiet the inflammatory response and give the gut a chance to heal.

For SIBO, this often means a low-FODMAP approach initially to starve the overgrown bacteria. For some patients, a carnivore or ketogenic diet works incredibly well because it eliminates all the fermentable carbohydrates.

Step 2: Kill what doesn't belong. If we have bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth, or parasites, we address it directly. Sometimes this is pharmaceutical antibiotics (rifaximin for SIBO is highly effective). Sometimes it's herbal antimicrobials (oregano oil, berberine, neem, etc.). Both work. The choice depends on the patient, the severity, and what we find on testing.

Step 3: Repair the gut lining. L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, collagen, omega-3s, bone broth — these all support mucosal healing and tight junction integrity. We're giving your gut the raw materials it needs to rebuild.

Step 4: Restore healthy bacteria. Probiotics, prebiotics, fermented foods. But not all at once, and not until the gut is ready. Throwing probiotics at active SIBO can make things worse. Timing matters.

Step 5: Reintroduce and monitor. Once symptoms have improved and labs are trending better, we slowly reintroduce foods and see what you tolerate. The goal is the broadest diet you can sustain without symptoms — not the most restrictive.

---

Common Gut Problems I Treat

SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) Bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, malabsorption, nutrient deficiencies. Often missed because most doctors don't test for it.

Leaky Gut / Intestinal Permeability Systemic inflammation, food sensitivities, brain fog, joint pain, skin issues, autoimmune flares. This is Tier 1 foundational work.

IBS (once we figure out what's actually causing it) Usually a combination of dysbiosis, food sensitivities, motility issues, and stress-driven gut-brain axis dysfunction.

Reflux / GERD Chronic PPI use is not a solution — it shuts down stomach acid, which you need for digestion and gut defense. Low stomach acid is often the actual problem, not high acid. We address the root cause.

Chronic Constipation Motility, thyroid dysfunction, magnesium deficiency, gut dysbiosis, chronic dehydration. There's always a reason.

Post-Infectious IBS After food poisoning or a GI infection, your gut never fully recovered. Lingering bacterial overgrowth or motility dysfunction. This is a specific pattern and it responds to targeted treatment.

---

Who This Is For

• You've been told "it's just IBS" but nobody ever explained why

• You've been on PPIs for years and they stopped working (or never really worked)

• Bloating so bad you can't button your pants by evening

• Food feels like the enemy — you don't know what's safe to eat anymore

• You've tried probiotics, fiber, cutting out gluten, and nothing has helped

• You want someone who will actually investigate instead of just managing symptoms

---

What to Expect

First visit: 45-60 minutes. Full digestive history, dietary patterns, what makes it better or worse, previous testing and treatments. We order baseline labs and determine if specialized gut testing is warranted.

Lab review: We go through findings together. I explain what each marker means, what the pattern suggests, and what we're going to do about it.

Treatment: Phased approach. Remove triggers, address overgrowth or imbalance, repair the gut lining, restore healthy function. Regular follow-ups to adjust the plan based on how you're responding.

---

Pricing

| Service | Cost | |---------|------| | Adult Membership | $245/month | | Pediatric Membership (0-17) | $185/month | | Senior Membership (65+) | $225/month | | Specialized gut testing (GI-MAP, SIBO) | $200-600 (ordered as needed) |

Your membership covers office visits as needed and direct access for questions and adjustments. Gut healing isn't linear — it takes consistent support.

---

If Any of This Sounds Familiar

You don't have to live in the bathroom. You don't have to avoid food. Your gut can heal — but first, we have to figure out what broke it.

📞 Call: 254-780-0023 📍 Visit: 1401 N Stagecoach Rd, Salado, TX 76571 🌐 Book Online: rootedhealthclinic.com/book-online

---

Rooted Health Clinic serves patients in Salado, Temple, Belton, Killeen, Georgetown, Round Rock, and throughout Central Texas.