August 11, 2025 • 29 mins
Your immune system is setting off false alarms, attacking your colon as if it were defending you from danger. But what if there's more to the story than just taking biologics forever? What if we could identify exactly what's causing your immune system to go haywire in the first place?
Ulcerative colitis happens when multiple factors collide – genetic predisposition, gut microbiome imbalances, intestinal permeability issues, environmental triggers, and immune system dysregulation. While conventional gastroenterology excels at controlling inflammation quickly, it rarely addresses why your body started attacking itself. That's where functional medicine steps in – not to replace your GI specialist, but to complement their care with detective work that uncovers your unique triggers.
Biologics like Remicade, Humira, and Entyvio work by blocking specific inflammatory pathways, providing crucial relief during flares. But they suppress your entire immune system, not just in the colon, and don't fix the underlying issues that keep your body in attack mode. Many patients find themselves stuck on an endless medication carousel, cycling through one expensive infusion after another as effectiveness wanes.
Through comprehensive testing – from gut microbiome analysis to mineral status evaluation – we can identify exactly what's disrupting your immune balance. Our systematic approach removes triggers, repairs gut integrity, rebalances beneficial bacteria, and retrains your immune system, potentially reducing or eliminating your need for long-term immune suppression.
For those looking to transition away from biologics, our UC Freedom Roadmap provides a gradual, medically supervised path to natural remission. This isn't about stopping medications cold turkey – it's about earning your way off them by healing from the inside out. The process takes 6-12 months of dedicated work, but imagine a life without constant bathroom mapping, medication side effects, or fear of the next flare.
Ready to discover what's really driving your ulcerative colitis? Book a consultation today and take the first step toward lasting gut health that addresses causes, not just symptoms.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is
to provide comprehensive,affordable, integrative care
that addresses the root cause ofhealth issues.
At the Hub, the focus is onindividual patient journeys.
I strive to optimize health,vitality and longevity,
fostering a community where eachperson can thrive in body, mind
and spirit.
(00:21):
So today I want to talk about atopic that has come up a lot
lately, and many patients walkinto my office or they see me
(00:41):
online with the same story.
You know, my GI specialist putme on a biologic and it's
helping, but I don't want to beon this forever.
Can you help me?
And honestly, I get it.
Having celiac disease myself, Ihave always considered myself
lucky that I never had to battleulcerative colitis or Crohn's.
But over the years I've seenjust how much ulcerative colitis
(01:04):
can hijack a person's life theconstant bathroom mapping, the
anxiety of will I flare thisweek and the exhausting routine
of infusions or injections.
Now biologics absolutely havetheir place.
They can be life-saving andI've seen them pull patients
back from the brink of severeflares.
But here's the thing they'renot designed to fix the problem.
(01:27):
They're designed to keep theinflammation quiet while the
underlying triggers keepsmoldering.
And this is where functionalmedicine flips the script.
Instead of just silencingsymptoms, we start playing
detective.
Why is your immune systemattacking your colon in the
first place?
You know what is going on inyour microbiome, what's
(01:51):
happening at your gut barrierand what foods or toxins or
infections are fanning theflames.
For many of my patients, thegoal is not to replace their GI
doctor.
It's to build a team that usesthe best of both worlds
Biologics when you need them,functional medicine to work on
the root cause, so you might notneed them forever.
Ulcerative colitis is aninflammatory bowel disease, or
(02:12):
also known as IBD, where yourimmune system mistakenly attacks
the lining of your colon.
This is your large intestine.
Think of it like a fire alarmthat won't stop going off,
except the smoke it's reactingto may not even be dangerous.
The result is chronicinflammation, tiny open sores or
(02:33):
ulcers and symptoms that rangefrom annoying to completely
life-disrupting.
Common symptoms could befrequent diarrhea, sometimes
very urgent blood or mucus inthe stool, abdominal pain or
cramping, fatigue, unexplainedweight loss and extra intestinal
symptoms like joint pain, skinchanges or eye inflammation.
(02:56):
The gastroenterologist's maingoal is to stop the inflammation
fast and prevent colon damage,and that is very important.
I love GI doctors and I don'twant anybody to misunderstand
that.
But sometimes the conventionalapproach does include steroids
for short-term flare control,amino salicylates this is
(03:17):
anti-inflammatory meds for thecolon, lining biologics to
suppress specific immunepathways and, in severe cases,
surgery.
You know, for many this works,but it's often a maintenance
plan, not a fix.
And that's why so many peoplecome to me and they say I know
my biologic is working.
(03:38):
But I know there's more to thestory and there is hope.
And functional medicine is allabout finding that hope through
root cause solutions.
It's about understanding what'scausing your immune system to
attack your gut and thenaddressing the underlying
triggers, not just cover up thesymptoms.
And ulcerative colitis happenswhen your immune system gets so
(03:59):
confused and it starts attackingyour colon and it thinks it's
defending you.
It's usually a mix of genetics,gut microbiome changes,
environmental triggers andimmune system dysregulation.
So the result is this chronicinflammation that your body
can't turn off.
In functional medicine we don'tjust ask how do we stop the
(04:21):
inflammation, we ask why is yourimmune system so mad in the
first place?
We see ulcerative colitis asthe end result of a series of
imbalances and triggers that setyour gut immune system into
overdrive.
This means our job is to workupstream, identifying and
addressing the factors that litthe match and keeps feeding the
(04:43):
fire.
So here's where I start to playdetective.
Okay, biologics are likenoise-canceling headphones for
your immune system.
They block the inflammatorysignal so you feel better.
Everybody wants to feel better.
Functional medicine is morelike rewiring the sound system
so the noise isn't there in thefirst place.
Does that make sense?
I'm not here to replace a GIdoctor.
(05:04):
It's kind of a second strategy,one that can work alongside
biologics to strengthen your gut, balance your immune system and
possibly reduce your need formedication in the future.
In functional medicine we thinkof ulcerative colitis in
multiple layers of dysfunction.
The main one would be geneticpredisposition.
(05:25):
Some people carry genes likethe HLA variants, the NOD2.
They make the immune systemmore likely to overreact to
normal gut bacteria, and havingthose genes they don't mean
you're going to get ulcerativecolitis, but it does set the
stage.
Number two is the gut microbiomeimbalance, or what we know as
dysbiosis.
(05:45):
It's a loss of protectivebacteria and overgrowth of
inflammatory or pathogenicstrains changes how your immune
system interacts with your gutlining.
This can be triggered byantibiotics, infections, poor
diet or even chronic stress.
The third one is leaky gut orthat increased intestinal
(06:07):
permeability.
The gut barrier gets damagedfrom gluten, processed foods,
alcohol, nsaids and infection.
It allows bacterial fragmentsand food proteins to leak into
your bloodstream.
This fuels immune activationand inflammation and then we
have immune system misfire.
(06:28):
So instead of healing, theimmune system stays in attack
mode, producing inflammatorycytokines like that TNFA and
IL-6 and IL-17.
These all damage the colonlining.
This is why conventionalmedicine uses biologics to
suppress those cytokines, but itdoesn't fix why the immune
(06:48):
system went haywire in the firstplace.
The next thing is environmentaland lifestyle triggers.
When you have high sugar orprocessed diet, chronic stress,
poor sleep, pollution ironically, even smoking cessation can
throw you into this.
Heavy metals, mold exposurethey cannot tip the balance
(07:14):
toward a flare.
And then another big one is themitochondrial and nutrient
deficiencies.
So if you have low vitamin D orlow omega-3s, magnesium, zinc,
selenium and antioxidants, theyall reduce your gut's ability to
repair and calm inflammation.
Ulcerative colitis is the smokealarm going off because your
gut immune ecosystem is underattack.
The key is to find out whatexactly is lighting the fire.
(07:35):
It's not just about managingflare-ups.
It's about understanding whyyour immune system is attacking
your gut and addressing the rootcauses.
Functional medicine provides aroadmap to uncover those hidden
factors that contribute toulcerative colitis from gut
imbalances to environmentaltriggers.
And instead of simply maskingsymptoms, we do work to heal
(07:55):
your body from the inside out,focusing on long-term wellness
and sustainability.
So if you're tired of beingstuck on a never-ending cycle of
medication, you might bewondering does this whole root
cause approach cost a prettypenny?
And yes, it does.
Functional medicine testing isan investment, for sure,
especially ozone therapy.
(08:16):
It's not the least expensiveoption either.
But here's the deal it's aninvestment in your health that
can help you avoid relying onlong-term biologics or
constantly tiptoeing around withthe fear of a flare-up.
The goal is to put an end tothe cycle of uncertainty and
give your body the tools itneeds to heal and then stay
healed.
Okay, for ulcerative colitis.
(08:40):
Symptoms often come in flaresduring the active inflammation,
and then you have remission,where you have minimal or no
symptoms Without treatment.
Flares can become more frequentor severe over time and these
symptoms, you know, can bediarrhea, often very persistent,
sometimes very urgent.
(09:00):
Blood in your stool, you know,bright, red or mixed with mucus.
Mucus in the stool is from theinflamed intestinal lining and
usually lower abdominal pain orcramping that can ease a little
bit after having a bowelmovement.
But then there's that urgencywhere you have the sudden
intense need to go and eventenesmus this is a feeling that
(09:22):
you still need to pass stooleven after you just went and
whole body symptoms like thefatigue.
You can get fevers during aflare.
You can have that unintentionalweight loss, which is not the
healthy kind of weight loss, andloss of appetite.
Your joints can have pain andswelling and stiffness.
You can feel like severearthritis.
You can have ulcers or painfulred nodules on your skin.
(09:47):
Your eyes can become red andyou can have blurred vision and
your liver definitely comesinflamed.
This can lead to primarysclerosing cholangitis, which is
rare but can be very serious.
So when you do go to see your GIspecialist, their job is to
(10:07):
literally put out that flare,stop the bleeding, get
inflammation down, keep you outof the hospital.
They don't have time or toolsto figure out who lit that match
.
Gi training is designed forcrisis intervention.
So you see them help bleeding,strictures, obstruction.
They're taught to stopinflammation fast and they don't
(10:27):
have the time to spend monthstesting your gut microbiome or
your mold exposure ormethylation genetics and
ulcerative colitis is not causedby one single thing.
It's messy.
It's a messy combination ofgenetics, the gut microbiome
going rogue, that leaky gut,environmental triggers and an
immune system that's basicallyin fight club with your colon.
(10:50):
Ulcerative colitis is almostalways a perfect storm, not just
one thing.
With that genetics, leaky gut,it's all kind of just plays off
of each other.
And the conventional model isgreat at treating diseases with
a single cause, like bacterialpneumonia, but struggles with
multi-layered chronic conditions.
(11:11):
The standard GI workup might bea colonoscopy, some biopsies,
blood work for inflammation,maybe even checking stool,
calprotectin.
These are all great.
Functional medicine takes thatmuch further and does testing
like the GI map or the OATS test, the HTMA.
There is the small intestine,bacterial overgrowth, breath
(11:33):
test and all different kinds ofmycotoxin panels.
They're not standard andthey're not covered by insurance
.
Insurance will, however, payfor biologics and surgery faster
than it pays for any type ofroot cause, detective work and
the GI doctor.
They only get about 10 minuteswith you.
(11:53):
They don't get a full hour totalk about your diet or your
stress and your moldy basementokay.
So conventional treatment goalis remission, not resolution.
Remission means no activebleeding, no active inflammation
, but not fixing the microbiome,repairing the gut barrier or
retraining your immune system,and that's why many patients
(12:17):
still feel lousy in betweenflares.
Functional medicine's goal isto fix that microbiome, heal the
gut, calm the immune system andstop chasing flares forever.
In case you're wondering what abiologic is, a biologic is a
medication that's made up fromliving cells, often proteins,
like antibodies, that's designedto target very specific parts
(12:38):
of your immune system.
For ulcerative colitis, theimmune system is in overdrive,
producing inflammatory chemicalsthat attack the lining of your
colon.
Biologics work by blockingthose specific inflammatory
signals, so the immune systemcalms down and your colon can
try to heal.
Examples of some that are usedare anti-TNF drugs.
(13:01):
This would be the Remicade, theInfliximab, the Adalimab and
Humira.
It always gets on my tongue.
I might have to write it.
Hold on Adalimabab and Humira.
They block tumor necrosisfactor, which is a major
inflammatory signal.
(13:21):
Then we have the anti-integrindrugs like Vitolyzumab and NTVO.
They stop certain white bloodcells from entering gut tissue.
And then we have theanti-interleukin drugs.
This is the Stelara or the Ican't even say the generic, so
we'll just say Stelara, sincethat is the most popular.
(13:43):
It blocks the IL-12 and theIL-23, which drive inflammation.
They're often prescribed whensteroids or other medications
don't keep inflammation in check.
They're also used to induceremission or stop a flare and
maintain remission long term,given by IV or injection,
typically every few weeks toevery few months.
(14:06):
So biologists can be life-savingand life-changing for
ulcerative colitis.
And yes, it's cheaper to useyour insurance than to pay for
months of gut repair andfunctional labs and supplements
out of pocket.
But here's the catch Biologicswork by turning down your immune
system for everything, not justyour colon.
(14:26):
So it gives you that increasedinfection risk because your
immune system's job is to patrolfor viruses, bacteria, fungi
and even early cancer cells.
And if you keep it on the leash24-7, you can be prone to
opportunistic infections likeshingles or fungal infections.
You can have slower healingafter surgery or an injury and
(14:48):
more severe cases of everydayillnesses.
Long-term immune suppressioncan also blunt your body's
ability to detect and destroyabnormal cells early.
So this does increase the riskof certain cancers over time.
And then you know, if you neveraddress the microbiome
imbalances or the gut barrierdamage or food triggers or
(15:10):
environmental exposures thatstart the inflammation, you may
stay dependent on biologicsindefinitely.
And if the drug stops working,then what your only option is to
switch to another biologic orto cut out your gut.
Over time, your body candevelop antibodies against the
biologic and make them lesseffective, and that's when
(15:31):
people get stuck in themedication merry-go-round and
they cycle through one expensiveinfusion after another and you
know the fatigue, the joint pain, the rashes, the liver enzyme
changes.
They aren't rare and becausebiologics affect the whole
immune system, side effects canpop up months or even years
after starting it.
Biologics are such a powerfultool, but they should be seen as
(15:56):
part of a bigger plan, ideallya short to medium-term safety
net while you work on calmingyour immune system.
Naturally, the more root causework you do, the less your
long-term health depends onimmune suppression.
(16:16):
Some of my key functionalmedicine tests to uncover the
root causes of ulcerativecolitis, which you know,
functional medicine testing isnot cheap.
When you consider, though, thelong-term cost of biologics, the
constant flares, the ongoinghealth issues, the
hospitalizations, it is aninvestment worth making, and I'm
going to break down some ofthese tests to help us get to
the bottom of ulcerative colitis.
(16:37):
One of my favorites is the GImap.
This is a gut microbiomeanalysis panel.
It's a stool test.
It looks at your gut microbiometo determine whether harmful
bacteria, fungi or parasites arecausing the issues.
Dysbiosis or an imbalance inyour gut bacteria is often a
significant contributor toulcerative colitis.
(16:58):
This test helps identify whichpathogens, which are bad
bacteria, are triggeringinflammation in the gut and
gives us the opportunity toaddress the imbalance with
targeted probiotics, prebioticsand antimicrobial treatments.
So, yes, it is an investment,but knowing what's happening in
your gut can save you from yearsof trial and error with
(17:19):
traditional medications thatonly mask the symptoms.
Studies have shown that gutdysbiosis plays a key role in
the development of ulcerativecolitis.
There is a study I saw thatulcerative colitis patients have
significantly lower levels ofbeneficial bacteria, like
firmusutes and bacteriodetes,and higher levels of harmful
(17:40):
bacteria, like E coli.
The next test that I like to useis the OATS test.
This is an organic acids test.
This provides a comprehensivepicture of your body's
metabolism and detoxification.
It measures the byproducts ofbacteria and fungi in the body
and reveals imbalances thatcould lead to gut inflammation
(18:00):
and autoimmune activity.
It also looks at toxin builduplike mycotoxins or heavy metals
that can trigger ulcerativecolitis flare-ups.
Yes, this test also costs somemoney, but the insights it
provides allows us to addressyour unique metabolic needs and
guide treatments that can leadto real healing.
(18:21):
This isn't about throwingsupplements at the wall to see
what sticks.
This is precision, andprecision does cost a little
extra.
The OATS test can detectmycotoxins produced by fungi
like candida, which have beenlinked to autoimmune diseases,
including ulcerative colitis.
A study published in theJournal of Clinical Microbiology
(18:41):
found that the presence ofmycotoxins in the gut correlates
with increased intestinalpermeability of.
Mycotoxins in the gutcorrelates with increased
intestinal permeability, oftenreferred to as leaky gut, which
is a major factor in ulcerativecolitis flare-ups.
The next test is my HTMA or hairtissue mineral analysis.
It's all about understandingyour body's mineral status.
Your minerals are the unsungheroes.
(19:03):
I call them the spark plugsthat regulate everything from
immune function to inflammation.
Mineral imbalances like lowmagnesium or high calcium is a
significant driver of ulcerativecolitis.
By analyzing hair tissue, wecan identify which minerals need
balancing and create a plan torestore them.
This test gives us a roadmapfor optimizing nutrition and
(19:25):
supplementation and helpsprevent the inflammatory
response that leads to flare-ups.
Again, it is a small investmentfor a big payoff in terms of
balancing your body's corehealth.
Magnesium deficiency has beenshown to exacerbate inflammatory
conditions like IBDs, likeulcerative colitis, and a study
in inflammatory bowel diseasesrevealed that low magnesium
(19:48):
levels were linked to increasedintestinal inflammation and
oxidative stress in ulcerativecolitis patients.
So when I treat a patient withulcerative colitis I have a
whole roadmap that I use to go.
Number one always is identifyingand removing triggers.
(20:09):
We do food IgG sensitivitytesting.
This allows us to do the properelimination diet.
Sometimes it's gluten,sometimes it's dairy, sometimes
it's soy or corn processedsugars.
Those are all common culprits,but we can really trigger or see
what triggers could be causingyour inflammation.
(20:29):
And then the GI map or an oattest or even just a SIBO breath
test to rule out parasites,yeast or bacterial overgrowth.
If you have exposures or you'renot sure, there's the mold
mycotoxins test, the HTMA doesshow me some heavy metals.
And you know just the medicationreview have you been on
(20:50):
antibiotics?
Are you taking chronic NSAIDs?
You know?
Are you taking PPIs that aredisrupting your gut lining or
your microbiome?
Then we'll head into the secondphase, which is the repair
phase, where we'll look athealing and sealing the gut
lining.
After that I like to do are-inoculate phase where we want
(21:11):
to rebalance the gut microbiome, and then the next thing, of
course, is calming your immunesystem.
I have a whole protocol forcalming your immune system to
reduce inflammation and haveanti-inflammatory signaling.
And then you know, justsupporting mitochondria and
(21:34):
reducing oxidative stress.
That is a whole nothertreatment phase in functional
medicine, because we want tomodulate your stress response
using either vagus nerveactivation or adaptogens or
mind-body therapies, and that'ssomething you don't see in
conventional medicine.
I do offer some very advancedfunctional therapies as well,
(21:54):
like ozone therapy.
This is antimicrobial,immune-modulating.
It improves tissue oxygenation.
I do love to use low-dosenaltrexone to reduce
autoimmunity and inflammationand ulcerative colitis.
Peptide therapy might be mynext favorite, with BPC-157 or
thymus and alpha-1.
And then just IV nutrition tobypass the gut completely to get
(22:18):
the good vitamin C, theglutathione and all these
minerals, especially during aflare.
So you can see, with these longprograms, treating ulcerative
colitis in functional medicinemeans doing the detective work
to remove the triggers, repairthe damage and retrain the
immune system so you're notstuck in a flare, suppress flare
cycle.
(22:38):
Ozone therapy is one of the mosteffective treatments in
functional medicine forulcerative colitis.
It is not cheap, but when youweigh it against the cost of
long-term medications that onlyaddress symptoms, ozone therapy
becomes just an overallinvestment in your health.
And ozone, or O3,.
It's such a powerfulanti-inflammatory and
(23:00):
antimicrobial agent that helpscleanse the body of harmful
bacteria and restoresoxygenation to tissues.
It can reduce inflammation andpromote healing in the gut
without side effects oftraditional medicine.
While it is an investment, itcan help you get off the
medication roller coaster andenjoy long-term relief.
So ozone therapy has been shownto reduce intestinal
(23:23):
inflammation and promote healingof the intestinal lining in
ulcerative colitis patients.
There was a study published inthe Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine thatfound that ozone therapy
improved gut barrier functionand reduced inflammation,
leading to significant symptomrelief in IBD patients.
(23:43):
But let's be honest.
Functional medicine, tests andtreatments like the GI map, the
oats, the HTMA, ozone therapy itall adds up fast.
Supplements are ongoing andthat's an ongoing cost as well,
but it can really be worth it.
It's worth it for long-termhealth.
The goal of functional medicineis not just to treat symptoms
(24:04):
temporarily.
It's to create lasting change.
By addressing root causes, likethose gut imbalances and heavy
metal toxicity and mineraldeficiencies, you're setting
your body up for long-termhealth, which means fewer
flare-ups, fewer trips to thedoctor and, ultimately, fewer
medications and treatmentoptions that are traditional for
(24:25):
ulcerative colitis.
Like the biologics or steroids,they might suppress symptoms,
but they don't heal theunderlying issue and over time
they come with a host of sideeffects.
So by investing in functionalmedicine, you're giving your
body the chance to healnaturally, without relying on
long-term medications that coulddo more harm than good, and
(24:46):
especially when I have patientsthat are already on biologics.
I do have a functional medicinejourney for someone that wants
to transition off biologics forulcerative colitis, because this
should be a realistic, layered,safe method so you're not
swapping one bad flare for onebad idea.
And I do have.
(25:09):
I call it the ulcerativecolitis freedom roadmap and it
takes you from biologics to rootcause remission, and this is
definitely something that needsto be coordinated with your GI
specialist.
There's no cold turkey stopsand this is a journey.
This is going to be a minimumof 6 to 12 months, so this has
(25:30):
to be in your mindset.
So while you're still onbiologics is when you'll go
ahead and go through thefunctional medicine testing so
that we can get a clear startingpoint and set expectations, and
then you know we'll move intocalming inflammation and healing
the gut lining while you'restill on biologics.
This includes that eliminationdiet, treating any infections we
(25:53):
find or that dysbiosis, havingthose gut healing nutrients and
anti-inflammatory support andworking on that lifestyle so
that when we go to phase three,which is rebuilding the
microbiome, we can create thatgut ecosystem that does not fuel
autoimmunity.
This could be the probiotics,the prebiotics, even maybe
(26:15):
fermented food and environmentalcleanup.
And then, once we get to thatsweet spot which is phase four,
usually this is about month sixto 12.
This is when we transition offof biologics.
The goal is to safely tapermedication without triggering a
flare.
So this has to be done, workingclosely, letting your GI doctor
(26:39):
know what you're doing for slowreduction.
You wanna overlap with immunemodulators like LDN or ozone
therapy or those peptides likeBPC-157.
And you have to have a flarerescue plan.
So these are pre-agreedsupplements and therapies that
are ready, ready to go if yoursymptoms return.
And then, once you get throughthat, then we have the
(27:01):
resilience and maintenance phase.
This is where we want you tostay in remission naturally
Personalized, long-term dietfrom reintroduction results.
Off that elimination diet,there might be quarterly or
semi-annual labs just to monitorinflammation and your nutrient
status Seasonal gut tune-ups, Icall it, and detox protocols to
(27:23):
make sure everything is stillrunning very smoothly, and then
making sure you have that flarefirst aid kit ready for
emergencies, because sometimesyou never know if you might do
something to tip that scale.
So you don't just stopbiologics, you kind of earn your
way off by repairing,rebuilding and retraining your
immune system.
(27:43):
First, ulcerative colitis is notjust a colon problem.
It's a whole body, immune, gutand environment problem.
Conventional medicine isexcellent at putting out that
immediate fire, but if you wantlasting results you have to dig
deeper into what's lighting thematch in the first place.
At Harmony Hub Health I takethe time to do the detective
(28:04):
work uncovering root causes,repairing gut integrity,
balancing the microbiome andcalming your immune system so
you can live without thatconstant fear of the next flare.
If you're ready to explore aroot cause, personalized
approach to ulcerative colitis,you want to book a functional
medicine consultation.
Let's create a plan thatsupports remission from the
(28:27):
inside out.
You can find me online atwwwharmonyhubhealthcom.
You can find me on Facebook asHarmony Hub Health, also
Instagram, or you can come seeme in person at Monarch Beauty
and Spa in Manchester, maryland.
You can also feel free to sendme an email at michele at
(28:48):
harmonyhubhealthcom.
The information in this episodeis for educational and
entertainment purposes only andis not intended as medical
advice.
Always talk to your healthcareprovider before making any
changes to your medications,diet or treatment plan,
especially if you haveulcerative colitis or you're
considering stopping biologics.
(29:08):
Functional medicine approachesshould be tailored to your
unique situation and nothinghere replaces personalized
medical guidance.
Welcome to Harmony Hub Health, where my mission is
to provide comprehensive,affordable, integrative care
that addresses the root cause ofhealth issues.
At the Hub, the focus is onindividual patient journeys.
I strive to optimize health,vitality and longevity,
fostering a community where eachperson can thrive in body, mind
and spirit.
(00:21):
So today I want to talk about atopic that has come up a lot
lately, and many patients walkinto my office or they see me
(00:41):
online with the same story.
You know, my GI specialist putme on a biologic and it's
helping, but I don't want to beon this forever.
Can you help me?
And honestly, I get it.
Having celiac disease myself, Ihave always considered myself
lucky that I never had to battleulcerative colitis or Crohn's.
But over the years I've seenjust how much ulcerative colitis
(01:04):
can hijack a person's life theconstant bathroom mapping, the
anxiety of will I flare thisweek and the exhausting routine
of infusions or injections.
Now biologics absolutely havetheir place.
They can be life-saving andI've seen them pull patients
back from the brink of severeflares.
But here's the thing they'renot designed to fix the problem.
(01:27):
They're designed to keep theinflammation quiet while the
underlying triggers keepsmoldering.
And this is where functionalmedicine flips the script.
Instead of just silencingsymptoms, we start playing
detective.
Why is your immune systemattacking your colon in the
first place?
You know what is going on inyour microbiome, what's
(01:51):
happening at your gut barrierand what foods or toxins or
infections are fanning theflames.
For many of my patients, thegoal is not to replace their GI
doctor.
It's to build a team that usesthe best of both worlds
Biologics when you need them,functional medicine to work on
the root cause, so you might notneed them forever.
Ulcerative colitis is aninflammatory bowel disease, or
(02:12):
also known as IBD, where yourimmune system mistakenly attacks
the lining of your colon.
This is your large intestine.
Think of it like a fire alarmthat won't stop going off,
except the smoke it's reactingto may not even be dangerous.
The result is chronicinflammation, tiny open sores or
(02:33):
ulcers and symptoms that rangefrom annoying to completely
life-disrupting.
Common symptoms could befrequent diarrhea, sometimes
very urgent blood or mucus inthe stool, abdominal pain or
cramping, fatigue, unexplainedweight loss and extra intestinal
symptoms like joint pain, skinchanges or eye inflammation.
(02:56):
The gastroenterologist's maingoal is to stop the inflammation
fast and prevent colon damage,and that is very important.
I love GI doctors and I don'twant anybody to misunderstand
that.
But sometimes the conventionalapproach does include steroids
for short-term flare control,amino salicylates this is
(03:17):
anti-inflammatory meds for thecolon, lining biologics to
suppress specific immunepathways and, in severe cases,
surgery.
You know, for many this works,but it's often a maintenance
plan, not a fix.
And that's why so many peoplecome to me and they say I know
my biologic is working.
(03:38):
But I know there's more to thestory and there is hope.
And functional medicine is allabout finding that hope through
root cause solutions.
It's about understanding what'scausing your immune system to
attack your gut and thenaddressing the underlying
triggers, not just cover up thesymptoms.
And ulcerative colitis happenswhen your immune system gets so
(03:59):
confused and it starts attackingyour colon and it thinks it's
defending you.
It's usually a mix of genetics,gut microbiome changes,
environmental triggers andimmune system dysregulation.
So the result is this chronicinflammation that your body
can't turn off.
In functional medicine we don'tjust ask how do we stop the
(04:21):
inflammation, we ask why is yourimmune system so mad in the
first place?
We see ulcerative colitis asthe end result of a series of
imbalances and triggers that setyour gut immune system into
overdrive.
This means our job is to workupstream, identifying and
addressing the factors that litthe match and keeps feeding the
(04:43):
fire.
So here's where I start to playdetective.
Okay, biologics are likenoise-canceling headphones for
your immune system.
They block the inflammatorysignal so you feel better.
Everybody wants to feel better.
Functional medicine is morelike rewiring the sound system
so the noise isn't there in thefirst place.
Does that make sense?
I'm not here to replace a GIdoctor.
(05:04):
It's kind of a second strategy,one that can work alongside
biologics to strengthen your gut, balance your immune system and
possibly reduce your need formedication in the future.
In functional medicine we thinkof ulcerative colitis in
multiple layers of dysfunction.
The main one would be geneticpredisposition.
(05:25):
Some people carry genes likethe HLA variants, the NOD2.
They make the immune systemmore likely to overreact to
normal gut bacteria, and havingthose genes they don't mean
you're going to get ulcerativecolitis, but it does set the
stage.
Number two is the gut microbiomeimbalance, or what we know as
dysbiosis.
(05:45):
It's a loss of protectivebacteria and overgrowth of
inflammatory or pathogenicstrains changes how your immune
system interacts with your gutlining.
This can be triggered byantibiotics, infections, poor
diet or even chronic stress.
The third one is leaky gut orthat increased intestinal
(06:07):
permeability.
The gut barrier gets damagedfrom gluten, processed foods,
alcohol, nsaids and infection.
It allows bacterial fragmentsand food proteins to leak into
your bloodstream.
This fuels immune activationand inflammation and then we
have immune system misfire.
(06:28):
So instead of healing, theimmune system stays in attack
mode, producing inflammatorycytokines like that TNFA and
IL-6 and IL-17.
These all damage the colonlining.
This is why conventionalmedicine uses biologics to
suppress those cytokines, but itdoesn't fix why the immune
(06:48):
system went haywire in the firstplace.
The next thing is environmentaland lifestyle triggers.
When you have high sugar orprocessed diet, chronic stress,
poor sleep, pollution ironically, even smoking cessation can
throw you into this.
Heavy metals, mold exposurethey cannot tip the balance
(07:14):
toward a flare.
And then another big one is themitochondrial and nutrient
deficiencies.
So if you have low vitamin D orlow omega-3s, magnesium, zinc,
selenium and antioxidants, theyall reduce your gut's ability to
repair and calm inflammation.
Ulcerative colitis is the smokealarm going off because your
gut immune ecosystem is underattack.
The key is to find out whatexactly is lighting the fire.
(07:35):
It's not just about managingflare-ups.
It's about understanding whyyour immune system is attacking
your gut and addressing the rootcauses.
Functional medicine provides aroadmap to uncover those hidden
factors that contribute toulcerative colitis from gut
imbalances to environmentaltriggers.
And instead of simply maskingsymptoms, we do work to heal
(07:55):
your body from the inside out,focusing on long-term wellness
and sustainability.
So if you're tired of beingstuck on a never-ending cycle of
medication, you might bewondering does this whole root
cause approach cost a prettypenny?
And yes, it does.
Functional medicine testing isan investment, for sure,
especially ozone therapy.
(08:16):
It's not the least expensiveoption either.
But here's the deal it's aninvestment in your health that
can help you avoid relying onlong-term biologics or
constantly tiptoeing around withthe fear of a flare-up.
The goal is to put an end tothe cycle of uncertainty and
give your body the tools itneeds to heal and then stay
healed.
Okay, for ulcerative colitis.
(08:40):
Symptoms often come in flaresduring the active inflammation,
and then you have remission,where you have minimal or no
symptoms Without treatment.
Flares can become more frequentor severe over time and these
symptoms, you know, can bediarrhea, often very persistent,
sometimes very urgent.
(09:00):
Blood in your stool, you know,bright, red or mixed with mucus.
Mucus in the stool is from theinflamed intestinal lining and
usually lower abdominal pain orcramping that can ease a little
bit after having a bowelmovement.
But then there's that urgencywhere you have the sudden
intense need to go and eventenesmus this is a feeling that
(09:22):
you still need to pass stooleven after you just went and
whole body symptoms like thefatigue.
You can get fevers during aflare.
You can have that unintentionalweight loss, which is not the
healthy kind of weight loss, andloss of appetite.
Your joints can have pain andswelling and stiffness.
You can feel like severearthritis.
You can have ulcers or painfulred nodules on your skin.
(09:47):
Your eyes can become red andyou can have blurred vision and
your liver definitely comesinflamed.
This can lead to primarysclerosing cholangitis, which is
rare but can be very serious.
So when you do go to see your GIspecialist, their job is to
(10:07):
literally put out that flare,stop the bleeding, get
inflammation down, keep you outof the hospital.
They don't have time or toolsto figure out who lit that match
.
Gi training is designed forcrisis intervention.
So you see them help bleeding,strictures, obstruction.
They're taught to stopinflammation fast and they don't
(10:27):
have the time to spend monthstesting your gut microbiome or
your mold exposure ormethylation genetics and
ulcerative colitis is not causedby one single thing.
It's messy.
It's a messy combination ofgenetics, the gut microbiome
going rogue, that leaky gut,environmental triggers and an
immune system that's basicallyin fight club with your colon.
(10:50):
Ulcerative colitis is almostalways a perfect storm, not just
one thing.
With that genetics, leaky gut,it's all kind of just plays off
of each other.
And the conventional model isgreat at treating diseases with
a single cause, like bacterialpneumonia, but struggles with
multi-layered chronic conditions.
(11:11):
The standard GI workup might bea colonoscopy, some biopsies,
blood work for inflammation,maybe even checking stool,
calprotectin.
These are all great.
Functional medicine takes thatmuch further and does testing
like the GI map or the OATS test, the HTMA.
There is the small intestine,bacterial overgrowth, breath
(11:33):
test and all different kinds ofmycotoxin panels.
They're not standard andthey're not covered by insurance
.
Insurance will, however, payfor biologics and surgery faster
than it pays for any type ofroot cause, detective work and
the GI doctor.
They only get about 10 minuteswith you.
(11:53):
They don't get a full hour totalk about your diet or your
stress and your moldy basementokay.
So conventional treatment goalis remission, not resolution.
Remission means no activebleeding, no active inflammation
, but not fixing the microbiome,repairing the gut barrier or
retraining your immune system,and that's why many patients
(12:17):
still feel lousy in betweenflares.
Functional medicine's goal isto fix that microbiome, heal the
gut, calm the immune system andstop chasing flares forever.
In case you're wondering what abiologic is, a biologic is a
medication that's made up fromliving cells, often proteins,
like antibodies, that's designedto target very specific parts
(12:38):
of your immune system.
For ulcerative colitis, theimmune system is in overdrive,
producing inflammatory chemicalsthat attack the lining of your
colon.
Biologics work by blockingthose specific inflammatory
signals, so the immune systemcalms down and your colon can
try to heal.
Examples of some that are usedare anti-TNF drugs.
(13:01):
This would be the Remicade, theInfliximab, the Adalimab and
Humira.
It always gets on my tongue.
I might have to write it.
Hold on Adalimabab and Humira.
They block tumor necrosisfactor, which is a major
inflammatory signal.
(13:21):
Then we have the anti-integrindrugs like Vitolyzumab and NTVO.
They stop certain white bloodcells from entering gut tissue.
And then we have theanti-interleukin drugs.
This is the Stelara or the Ican't even say the generic, so
we'll just say Stelara, sincethat is the most popular.
(13:43):
It blocks the IL-12 and theIL-23, which drive inflammation.
They're often prescribed whensteroids or other medications
don't keep inflammation in check.
They're also used to induceremission or stop a flare and
maintain remission long term,given by IV or injection,
typically every few weeks toevery few months.
(14:06):
So biologists can be life-savingand life-changing for
ulcerative colitis.
And yes, it's cheaper to useyour insurance than to pay for
months of gut repair andfunctional labs and supplements
out of pocket.
But here's the catch Biologicswork by turning down your immune
system for everything, not justyour colon.
(14:26):
So it gives you that increasedinfection risk because your
immune system's job is to patrolfor viruses, bacteria, fungi
and even early cancer cells.
And if you keep it on the leash24-7, you can be prone to
opportunistic infections likeshingles or fungal infections.
You can have slower healingafter surgery or an injury and
(14:48):
more severe cases of everydayillnesses.
Long-term immune suppressioncan also blunt your body's
ability to detect and destroyabnormal cells early.
So this does increase the riskof certain cancers over time.
And then you know, if you neveraddress the microbiome
imbalances or the gut barrierdamage or food triggers or
(15:10):
environmental exposures thatstart the inflammation, you may
stay dependent on biologicsindefinitely.
And if the drug stops working,then what your only option is to
switch to another biologic orto cut out your gut.
Over time, your body candevelop antibodies against the
biologic and make them lesseffective, and that's when
(15:31):
people get stuck in themedication merry-go-round and
they cycle through one expensiveinfusion after another and you
know the fatigue, the joint pain, the rashes, the liver enzyme
changes.
They aren't rare and becausebiologics affect the whole
immune system, side effects canpop up months or even years
after starting it.
Biologics are such a powerfultool, but they should be seen as
(15:56):
part of a bigger plan, ideallya short to medium-term safety
net while you work on calmingyour immune system.
Naturally, the more root causework you do, the less your
long-term health depends onimmune suppression.
(16:16):
Some of my key functionalmedicine tests to uncover the
root causes of ulcerativecolitis, which you know,
functional medicine testing isnot cheap.
When you consider, though, thelong-term cost of biologics, the
constant flares, the ongoinghealth issues, the
hospitalizations, it is aninvestment worth making, and I'm
going to break down some ofthese tests to help us get to
the bottom of ulcerative colitis.
(16:37):
One of my favorites is the GImap.
This is a gut microbiomeanalysis panel.
It's a stool test.
It looks at your gut microbiometo determine whether harmful
bacteria, fungi or parasites arecausing the issues.
Dysbiosis or an imbalance inyour gut bacteria is often a
significant contributor toulcerative colitis.
(16:58):
This test helps identify whichpathogens, which are bad
bacteria, are triggeringinflammation in the gut and
gives us the opportunity toaddress the imbalance with
targeted probiotics, prebioticsand antimicrobial treatments.
So, yes, it is an investment,but knowing what's happening in
your gut can save you from yearsof trial and error with
(17:19):
traditional medications thatonly mask the symptoms.
Studies have shown that gutdysbiosis plays a key role in
the development of ulcerativecolitis.
There is a study I saw thatulcerative colitis patients have
significantly lower levels ofbeneficial bacteria, like
firmusutes and bacteriodetes,and higher levels of harmful
(17:40):
bacteria, like E coli.
The next test that I like to useis the OATS test.
This is an organic acids test.
This provides a comprehensivepicture of your body's
metabolism and detoxification.
It measures the byproducts ofbacteria and fungi in the body
and reveals imbalances thatcould lead to gut inflammation
(18:00):
and autoimmune activity.
It also looks at toxin builduplike mycotoxins or heavy metals
that can trigger ulcerativecolitis flare-ups.
Yes, this test also costs somemoney, but the insights it
provides allows us to addressyour unique metabolic needs and
guide treatments that can leadto real healing.
(18:21):
This isn't about throwingsupplements at the wall to see
what sticks.
This is precision, andprecision does cost a little
extra.
The OATS test can detectmycotoxins produced by fungi
like candida, which have beenlinked to autoimmune diseases,
including ulcerative colitis.
A study published in theJournal of Clinical Microbiology
(18:41):
found that the presence ofmycotoxins in the gut correlates
with increased intestinalpermeability of.
Mycotoxins in the gutcorrelates with increased
intestinal permeability, oftenreferred to as leaky gut, which
is a major factor in ulcerativecolitis flare-ups.
The next test is my HTMA or hairtissue mineral analysis.
It's all about understandingyour body's mineral status.
Your minerals are the unsungheroes.
(19:03):
I call them the spark plugsthat regulate everything from
immune function to inflammation.
Mineral imbalances like lowmagnesium or high calcium is a
significant driver of ulcerativecolitis.
By analyzing hair tissue, wecan identify which minerals need
balancing and create a plan torestore them.
This test gives us a roadmapfor optimizing nutrition and
(19:25):
supplementation and helpsprevent the inflammatory
response that leads to flare-ups.
Again, it is a small investmentfor a big payoff in terms of
balancing your body's corehealth.
Magnesium deficiency has beenshown to exacerbate inflammatory
conditions like IBDs, likeulcerative colitis, and a study
in inflammatory bowel diseasesrevealed that low magnesium
(19:48):
levels were linked to increasedintestinal inflammation and
oxidative stress in ulcerativecolitis patients.
So when I treat a patient withulcerative colitis I have a
whole roadmap that I use to go.
Number one always is identifyingand removing triggers.
(20:09):
We do food IgG sensitivitytesting.
This allows us to do the properelimination diet.
Sometimes it's gluten,sometimes it's dairy, sometimes
it's soy or corn processedsugars.
Those are all common culprits,but we can really trigger or see
what triggers could be causingyour inflammation.
(20:29):
And then the GI map or an oattest or even just a SIBO breath
test to rule out parasites,yeast or bacterial overgrowth.
If you have exposures or you'renot sure, there's the mold
mycotoxins test, the HTMA doesshow me some heavy metals.
And you know just the medicationreview have you been on
(20:50):
antibiotics?
Are you taking chronic NSAIDs?
You know?
Are you taking PPIs that aredisrupting your gut lining or
your microbiome?
Then we'll head into the secondphase, which is the repair
phase, where we'll look athealing and sealing the gut
lining.
After that I like to do are-inoculate phase where we want
(21:11):
to rebalance the gut microbiome, and then the next thing, of
course, is calming your immunesystem.
I have a whole protocol forcalming your immune system to
reduce inflammation and haveanti-inflammatory signaling.
And then you know, justsupporting mitochondria and
(21:34):
reducing oxidative stress.
That is a whole nothertreatment phase in functional
medicine, because we want tomodulate your stress response
using either vagus nerveactivation or adaptogens or
mind-body therapies, and that'ssomething you don't see in
conventional medicine.
I do offer some very advancedfunctional therapies as well,
(21:54):
like ozone therapy.
This is antimicrobial,immune-modulating.
It improves tissue oxygenation.
I do love to use low-dosenaltrexone to reduce
autoimmunity and inflammationand ulcerative colitis.
Peptide therapy might be mynext favorite, with BPC-157 or
thymus and alpha-1.
And then just IV nutrition tobypass the gut completely to get
(22:18):
the good vitamin C, theglutathione and all these
minerals, especially during aflare.
So you can see, with these longprograms, treating ulcerative
colitis in functional medicinemeans doing the detective work
to remove the triggers, repairthe damage and retrain the
immune system so you're notstuck in a flare, suppress flare
cycle.
(22:38):
Ozone therapy is one of the mosteffective treatments in
functional medicine forulcerative colitis.
It is not cheap, but when youweigh it against the cost of
long-term medications that onlyaddress symptoms, ozone therapy
becomes just an overallinvestment in your health.
And ozone, or O3,.
It's such a powerfulanti-inflammatory and
(23:00):
antimicrobial agent that helpscleanse the body of harmful
bacteria and restoresoxygenation to tissues.
It can reduce inflammation andpromote healing in the gut
without side effects oftraditional medicine.
While it is an investment, itcan help you get off the
medication roller coaster andenjoy long-term relief.
So ozone therapy has been shownto reduce intestinal
(23:23):
inflammation and promote healingof the intestinal lining in
ulcerative colitis patients.
There was a study published inthe Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine thatfound that ozone therapy
improved gut barrier functionand reduced inflammation,
leading to significant symptomrelief in IBD patients.
(23:43):
But let's be honest.
Functional medicine, tests andtreatments like the GI map, the
oats, the HTMA, ozone therapy itall adds up fast.
Supplements are ongoing andthat's an ongoing cost as well,
but it can really be worth it.
It's worth it for long-termhealth.
The goal of functional medicineis not just to treat symptoms
(24:04):
temporarily.
It's to create lasting change.
By addressing root causes, likethose gut imbalances and heavy
metal toxicity and mineraldeficiencies, you're setting
your body up for long-termhealth, which means fewer
flare-ups, fewer trips to thedoctor and, ultimately, fewer
medications and treatmentoptions that are traditional for
(24:25):
ulcerative colitis.
Like the biologics or steroids,they might suppress symptoms,
but they don't heal theunderlying issue and over time
they come with a host of sideeffects.
So by investing in functionalmedicine, you're giving your
body the chance to healnaturally, without relying on
long-term medications that coulddo more harm than good, and
(24:46):
especially when I have patientsthat are already on biologics.
I do have a functional medicinejourney for someone that wants
to transition off biologics forulcerative colitis, because this
should be a realistic, layered,safe method so you're not
swapping one bad flare for onebad idea.
And I do have.
(25:09):
I call it the ulcerativecolitis freedom roadmap and it
takes you from biologics to rootcause remission, and this is
definitely something that needsto be coordinated with your GI
specialist.
There's no cold turkey stopsand this is a journey.
This is going to be a minimumof 6 to 12 months, so this has
(25:30):
to be in your mindset.
So while you're still onbiologics is when you'll go
ahead and go through thefunctional medicine testing so
that we can get a clear startingpoint and set expectations, and
then you know we'll move intocalming inflammation and healing
the gut lining while you'restill on biologics.
This includes that eliminationdiet, treating any infections we
(25:53):
find or that dysbiosis, havingthose gut healing nutrients and
anti-inflammatory support andworking on that lifestyle so
that when we go to phase three,which is rebuilding the
microbiome, we can create thatgut ecosystem that does not fuel
autoimmunity.
This could be the probiotics,the prebiotics, even maybe
(26:15):
fermented food and environmentalcleanup.
And then, once we get to thatsweet spot which is phase four,
usually this is about month sixto 12.
This is when we transition offof biologics.
The goal is to safely tapermedication without triggering a
flare.
So this has to be done, workingclosely, letting your GI doctor
(26:39):
know what you're doing for slowreduction.
You wanna overlap with immunemodulators like LDN or ozone
therapy or those peptides likeBPC-157.
And you have to have a flarerescue plan.
So these are pre-agreedsupplements and therapies that
are ready, ready to go if yoursymptoms return.
And then, once you get throughthat, then we have the
(27:01):
resilience and maintenance phase.
This is where we want you tostay in remission naturally
Personalized, long-term dietfrom reintroduction results.
Off that elimination diet,there might be quarterly or
semi-annual labs just to monitorinflammation and your nutrient
status Seasonal gut tune-ups, Icall it, and detox protocols to
(27:23):
make sure everything is stillrunning very smoothly, and then
making sure you have that flarefirst aid kit ready for
emergencies, because sometimesyou never know if you might do
something to tip that scale.
So you don't just stopbiologics, you kind of earn your
way off by repairing,rebuilding and retraining your
immune system.
(27:43):
First, ulcerative colitis is notjust a colon problem.
It's a whole body, immune, gutand environment problem.
Conventional medicine isexcellent at putting out that
immediate fire, but if you wantlasting results you have to dig
deeper into what's lighting thematch in the first place.
At Harmony Hub Health I takethe time to do the detective
(28:04):
work uncovering root causes,repairing gut integrity,
balancing the microbiome andcalming your immune system so
you can live without thatconstant fear of the next flare.
If you're ready to explore aroot cause, personalized
approach to ulcerative colitis,you want to book a functional
medicine consultation.
Let's create a plan thatsupports remission from the
(28:27):
inside out.
You can find me online atwwwharmonyhubhealthcom.
You can find me on Facebook asHarmony Hub Health, also
Instagram, or you can come seeme in person at Monarch Beauty
and Spa in Manchester, maryland.
You can also feel free to sendme an email at michele at
(28:48):
harmonyhubhealthcom.
The information in this episodeis for educational and
entertainment purposes only andis not intended as medical
advice.
Always talk to your healthcareprovider before making any
changes to your medications,diet or treatment plan,
especially if you haveulcerative colitis or you're
considering stopping biologics.
(29:08):
Functional medicine approachesshould be tailored to your
unique situation and nothinghere replaces personalized
medical guidance.
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