The Root Cause of Bloating, Fatigue & Brain Fog | Functional Medicine Expert | The Health Review

takeaways

1. Rob Staunton describes how his own decade-long gut struggles, misdiagnosed as IBS and later complicated by three parasites picked up in Southeast Asia, led him into functional medicine.

2. The conversation contrasts symptom-focused conventional care (the 'pill for an ill') with a root-cause approach using nutrition, supplements, lifestyle changes and advanced lab testing.

3. Gut health is framed as a 'master controller', with the microbiome discussed as interlinked with conditions inside and outside the gut, from IBD to brain fog, skin and joint issues.

4. Emily shares her own case of SIBO and histamine intolerance, where 'healthy' foods like kombucha, fermented foods, chickpeas and dark chocolate were flaring her symptoms.

5. Rob explains that parasite cleanses are overhyped on social media, ranking SIBO, Candida and dysbiosis as more common findings, with parasites around 10–12% of cases.

6. Low stomach acid is discussed as a frequently overlooked issue, with Rob arguing many people given PPIs or antacids may actually have too little acid rather than too much.

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