Gut Health & Digestive Restoration

Functional Medicine for IBS, SIBO, Leaky Gut, Reflux, Bloating & Chronic Digestive Issues

Why Gut Health Matters

Your gut is the foundation of your entire physiology. When digestion, microbiome balance, motility, or intestinal integrity are disrupted, symptoms extend far beyond the stomach — affecting hormones, immunity, inflammation, metabolism, mood, neurological function, and overall energy.

At Denver Sports & Holistic Medicine, Dr. Martina Sturm provides root-cause, Functional and Integrative Medicine–based gastrointestinal care. Using advanced diagnostics, personalized nutrition, herbal medicine, acupuncture, nervous system regulation, and targeted supplementation, we identify the true drivers behind digestive symptoms and restore balance from the inside out.

Care is available both in person and through telemedicine.

Conditions Commonly Treated

• IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
• Leaky gut & intestinal permeability
• Reflux, GERD, heartburn
• Bloating & abdominal distension
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Candida & fungal overgrowth
• Parasites
• Chronic nausea or poor appetite
• Post-infectious IBS
• Food sensitivities & intolerances
• Histamine intolerance / MCAS
• Ulcerative colitis & Crohn’s (supportive care)
• Digestive symptoms associated with chronic illness, mold, or inflammation

Gut symptoms are often the result of systemic imbalance — not just local digestive issues.

Our Integrative Approach to Gut Healing

1. Functional Testing to Identify the Root Cause

Advanced diagnostics reveal why your symptoms developed and what must be corrected for long-term healing:

• GI-MAP & comprehensive stool analysis
• SIBO breath testing
• Zonulin & intestinal permeability markers
• Organic Acids Test (OAT) for yeast, metabolites & dysbiosis
• Pancreatic enzyme & digestive capacity markers
• Food sensitivity testing
• Microbiome mapping
• Inflammatory markers (calprotectin, secretory IgA)

→ Functional Lab Testing

2. Microbiome Rebalancing & Pathogen Clearance

Gut healing begins with addressing the internal ecosystem.

We gently and strategically target:

• Dysbiosis
• SIBO / intestinal overgrowth
• Yeast & fungal overgrowth
• Parasites
• Low-grade chronic infections

Using evidence-based tools:

• Herbal antimicrobials and botanicals
• Biofilm support (when indicated)
• Targeted probiotics & prebiotics
• Anti-inflammatory, gut-healing nutrition
• Acupuncture for motility, inflammation & vagal tone

3. Leaky Gut Repair & Inflammation Reduction

Intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) drives systemic inflammation, immune dysregulation, hormone imbalance, and skin issues.

We support repair using:

• L-glutamine & mucosal healing nutrients
• Zinc carnosine
• Collagen & amino acids
• Anti-inflammatory botanicals
• Microbiome rebalancing protocols
• Food sensitivity elimination

Once the gut lining heals, symptoms across the entire body improve.

4. Motility & Digestive Strength Optimization

Your gut cannot heal if motility is sluggish, inconsistent, or dysregulated.

We address:

• Vagus nerve dysfunction
• Post-infection motility disorders
• Chronic constipation or slow transit
• Stress-induced GI symptoms

Treatments include:

• Acupuncture
• Nervous system regulation
• Prokinetic support
• Breathwork & vagal retraining
• Bioenergetic therapies

→ Bioenergetic & Nervous System Therapies

5. Detoxification & Liver Support for Gut Balance

The liver and gut work together. When detox pathways are overwhelmed, digestive symptoms become persistent and harder to resolve.

Common contributors include:

• Mold toxicity
• Lyme & co-infections
• Heavy metals
• Environmental toxins
• Endocrine disruptors

→ Detoxification & Environmental Medicine

6. Hormone–Gut Axis Balancing

Hormonal fluctuations directly impact:

• Bloating
• Motility
• Microbiome diversity
• Inflammation
• Stress resilience

Balancing hormones often improves chronic digestive patterns.

→ Hormone & Metabolic Optimization

7. Nutrition & Lifestyle Personalization

Your nutrition plan is customized to your physiology and diagnosis. Options include:

• Anti-inflammatory gut-healing protocols
• Low FODMAP (when indicated)
• Anti-candida / anti-microbial diets
• Histamine-friendly nutrition
• Blood sugar stabilization
• Stress and sleep optimization

Nutrition becomes a powerful therapeutic tool when matched to your biology.

Common Symptoms of Gut Imbalance

• Bloating (post-meal or constant)
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Gas, burping, indigestion
• Nausea or early fullness
• Reflux or burning
• Food sensitivities
• Brain fog, fatigue, irritability
• Skin issues (eczema, acne, hives, psoriasis)
• Hormonal symptoms
• Autoimmune activation

Gut Health Impacts Every System

When the gut heals, patients commonly experience improvements in:

• Energy
• Mood
• Stress resilience
• Cognitive clarity
• Immune balance
• Skin
• Hormone regulation
• Inflammation

Gut health is foundational medicine.

Why Patients Choose Dr. Martina Sturm

• Expert in complex chronic GI cases
• Functional & Integrative Medicine training
• Evidence-based herbal and nutritional therapy
• Acupuncture + nervous system regulation
• Whole-person, root-cause evaluation
• In-person and nationwide telemedicine

Start Your Gut Healing Journey

You don’t have to live with discomfort after meals, unpredictable digestion, or symptoms that no provider has been able to explain. Your gut holds the key to your energy, hormones, immune function, and long-term resilience — and with the right evaluation, the path forward becomes clear.

Ready to identify the root cause of your digestive symptoms and restore balance from the inside out?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes IBS, SIBO, or chronic bloating?

Common underlying causes include dysbiosis, food sensitivities, low stomach acid, leaky gut, stress, vagus nerve dysfunction, impaired motility, chronic infections, mold exposure, and inflammatory triggers. We use targeted functional testing to determine the exact root cause.

2. What is the difference between SIBO and IBS?

SIBO is a specific condition involving bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
IBS is a broader diagnosis describing digestive symptoms without identifying the cause.
Many IBS cases are actually undiagnosed SIBO — which is why testing is so important.

3. Can gut issues cause fatigue, anxiety, or brain fog?

Yes. The gut-brain axis directly affects mood, cognition, energy, and emotional regulation through the vagus nerve, inflammatory pathways, neurotransmitter production, and metabolic function. Treating the gut often improves neurological and mood-related symptoms.

4. How long does it take to heal the gut?

Most patients experience noticeable improvement within 4–12 weeks.
More complex cases — such as recurring SIBO, mold-related digestive issues, chronic infections, or autoimmune gut patterns — may require deeper healing over several months.

5. Do you treat Candida or fungal overgrowth?

Yes. We use functional testing to confirm overgrowth and create targeted antifungal herbal protocols paired with dietary adjustments, microbiome restoration, and inflammation reduction.

6. Can you help with reflux or GERD without medication?

Often, yes. Reflux is frequently caused by factors such as low stomach acid, microbial imbalance, poor motility, delayed stomach emptying, or dietary triggers. Addressing the root cause can significantly reduce or eliminate symptoms without long-term medication.

7. Do you offer telemedicine for GI issues?

Yes. Functional gut evaluation, advanced testing, and personalized treatment planning are fully available via telemedicine, making care accessible no matter where you live.