GI Healing
You can heal from this.
There are many possible causes for gut dysregulation and disease. Parasites (viruses, bacteria, and multicellular organisms are included in this category), yeast overgrowth, mold exposure, bacterial infections, and dietary choices can lead to leaky gut.
Food sensitivities and allergies are treated with a proprietary protocol by Dr. Hackett. It is tailored to each patient’s specific needs. Use the power of nature to heal. Rely upon the power of your body’s innate drive to heal. Dr. Hackett can help you leverage mind, body, and spirit to live better than ever.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and functional medicine offer holistic approaches to improving gastrointestinal (GI) health by addressing root causes and promoting balance in the body. For conditions like colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D and IBS-C), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis (UC), leaky gut, and gut-related autoimmune diseases, these modalities focus on personalized care, integrating dietary adjustments, herbal remedies, acupuncture, and stress management to reduce inflammation, regulate digestion, and restore gut microbiome balance.
TCM uses herbs like Huang Qin (Scutellaria) and acupuncture to calm flare-ups and harmonize the spleen and stomach, while functional medicine employs advanced testing to identify triggers like food sensitivities or dysbiosis. For parasite cleanses targeting viral, bacterial, mold, fungal, yeast, or helminth infestations, both approaches combine antimicrobial herbs (e.g., berberine, wormwood) with protocols to detoxify and rebuild gut integrity, offering a comprehensive path to healing chronic GI issues and enhancing overall wellness.
Conditions Dr. Hackett Treats
Leaky gut is at the root of so many chronic conditions in GI health and autoimmune disease. There is a way to heal the layers of your gut tissues. Dr. Hacket has treated this for many years.
Leaky Gut
TCM and functional medicine address leaky gut (increased intestinal permeability) by repairing the gut barrier and reducing systemic inflammation. In TCM, leaky gut is seen as a spleen and stomach qi deficiency, treated with acupuncture points like ST36 and CV12 to strengthen digestion, and herbs like Huang Qi (Astragalus) or Bai Zhu to tonify qi and heal the gut lining. Functional medicine uses tests like zonulin or lactulose-mannitol assays to confirm leaky gut, prescribing gut-healing protocols with L-glutamine, collagen peptides, or bone broth, alongside elimination diets to remove inflammatory triggers like gluten or dairy. Both approaches emphasize restoring microbiome balance with probiotics and reducing stress through qigong or meditation, aiming to seal the gut lining and prevent systemic issues like food sensitivities or autoimmunity.
IBS-D (Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Diarrhea Predominant)
For IBS-D, TCM and functional medicine work synergistically to calm hyperactive digestion and restore gut motility. TCM views IBS-D as a disharmony of the liver and spleen, often caused by stress or dietary imbalances, and uses acupuncture points like ST25 (Tianshu) and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) to regulate bowel movements and soothe the digestive tract. Herbal formulas like Tong Xie Yao Fang (Painful Diarrhea Formula) help balance qi and reduce diarrhea. Functional medicine employs diagnostic tools like breath tests for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or food intolerance testing to pinpoint triggers, prescribing targeted probiotics, digestive enzymes, or low-FODMAP diets to stabilize gut flora. Both approaches address stress-induced symptoms through mindfulness or qigong, aiming to normalize bowel function and improve quality of life.
IBS-C (Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Constipation Predominant)
TCM and functional medicine tackle IBS-C by promoting healthy gut motility and addressing underlying imbalances. In TCM, IBS-C is often associated with spleen qi deficiency or liver qi stagnation, treated with acupuncture (e.g., CV12 for stomach qi flow) and herbs like Ma Zi Ren Wan (Hemp Seed Pill) to lubricate the intestines and ease constipation. Functional medicine investigates root causes like dysbiosis, dehydration, or magnesium deficiency through stool and blood tests, recommending high-fiber diets, hydration protocols, and supplements like magnesium citrate or probiotics to enhance gut motility. Both modalities emphasize lifestyle changes, such as stress management through tai chi or meditation, to alleviate symptoms and restore regular bowel movements, customizing plans to the patient’s specific needs.
Colitis
TCM and functional medicine offer complementary approaches that are designed to go beyond managing colitis to resolving this inflammatory condition of the colon. The inflammation can be related to a variety of stressors. The foundation restoring gut balance and healing GI tissue layers.
In TCM, colitis is often linked to damp-heat or spleen qi deficiency, treated with acupuncture to regulate the large intestine meridian and herbs like Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodes macrocephala) to clear heat, reduce inflammation, and strengthen digestion. Functional medicine focuses on identifying triggers through comprehensive stool tests, identitfying aggravating foods, and microbiome analysis, often recommending anti-inflammatory diets like the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) or low-FODMAP protocols. Dr. Hackett has a unique approach to resolving food sensitivities. It is in part about adjusting the diet to become more varied and allow for a broader set of food choices as your gut heals itself.
Both approaches emphasize stress reduction (via acupuncture and mindfulness meditation techniques) and personalized nutrition to repair the gut lining, reduce flare-ups, and promote long-term remission, tailoring treatments to the individual’s unique imbalances.
Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
For ulcerative colitis (UC), TCM and functional medicine focus on reducing colon inflammation and supporting mucosal and tissue healing. TCM attributes UC to damp-heat accumulation and spleen qi weakness, using acupuncture (e.g., SP9 for dampness, LI11 for heat) and herbs like Ku Shen (Sophora flavescens) or Bai Tou Weng (Pulsatilla) to clear inflammation and stabilize bowel function. Functional medicine identifies triggers through comprehensive testing (e.g., stool tests for dysbiosis or blood tests for nutrient deficiencies), recommending anti-inflammatory diets like SCD or Mediterranean, along with supplements protocol designed to repair the unique issues of your colon lining. Both modalities integrate stress management techniques, such as acupuncture or mindfulness, to mitigate flare-ups and support long-term gut health, tailoring interventions to your individual symptoms.
Crohn’s Disease
TCM and functional medicine provide holistic strategies for managing Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, by reducing inflammation and supporting gut repair. TCM views Crohn’s as a combination of damp-heat and spleen deficiency, using acupuncture to stimulate points like LI4 (Hegu) and ST36 (Zusanli) to boost immunity and reduce gut inflammation, alongside herbal formulas like Shen Ling Bai Zhu San to strengthen digestion and clear heat. Functional medicine employs advanced diagnostics, such as fecal calprotectin tests and gut microbiome analysis, to identify inflammatory triggers, prescribing anti-inflammatory diets (e.g., autoimmune protocol or AIP) and appropriate supplements for you to heal your gut lining. Both approaches prioritize stress reduction and personalized nutrition to manage flare-ups and promote remission, addressing the disease’s systemic impact.
If you are taking medications for these conditions, Dr. Hackett will work with you to ensure the herbs and supplements do not negatively interact with them. Most of her patients have been able to reduce or completely eliminate their medications.
Parasite Cleanses (Viral, Bacterial, Mold, Fungus, Yeast, Helminths)
TCM and functional medicine offer comprehensive approaches to parasite cleanses for viral, bacterial, mold, fungal, yeast, and helminth infections by detoxifying the gut and restoring microbial balance. In TCM, parasitic infections are seen as invasions of dampness or toxic heat, treated with acupuncture to boost immunity (e.g., ST36, SP9) and antimicrobial herbs like Qing Hao (Artemisia) or Jin Yin Hua (Honeysuckle) to clear pathogens and support detoxification. Functional medicine uses advanced stool tests or PCR panels to identify specific pathogens, prescribing targeted antimicrobials like berberine, oregano oil, or wormwood, alongside binders (e.g., activated charcoal) to eliminate toxins. Both modalities incorporate liver-supportive herbs (e.g., milk thistle), anti-inflammatory diets, and probiotics to rebuild gut health, ensuring a thorough cleanse while minimizing die-off symptoms.
Digestive issues related to COVID19 are often overlooked or not well-understood. viruses are first and foremost, parasites. They survive in a host by creating a latency and proliferate opportunistically. If your immune system is taxed or poorly functioning, viruses can easily continue to replicate making you feel like you are on the verge of a flu chronically.
Your gut has many COX2 receptors, which is the preferred receptor site of C19. If you have had gut issues ever since the COVID problem started, this may be at the root your symptoms. Some people already know this is the cause but have not been able to find relief or help. Dr. Hackett is very familiar with this problem and may have a solution for you too.
