You've done the work. Maybe you've removed gluten, dairy or you tried a completely low-FODMAP diet. You might have tried adding probiotics, or "eating clean" and swapping out every processed food in your kitchen and you're still bloated. Still uncomfortable after meals. Still waking up with a flat stomach only to feel (and look) like you're six months pregnant by afternoon. This is not a willpower problem and most likely at this point is not even really a food problem. For a lot of women, the bloating that doesn't respond to dietary changes is coming from somewhere the food changes never actually touched: the mineral foundation that keeps your digestive system running in the first place. A quick side note before moving on, minerals are not the only explanation. Gut issues like SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), infections like H. pylori, or other imbalances can cause this same kind of bloating, and if those haven't been ruled out, definitely do so but minerals are the piece that gets missed even when SIBO or something like it turns out to be part of the picture too. Gut damage and many times the diarrhea that often comes with it burns through minerals faster than most people can replace them. Here's what I mean. Photo credit: Maria Kovalets What Your Gut Actually Needs to Do Its Job Digestion isn't passive. Your gut doesn't just take in food and let it sit there working on its own. It's an active, muscular process that needs coordinated contractions, the right amount of stomach acid, steady fluid balance, and a nervous system calm enough to let it all happen. Every single one of those functions depends on minerals. Not fiber. Not probiotics (though those have their place). Minerals. Magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium, and zinc each have a specific job in that process, and several of them are among the first things your body burns through when you're under chronic stress [1]. So a lot of the women I work with are walking around low in exactly the minerals their gut needs most, and no elimination diet is going to change that. Magnesium and Gut Motility: Why Things Slow Down Magnesium is essential for smooth muscle function throughout your body, including the smooth muscle that lines your digestive tract [2]. Think of your gut like a conveyor belt. It's supposed to move things along in a steady, rhythmic pattern. Magnesium is part of what keeps that belt running. When magnesium runs low, that rhythm slows. Food moves through more slowly, which gives the bacteria in your gut more time to ferment it, and that's what causes the gas to build. The bloating that follows isn't a reaction to something you ate. It's your gut running on low fuel. Here's an important thing to note: stress burns through magnesium faster than most other minerals [1]. If you've been dealing with a significant amount of stress, recently or for a while, and most of my clients have, your magnesium stores may be low regardless of how clean your diet is. Calcium: The Other Half of Every Gut Contraction Magnesium lets the gut muscle relax. Calcium is what makes it squeeze. Every contraction that moves food along your digestive tract is really those two minerals trading off, calcium firing the muscle and magnesium letting it release, over and over, the whole length of the tract [3]. There are calcium sensors on the cells that line your gut from the stomach on down, and they respond to calcium and to the food coming through, helping regulate how much stomach acid gets released and how fluid moves through your gut as a meal passes along [4]. Calcium is also built right into the enzyme that breaks down starch. Amylase carries a calcium ion inside its structure, and it needs that ion to hold its shape and work at all [5]. Minerals aren't just floating through your gut waiting to be absorbed. Some of them are part of the machinery. The catch with calcium is that it only works in balance with magnesium. When magnesium runs low, calcium gets pulled out of position, and the smooth back-and-forth of a normal contraction turns choppy. That can feel like cramping, like everything moving too slowly, or both. A good example of what happens when that calcium-and-magnesium back-and-forth falls out of balance is the migrating motor complex, the cleansing wave that sweeps through your small intestine between meals to clear out leftover food debris. That wave depends on the same calcium-and-magnesium handoff, and when it weakens, debris gets left behind, which is one of the things that can set the stage for SIBO, the gut issue I mentioned earlier [6]. So something as basic as calcium and magnesium falling out of step can end up connected to something as big as SIBO. Potassium and That Heavy, Full Feeling That Won't Quit Potassium is critical for maintaining electrolyte balance in your cells, and for the smooth muscle contractions that keep your gut moving [7]. When potassium is low, the body struggles to regulate fluid and pressure inside the digestive tract. That shows up as that uncomfortable, pressurized, heavy feeling, especially in the lower abdomen. It's the kind of bloating that makes you feel like you swallowed a balloon, even when you haven't eaten much. The kind where your pants fit fine in the morning and need to be unbuttoned by the afternoon. Potassium and magnesium also tend to deplete together [8]. When one drops, the other usually follows, because they work in tandem to regulate how your cells function. This is why addressing one mineral in isolation often doesn't produce the results people are hoping for. Sodium's Surprising Role in Digestion (This One Catches People Off Guard) Most people think of sodium as a blood pressure issue and nothing more. But sodium plays a direct role in producing stomach acid (HCL) which is what your stomach uses to break down protein and signal the rest of digestion to move forward [9]. When stomach acid is low, food doesn't break down properly. Incompletely digested food travels further into your digestive tract, where bacteria ferment it. Fermentation produces gas. Gas produces bloating. It's a direct line from low sodium to that post-meal discomfort, and most people never make the connection. Cutting out the foods that seem to trigger bloating can help in the short term, because it gives a struggling digestive system less to deal with, but it doesn't fix the underlying reason the system is struggling. Zinc and the Enzymes That Break Down Your Food Sodium gets things started by making stomach acid, but that's only the first step. Breaking down a meal the rest of the way is enzyme work, and a lot of those enzymes only function with zinc built into them. Your pancreas releases enzymes that take apart protein, fat, and starch, and several of them, including the ones that finish digesting protein, carry a zinc atom at their core. Pancreatic juice (the fluid released by the pancreas that contains water, bicarbonate and enzymes) is rich in zinc for exactly this reason [10]. When zinc runs low, that enzyme work loses some of its edge. Protein and other food particles reach your large intestine only partly broken down, and the bacteria there treat whatever is left as a meal. They ferment it, and fermentation makes gas. It's the same path from incomplete digestion to bloating as before, just starting one step further up. And if you do have some overgrown bacteria in your small intestine, that fermentation and gas will make bloating happen shortly after eating. Zinc also has a second job in the gut, it helps to maintain and repair the intestinal barrier. The barrier (which contains tight junctions) determines what passes through the gut lining to the bloodstream and what stays in [11]. When zinc is short, that barrier can get leakier, in part because zinc helps keep those tight junctions between the cells intact, though the research tying zinc to gut permeability is a bit lacking compared to what backs the enzyme piece [13]. A more permeable, more irritated gut tends to be a more reactive one, which can mean more cramping and more of that swollen feeling after meals. Your body keeps almost no zinc in reserve, so consistent intake is important [12], and like other minerals mentioned here, chronic stress pulls it down along with ongoing gut inflammation, and regular alcohol, which both burns through zinc and works against that gut lining [13]. A mostly plant-based diet tends to run lower in zinc too, because meat and shellfish are the richest sources, and the phytates in grains, beans, nuts, and seeds bind up part of what the plants do contain before you absorb it [12, 14]. That doesn't make plants a problem, it just means zinc needs a little more attention when most of your food comes from them, for example soaking or sprouting to reduce phytate content. Why Stress Makes All of This Worse at Once You've most likely noticed a common theme with what reduces minerals: stress. Chronic stress is particularly hard on digestion because it burns through magnesium, potassium, and zinc at the same time, and it does so through a mechanism that's meant to keep you alive. When your body perceives stress, it shifts resources toward survival functions. Heart rate, muscle readiness, alertness. Digestion is not a survival priority, so the body essentially puts it on pause and redirects blood flow away from the gut, digestive secretions slow, and motility reduces [15]. In a short-term stressful situation, that's exactly what you want your body to do. The problem is that for many women, the stress response has been running on low-grade for years. The body never fully shifts back into rest-and-digest mode [15], and the minerals that get spent in the process never get fully replaced. So the bloating that won't quit, even on a clean diet, even with a careful food log, even with every supplement the internet recommends? A lot of the time, it's this underlying mineral need. The Part Standard Labs Don't Show You If you've had bloodwork done and been told your minerals look fine, that's not the complete picture. The body keeps mineral levels tightly regulated in the blood, because if they dropped too low, you'd be in serious trouble, so your body borrows from tissue and bone to keep blood levels normal, even when your actual stores may be running low [16]. This is why standard bloodwork often misses what's actually going on. It's measuring the regulated version, not what's available at the tissue level. HTMA, or Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, looks at mineral patterns in tissue instead. It gives a different view, one that reflects what's been happening in your body over months, not just the morning your blood was drawn. It shows how your stress response has been affecting your mineral stores, and which patterns are showing up together across your energy, your nervous system, your blood sugar, your thyroid, and your digestion. If you want the full picture of what a hair test shows and how I use it alongside blood work, I wrote a separate post on that: What Is HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)?. This is where the picture starts to make sense for a lot of women. Not because it's a new diagnosis, but because it's the first time they've seen the patterns underneath the symptoms. Your bloating isn't in your head. It's not a sign you need to find one more food to cut. Your body has been trying to tell you something, and the answer might be in the foundation, not the food. If what you just read sounds familiar, the Mineral Foundations Assessment is a low-pressure place to start. You get an at-home hair collection kit mailed to you, a video walking through your results that you can watch whenever it suits you, and a personalized starting plan based on what we actually find. It isn't a program you sign up for. Think of it as a starting point, so your next decisions about food and supplements come from what your body is doing instead of guessing. And….if part of you is wondering if what you're experiencing is really about minerals or if something else such as a gut infection or food sensitivities is being layered on, that's exactly what an Initial Functional Nutrition Assessment is for. It's a full look at your health history and the patterns connecting your symptoms, with lab recommendations built around what's actually going on for you. From there you'll have a solid foundation for what needs to happen next, whether that's minerals alone or the deeper, guided work the Wholistic ALIGNment Program is built for. Educational note: This article is for general nutrition education and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Mineral status should be interpreted in context and does not replace appropriate medical evaluation or standard laboratory testing. References [1] Cuciureanu MD, Vink R. Magnesium and stress. In: Vink R, Nechifor M, eds. Magnesium in the Central Nervous System. Adelaide: University of Adelaide Press; 2011. PMID: 29920004 [2] Uberti F, Morsanuto V, Ruga S, et al. Study of magnesium formulations on intestinal cells to influence myometrium cell relaxation. Nutrients. 2020;12(2):573. doi:10.3390/nu12020573. PMID: 32098378 [3] Perrino BA. Calcium sensitization mechanisms in gastrointestinal smooth muscles. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016;22(2):213-225. doi:10.5056/jnm15186. PMID: 26701920 [4] Kirchhoff P, Geibel JP. Role of calcium and other trace elements in the gastrointestinal physiology. World J Gastroenterol. 2006;12(20):3229-3236. doi:10.3748/wjg.v12.i20.3229. PMID: 16718844 [5] Buisson G, Duee E, Haser R, Payan F. Three dimensional structure of porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase at 2.9 A resolution. Role of calcium in structure and activity. EMBO J. 1987;6(13):3909-3916. doi:10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02731.x. PMID: 3502087 [6] Pimentel M, Soffer EE, Chow EJ, Kong Y, Lin HC. Lower frequency of MMC is found in IBS subjects with abnormal lactulose breath test, suggesting bacterial overgrowth. Dig Dis Sci. 2002;47(12):2639-2643. doi:10.1023/a:1021039032413. PMID: 12498278 [7] Fernandez-Ortuno D, et al. Potassium and the digestion system: from nutritional requirements to ion channels. IntechOpen; 2025. doi:10.5772/intechopen.1207980 [8] Huang CL, Kuo E. Mechanism of hypokalemia in magnesium deficiency. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;18(10):2649-2652. doi:10.1681/ASN.2007070792. PMID: 17804670 [9] Schubert ML. Gastric secretion. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2014;30(6):578-582. doi:10.1097/MOG.0000000000000125. PMID: 25211241 [10] Dominguez-Munoz JE, Martinez SM, Leodolter A, Malfertheiner P. Quantification of pancreatic zinc output as pancreatic function test: making the secretin-caerulein test applicable to clinical practice. Pancreatology. 2004;4(1):57-62. doi:10.1159/000077026. PMID: 14988659 [11] Camilleri M. What is the leaky gut? Clinical considerations in humans. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2021;24(5):473-482. doi:10.1097/MCO.0000000000000778. PMID: 34138767 [12] Wang M, Phadke M, Packard D, Yadav D, Gorelick F. Zinc: roles in pancreatic physiology and disease. Pancreatology. 2020;20(7):1413-1420. doi:10.1016/j.pan.2020.08.016. PMID: 32917512 [13] Zhong W, McClain CJ, Cave M, Kang YJ, Zhou Z. The role of zinc deficiency in alcohol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2010;298(5):G625-G633. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00350.2009. PMID: 20167873 [14] Hunt JR. Bioavailability of iron, zinc, and other trace minerals from vegetarian diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(3 Suppl):633S-639S. doi:10.1093/ajcn/78.3.633S. PMID: 12936958 [15] Leigh SJ, et al. The impact of acute and chronic stress on gastrointestinal physiology and function: a microbiota-gut-brain axis perspective. J Physiol. 2023;601(20):4491-4538. doi:10.1113/JP281951. PMID: 37756251 [16] Workinger JL, Doyle RP, Bortz J. Challenges in the diagnosis of magnesium status. Nutrients. 2018;10(9):1202. doi:10.3390/nu10091202. PMID: 30200431

How a hair test helps me see what your minerals are doing, and why that matters. You feel off. You're tired no matter how much sleep you get, you have digestion symptoms that are all over the place, your weight won't budge, and the mid-afternoon slump hits like a switch got flipped. Maybe you have visited with your healthcare provider, had bloodwork done and been told it all looks normal or that what you’re experiencing is just a part of aging. Or maybe you’ve tried various diet changes, supplements or the latest TikTok trend but your symptoms still don’t improve. I hear some version of this almost every week. A lot of what you're describing runs on minerals. That's why minerals are one of the first things I look at, and why I use a test called HTMA to look at them. Here's what minerals do, why I use a hair test to check them, how that fits with regular blood work, where the test came from, and what it can and can't tell you. What minerals do Minerals are behind a huge number of everyday jobs in your body. Nerve signals. Muscle contraction (including the muscle work that moves food through your gut), fluid balance and hydration. They help turn the food you eat into energy and run enzymes that do just about everything. Making stomach acid. Helping your cells use thyroid hormone. Keeping blood sugar steady. They also work as a system. No single mineral acts on its own, and they interact with vitamins too. Some minerals are antagonists, where more of one drives the other down while others are synergists, where one can't do its job unless the other shows up. For example, calcium and magnesium sit on a seesaw. Calcium is the mineral that makes things fire and tighten, so muscles contract and nerves send signals while magnesium is the one that lets everything settle and relax again. When calcium rides high and magnesium can't keep up, you feel it as muscle cramps, tight shoulders, a racing heart, or a mind that won't switch off at night. Zinc and copper push and pull the same manner, raising one tends to lower the other. It works with vitamins the same way. Vitamin D pulls more calcium across your gut wall, and magnesium is what lets your body switch vitamin D on in the first place. This is why supplementing without knowing what's really going on can create new imbalances and leave you feeling worse instead of better. A "just take magnesium" approach is a good example. Same with a calcium supplement, vitamin D, or a multivitamin you picked because you saw it on social media. Without seeing the whole pattern, you can push another mineral further out of line and stack a new problem on top of the old one. Also, a single mineral number only tells me so much on its own. It’s important to look at the relationship between specific minerals (which are read as significant ratios on the HTMA) such as sodium to potassium, calcium to magnesium, calcium to potassium and others with each pairing providing insight to something different. These ratios are where a lot of useful information sits. For example, they can give me an idea of how you're handling stress, how your blood sugar balance is, and how your cells are responding to thyroid hormone. The thyroid ratio (Ca/K) is a great example of why you may have thyroid blood labs that are within normal range but you feel symptoms of low thyroid because the hormone is having issues at a cellular level. When the pattern is off, the symptoms are usually vague and scattered. Fatigue. The afternoon crash. Feeling wired and exhausted at the same time. Bloating or constipation. Waking up unrested. Feeling cold. A shorter fuse for stress than you used to have. None of these point to one specific thing on their own, which is exactly why they may get brushed off. I don't like to guess. I want to see what your minerals are doing, and I want to see them TOGETHER. Why I use a hair test to look at minerals HTMA stands for Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. It's a lab analysis of a small hair sample, cut from close to your scalp. The lab measures how much of certain minerals, heavy metals and trace elements are in the hair sample. Hair grows slowly, and minerals get laid down into it as it grows, in patterns, not at random so a sample reflects an average of what your minerals have been doing over roughly the last two to four months. It's a trend, not a single moment. That's the part I find useful. I'm not reading one number and reacting to it. I'm looking at the relationships between minerals, the ratios, and which patterns show up together. A hair test can also show a shift at the tissue level while standard blood work still reads normal. Your body works hard to keep blood mineral levels inside a narrow range, so those numbers hold steady even when your stores are running down. Hair gives a longer view of what's been happening underneath. How a hair test differs from blood work Blood work and hair analysis answer different questions, and when possible I will use both. Think of blood work as a photo taken this morning, it’s a snapshot of one moment in time. It's precise, it's current, and your doctor uses it to rule in/rule out conditions and make diagnoses. A hair test is more like a few months of footage, it shows the direction things have been moving, and it does that at a cellular level. Here's why that difference matters. The body needs to keep blood levels in a very narrow range so if a blood mineral level dropped far enough to read as "low," your body pulls from tissue and bone to keep that number within range. Your blood work can come back normal while your actual reserves are running low. A hair test can pick that up. When possible, it’s great to see both. Blood work for the medical picture. A hair test for the mineral pattern underneath the symptoms. I especially want both when someone has, for example, thyroid symptoms with "normal" thyroid labs, or chronic fatigue with normal iron. What I don't do is use a hair test to replace medical testing, or to explain away an abnormal blood result. It's one layer to consider, not the whole answer. What HTMA can't tell you This kind of testing has been in clinical use for more than 40 years. It became widely available in the 1970s, and the lab I use has been running hair mineral analysis for almost 40 years. The equipment has come a long way since then. The instruments labs use now are far more precise and can pick up much smaller amounts, which is part of why a well-run hair test today holds up better than the ones that got picked apart in older reviews. A fair word on the criticism You may have read that hair mineral testing is unreliable. That reputation comes mostly from a couple of studies, one from the 1980s and one from the early 2000s, that sent hair samples to several different labs and got results that didn't match. Here's what those studies had in common. The labs prepared the samples differently, and some of them chemically washed the hair before testing. Washing gets rid of surface residue, but it also strips out water-soluble minerals like sodium and potassium. A lab that washes and a lab that doesn't are never going to agree on the same piece of hair. Since then, other research has shown the other side of it. With proper quality control and a sample that isn't washed, hair is a valid way to read mineral and trace-element status over time. Here’s how I handle it. I use a certified lab that does not chemically wash the hair sample. Because I use the same lab every time, your repeat tests can be compared to each other. I read the pattern and the ratios, not one number held up against a population range. And a hair test is never used to diagnose anything. Who might want to look at their mineral pattern Looking at your mineral pattern can be worth it when you've got symptoms that won't let up and you want a fuller picture, especially when more than one thing seems off at once: Chronic fatigue or afternoon crashes that aren’t helped by sleep Brain fog or trouble focusing Bloating, constipation, heartburn or other digestive symptoms Feeling wired, overwhelmed, or slow to recover from stress Trouble falling or staying asleep Cravings, hydration issues, or feeling drained no matter what you drink Thyroid concerns, or midlife changes that don't have one simple explanation A long list of supplements and no clear sense of what you really need Testing is only worth it if it changes what you do next I'm not interested in running a test just to hand you more numbers. The point is to make your next step clear. Many times, that means mineral support but it may also mean working on digestion, eating different macros, increasing hydration, reducing current supplements, managing stress, focusing on sleep, or some additional testing for more information. A good plan tells you what to do first, what can wait, and when to check again. That beats changing ten things at once and having no idea which one helped. The Mineral Foundations Assessment If you're tired of guessing, this is where the work starts. The Mineral Foundations Assessment is a low-commitment way to look at your mineral pattern in the context of your symptoms, your stress, your digestion, and your energy. You get an at-home hair collection kit mailed to you, a video walking through your results that you can watch whenever it suits you, and a personalized starting plan based on what we find. It isn't a program you sign up for. Think of it as a starting point. No more guessing. Get a clearer sense of what your body needs next, so you can make better decisions about food and support from there. This article is for general nutrition education. It isn't meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. A hair mineral analysis should be read in context, and it doesn't replace medical evaluation or standard lab testing. References Barrett S. Commercial hair analysis: science or scam? JAMA. 1985;254(8):1041-1045. Seidel S, Kreutzer R, Smith D, McNeel S, Gilliss D. Assessment of commercial laboratories performing hair mineral analysis. JAMA. 2001;285(1):67-72. doi:10.1001/jama.285.1.67 Bass DA, Hickock D, Quig D, Urek K. Trace element analysis in hair: factors determining accuracy, precision, and reliability. Altern Med Rev. 2001;6(5):472-481. Gellein K, Lierhagen S, Brevik PS, et al. Trace element profiles in single strands of human hair determined by HR-ICP-MS. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2008;123(1-3):250-260. doi:10.1007/s12011-008-8104-0

Sound harsh? Maybe. But I say this from a place of genuine caring and the desire to help you understand what IBS really is (and isn’t). I get it, you have felt bad for so long, the symptoms that you experience are very real and have a huge impact on your life; they may cause you to miss work or not be as productive while you are there, to miss out on plans with family or friends because you are afraid to leave the house (and the comfort of your own bathroom) or you may not be as active as you once were because let’s face it who wants to get outside on a 5 mile walk, run or hike (or be in the middle of kickboxing class at the gym that you used to love) and risk having diarrhea hit? Right? You’ve gone to your doctor, you’ve have had probably what seems like an endless number of tests done and finally, you get diagnosed with IBS – irritable bowel syndrome. Yeah! There you have it, the answer you have been seeking, right? Wrong and here’s why. You see IBS while technically is a diagnosis, in reality it is a label, a description of what your symptoms are but it doesn’t tell you WHY you have the symptoms that you do (I mean think about it....WHY is your bowel irritable anyway?) That’s why I’m encouraging you to keep looking, to not accept this diagnosis as the be all, end all because if you do decide to learn to live with this label, then you are making a terrible mistake that’s bound to keep you feeling miserable. There is much more that you can do, that you can take charge of that your doctor most likely didn’t talk you about and YOU, your health is worth fighting for! So let’s talk a bit more about IBS and I will show you what I mean...... The Medical Definition of IBS The technical criteria for diagnosing IBS is set by the Rome Foundation which is “independent not-for-profit organization that provides support for activities designed to create scientific data and educational information to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs)” (1) New Rome IV criteria for diagnosing IBS states that (2): Recurrent abdominal pain, “should be present at least 1 day per week during the previous 3 months” and be: – Related to defecation and/or – Associated with a change in frequency of stool and/or – Associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool Criteria fulfilled for the last 3 months with symptom onset at least 6 months before diagnosis. Even though the new Rome criteria has been updated, it’s still pretty broad and it’s no surprise then how many people will fit these criteria and be diagnosed with IBS. Also, as you can see the Rome criteria describes a set of symptoms but offers no explanation for WHY does someone have abdominal pain at least 1 day per week? WHY might the pain be relieved with defecation? WHY does someone experience a change in the frequency or appearance of stool? These are questions that have to be answered in order for you to get feeling better. Why you shouldn’t settle for an IBS diagnosis A “diagnosis” is a label given to a consistent group of symptoms and then the symptoms are treated according to that label. Did you know that IBS is considered to be a diagnosis of exclusion? (3) This means that you go to your doctor with common symptoms like gas/bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation (or both) and based upon your history, he or she will typically run a few tests to rule out more serious conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colon cancer, celiac disease and possibly common pathogens like giardia. Once these tests come back negative, the digging stops and you are labeled with IBS. From this point, you most likely will be prescribed whatever the most common IBS medication is and sent on your way. The doctor’s work is done. But due to this approach, many times you may be receiving an IBS diagnosis and be prescribed medication too quickly. And while you may find temporary symptom relief from this approach, in reality, if the underlying cause is not addressed most likely you will eventually begin to feel like crap again, old symptoms may return, or new symptoms may arise and the cycle of trial and error begins - going back to the doctor, perhaps trying a new one, desperately trying to get relief from your symptoms. While there are pros and cons to receiving a medical diagnosis or label; IBS as a label is a particularly problematic one because it implies that you have found the problem, that there is no reason to continue to look for a specific root cause yet it provides no real guidance on what your next steps should be beyond taking the latest prescription or just living with it. Let me be clear, I am not against medication, prescription or otherwise to provide some temporary symptom relief. I get it. If taking some anti-diarrhea medicine allows you to have a life, to do fun things with friends and family, I’m all for it but please don’t stop there. Remember IBS is not a cause but rather it is a description of your symptoms and having a label for your symptoms or taking a medication that temporarily alleviates those symptoms doesn’t help you get better. For example, your symptoms may be abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea but the underlying root cause could be food intolerances, bacterial or yeast overgrowth or malabsorption issues just to name a few. If you are unable to stop a medication without symptoms returning, then your root cause has not been identified or properly addressed. Symptoms are our bodies way of telling us something is wrong, is out of balance. When we try to only manage symptoms, and don’t look for and address the root cause for why we have them, it can have an impact on our health in the long term. Think of it like this – if you have a campfire that looks like it has been put out unless you stir it up to make sure, it’s possible that there are still embers burning below the top ash that could set off a forest fire. The same goes for only addressing your IBS symptoms and not addressing the underlying root cause that is still “burning”. Final Thoughts At the end of the day, ultimately, I don’t mind someone being told or labeled as having IBS. By receiving this diagnosis, it tells me that they have been checked for more serious conditions by a physician and that they have gut issues that require more investigative work, which is something for me to work with. What I do mind is people who are still suffering and don’t know where to turn or what to do because receiving an IBS diagnosis seems so final and there isn’t a treatment for IBS, only for the root causes for IBS. If you have received an IBS diagnosis, I would recommend finding a functional practitioner to work with that can help identify and address your specific underlying causes because there is always a reason for a symptom. If you would like to learn more about how I can help, you can get started by scheduling an initial visit. References: 1. Rome Foundation. www.theromefoundation.org 2. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2017 Apr; 23(2): 151–163. Published online 2017 Apr 1. doi: 10.5056/jnm16214 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5383110/ 3. Camilleri, M. (2012). Irritable bowel syndrome: how useful is the term and the “diagnosis”? Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, 5(6), 381–386 Camilleri, M. (2012). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491678/ wholisticworks.com #digestive #IBS

Client praises and stories from our clients' who found lasting relief through functional nutrition, root-cause testing, and personalized care at Wholistic Works, LLC. Client Praises SCROLL OR VIEW BY CATEGORY BENEFITS RESULTS REVIEWS I was diagnosed with IBS-D over 20 years ago. Whenever I was out and about, knowing where to locate the restrooms was necessary. I carried an extra change of clothes in the car - just in case. I NEVER EVER left home without my little blue pills (Imodium). No one had ever indicated that my diet may cause my IBS until I went to a gastroenterologist who suggested I look into the LOW-FODMAP diet. Cathy H. I have struggled with food allergies for years. I thought maybe it was general IBS, so I tried OTC methods and wasn't seeing any improvements. I met with an allergy specialist and had a pin prick test done, which identified a few allergies. I tried to balance that myself but couldn't eliminate the symptoms. I was often sick, experiencing stomach cramps and pain after meals and having GI distress for hours and sometimes days after eating something. I usually throw up after a meal when I eat something terrible. Identifying what was causing it was challenging, so I was often sick without knowing what caused it or why. I also struggled with inflammation and joint pain. Rachael B. Since I was old enough to notice, my belly was gassy, bloated, and uncomfortable. I was always aware of where the bathrooms were anytime I visited places. This was just how it was. This was my usual. Eventually, I eliminated dairy and gluten, but I still didn't feel good... I was removing things from my diet and never feeling any better. Could it be FODMAPS? Could it be some kind of allergy? Could it be..... the question was a constant, and nothing seemed to answer it. I tried probiotics, and supplements, only eating organic whole foods. I made everything from scratch. I thought I was doing it right, but still felt no better. I tried an online food sensitivity test, and nothing about the results felt right. I didn't know what to do next. Jen M. When I began working with Marissa, I had lost a lot of weight, my IBS was ruling my life, and I had no idea what to eat that wouldn't make things worse. I felt like I had tried everything and was desperate to get my life back. Sandra K. Working with Marissa has completely changed my life. There were days when I honestly thought I would fall into a coma while driving or walking. Super dangerous! I could not keep up with life itself, and every day it seemed like I had to drag myself out of bed every morning. I had terrible insomnia and couldn't get myself to sleep without the use of sleeping aids. Kristin M. When your gut is constantly inflamed, even simple tasks like bending over to tie your shoes, walking around the house, and exercising are pure misery. Now I can do all those things without any pain or discomfort. Kathryn B. Marissa used extensive testing to provide me with a tailor-made plan to address issues with my body instead of a catch-all solution like many traditional GI doctors and nutritionists. I learned how to heal my gut, manage my histamine intolerance, and rebalance my body. I have zero mystery headaches, dangerous anaphylactic episodes, and almost no GI issues. I'm learning to evaluate and introduce foods back into my diet. I feel happier, more comfortable, and more informed than ever. Kathryn B. I was referred to Marissa by a local dietician. Marissa took the time to explain how my diet may affect my quality of life. Initially, I was overwhelmed with the information I was researching regarding implementing the LOW-FODMAP diet. Marissa walked me through the steps to determine which foods are not “gut-friendly” (for me). I set personal wellness goals with her assistance, which we reviewed monthly. During our meetings, Marissa was always enthusiastic and encouraging. My quality of life has improved tremendously because of her guidance and support. Cathy H. The LEAP diet helped me dig into specific foods and identify what was causing me pain and symptoms. Because the diet is so precise and detailed, I could dig into each food group and track how different foods and different amounts of foods affected me. Rachael B. Marissa is amazing! I had no idea how bad I felt until Marissa and the MRT/LEAP program helped me find a normal. My new belly isn't gassy, uncomfortable, or bloated, and food doesn't feel like a game of roulette (so what will happen this time, and where is the bathroom?). I can visit places and be active without worrying about where to find a nearby bathroom. Jen M. I can't believe how quickly my symptoms went away! Feeling so much better. Sonya C. I am walking away with confidence and an understanding of what causes my symptoms, how much of those trigger foods I can or cannot handle, and what to expect if I eat something I am sensitive to. I can manage this on my own and feel SO MUCH BETTER! Rachael B. 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 ... 5 TAKE THE FIRST STEP You've seen our clients' life-changing SUCCESS Stores. Are YOU ready to take the first step toward feeling whole again? Start with the Mineral Foundations Assessment to see what your body's been trying to tell you, or begin the Wholistic ALIGNment Program with an initial visit if you're ready for full support. START WITH HTMA EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Explore functional lab testing — HTMA, GI-MAP, and MRT — to uncover mineral imbalances, gut issues, and food sensitivities standard labs miss. WHOLISTIC WORKS, LLC · FUNCTIONAL LABS Functional Lab Testing What your body has been trying to tell you Standard labs rule out disease, while functional labs identify patterns of dysfunction before they become serious. They reveal the “why” behind your symptoms, helping us create a personalized plan. LEARN HOW TO GET STARTED The three labs I use the most. Functional lab testing isn't one-size-fits-all. I use three main tests, but I don't run all three for everyone. HTMA is my foundational test and where most clients start. From there, I may add GI-MAP, MRT, or blood, breath, and urine testing, depending on what you're experiencing. A lot of folks feel off even when their labs say "normal." Others have never had the chance to test at all. Either way, functional testing helps us understand what's actually going on in your body. HTMA HTMA HAIR TISSUE MINERAL ANALYSIS A window into your mineral status, stress patterns, and metabolic function WHAT IT IS HTMA is a non-invasive tissue test that uses a small sample of hair to assess your mineral levels and ratios over the past 2 to 3 months. Unlike blood work, which reflects what is circulating right now, HTMA gives us a longer-term picture of how your body has been managing minerals and responding to stress. Minerals are the foundation of nearly every process in your body. Energy production, hormone balance, thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, sleep, and nervous system resilience all depend on minerals being in the right amounts and ratios. When they fall out of balance, you feel it throughout your whole system. If you've looked into micronutrient blood panels before, you know they can be expensive and often require a lab visit. HTMA offers a more affordable, at-home way to understand your mineral status and how your body has been managing stress over time — without the cost or hassle of a blood draw. THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE: Testing is done at home using a small hair sample from the back of the head, which is then mailed to the lab. No needles, no clinic visits required. THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE Fatigue that doesn't improve with rest GERD/REFLUX Anxiety or feeling wired but tired Bloating Brain fog Blood sugar irregularities Low thyroid symptoms Muscle cramps or tension Diarrhea Poor sleep Difficulty recovering from stress Hormonal irregularities Constipation WHAT WE LEARN FROM IT Key mineral levels: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, copper, and more Mineral ratios that reflect adrenal and thyroid function patterns Metabolic rate and stress response tendencies Presence of heavy metals that may interfere with mineral function "I have no more episodes of low blood sugar and blood pressure, my hair is growing back, and no more gray hair. Because of this work, I can finally realize my dream of starting a family." — Kristin M. GI-MAP GI-MAP GASTROINTESTINAL MICROBIAL ASSAY PLUS A comprehensive look at what is living in your gut and how your digestive system is functioning WHAT IT IS "Also known as comprehensive stool testing, the GI-MAP uses DNA analysis... Up to 90% of all diseases can be traced back to the health of the gut — which is exactly what this test is designed to uncover." THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE: The GI-MAP stool test uses DNA analysis to assess your gut’s full ecosystem, including bacteria, parasites, fungi, viruses, and key markers of digestion, inflammation, immune function, and intestinal health. Your gut does more than digest food; it influences immune regulation, neurotransmitter production, hormone metabolism, and overall inflammation. Gut issues can affect many body systems beyond digestion. GI-MAP is more sensitive than standard stool tests, detecting even dormant microbes for a clearer, more accurate view of your gut health. The collection kit is mailed to your home and returned via a FedEx prepaid label. The process is simple and completed in the privacy of your own home. THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE Joint pain or body-wide inflammation Bloating or gas Anxiety or feeling wired but tired IBS or IBD Unexplained fatigue Skin issues: eczema, psoriasis Weight changes without a clear cause Heartburn or reflux Constipation or diarrhea Autoimmune conditions Frequent illness or immune challenges Brain fog Hormonal digestive changes WHAT WE LEARN FROM IT H. Pylori and its virulence factors Levels of beneficial and opportunistic bacteria Markers of intestinal inflammation Signs of leaky gut (intestinal permeability) Digestive enzyme output and secretory immune response Presence of bacterial, parasitic, viral pathogens in the GI tract MRT MRT MEDIATOR RELEASE TEST Identifying how your immune system responds to the foods and food chemicals you eat every day WHAT IT IS The MRT blood test measures your immune system's response to 176 foods and chemicals. Unlike food allergies, food sensitivity reactions can be delayed by hours or days, making triggers hard to identify. When your immune system reacts, it releases chemicals causing inflammation, leading to symptoms like digestive issues, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and skin problems. The MRT identifies these foods to create a personalized, calming diet plan. MRT is one of the most accurate food sensitivity tests, covering key immune pathways beyond standard panels. THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE: A blood draw is done at a local lab of your choice. The kit and lab slip are mailed to you. We review the results together in a virtual appointment. THIS MAY HELP IF YOU EXPERIENCE IBS or chronic digestive complaints Chronic fatigue Migraines or frequent headaches Heartburn Anxiety Joint or muscle pain Chronic sinusitis or congestion Autoimmune conditions Skin conditions Brain fog Gas/Bloating WHAT WE LEARN FROM IT Your immune reactivity to 176 specific foods and food chemicals Which foods are the safest starting point for an anti-inflammatory eating plan Which foods may be silently driving your symptoms A personalized roadmap for a structured elimination and reintroduction process WORK WITH ME Two ways to work together Choose the pathway that is right for you PATHWAY 1 - A GREAT START HTMA Mineral Foundations Assessment A simple, at-home hair test that gives us a foundational look at your mineral status, stress patterns, and metabolic function. Includes the kit and a video results review for you to watch (and rewatch as desired!). A great way to get real information and clear next steps without committing to a full program. START WITH HTMA PATHWAY 2 - FULL JOURNEY Wholistic ALIGNment Program If you are ready to dive in fully, my Wholistic ALIGNment Program is a 1:1 partnership built around your story, your labs, and your goals. The first step is to schedule an initial assessment. No pressure no obligation to commit to the program — just a real conversation about what's going on and a path for moving forward. . SCHEDULE YOUR ASSESSMENT

Marissa Mekelburg coaches and provides clinical support to practitioners and nutritionists ready to grow their clinical skills. MENTORING AND SUPPORT Coaching for Practitioners and Nutritionists Private practice can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with new and complex client cases in GI health. GET STARTED GI Dietitian with 22+ years of experience MENTORING and SUPPORT for dietitians and nutritionists who want to dive into a functional nutritional approach for GI disease and disorders. Marissa SHARES and TEACHES from her years of experience to help you grow your private practice and enhance clinical skills in the world of digestive health. "At some point, we all experience the feeling of not knowing what we are doing —even experienced practitioners." Clinical Support Case Reviews and Support to create your personalized treatment plans and protocols. LEARN how to get started with Functional Lab Testing . Which ones to run, when, and how to interpret them. Supplement Use: What to use, when, and more. Mentoring Sessions: Over the phone or via video conferencing | 30-90 minutes Time depends on the following: Initial case review Follow-up Sessions As needed, up to once a week. Between sessions, receive clarification on anything covered in the previous session New questions or new cases require a new session. With a purchased time block, additional questions can be answered by email with that time counting toward your block. It is normal to feel lost and unsure of where to start. "As your business expands, it becomes crucial to establish a proper strategy to handle your clients' specific requirements and personalized services effectively." Rates & Pricing Initial case reviews | $245/90 minutes Follow-up on previous case | $175/60 minutes | $85/30 minutes Discounted 4 hour package | $595 Perfect if you already have multiple cases to review or know that a case will require ongoing visits. May be used for case reviews, follow-ups and email responses in any combination up to 4hrs. Must be used within 2 months. COACHING & SUPPORT Ready to move the needle in your business? Book a mentoring session and bring your questions. We'll work through what's actually happening with your client and where to go next. SCHEDULE YOUR MENTORING SESSION