Aura Functional Medicine

Aura Functional Medicine Dr. Alison Egeland is committed to providing highly personalized, holistic care that addresses the root cause of her patients' health concerns.

04/16/2026

This is one of the most surprising things we share with patients.

The bacteria, yeast, and parasites that can overgrow in your gut are able to send chemical signals through the vagus nerve,
the same nerve that connects your gut to your brain.

For every one message your brain sends down to your gut, your gut sends roughly nine messages back up. Pathogens have figured out how to use that pathway to make you crave the sugar they need to survive.

If you have been struggling with relentless sugar cravings, it may not be a willpower problem. It may be a gut problem.

This is exactly the kind of root cause connection we look for at Aura Functional Medicine. Link in bio to schedule a free discovery call.

04/14/2026

I get asked all the time what to actually eat for gut health, and honestly, it does not have to be complicated.

Start with whole, minimally processed foods as your foundation. Your gut microbiome thrives on real food, and when you crowd out the processed stuff, you give your beneficial bacteria a chance to do what they are designed to do.

Fiber is one of the most powerful things you can add. Research is pointing to somewhere between 35 and 45 grams per day as the sweet spot for gut health. I know that sounds like a lot, but when you are eating plenty of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, it adds up faster than you think. Those beneficial microbes in your gut feed on fiber, and when they are well fed, they take care of you in return.

When it comes to sweeteners, I always encourage patients to lean toward the more natural, minimally processed options. Raw honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar used in moderation are going to be much gentler on your gut than refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. Stevia and monk fruit are also options I feel good about in moderation.

And the simplest habit I can give you is this. Read your labels. If an ingredient is difficult to pronounce, that is worth paying attention to. Your gut is worth the extra thirty seconds in the grocery store aisle.
If you are ready to take a deeper look at what is going on in your gut, I would love to connect.

Schedule a free discovery call through the link in my bio.

04/09/2026

Patient Win of the Week.

Hashimoto’s in remission. Insulin resistance cut in half. 12 pounds lost. Cycles normalized. And all of this without thyroid medication.

This is what six months of root cause medicine looked like for one of our patients. We addressed the gut, corrected nutrient deficiencies, and made strategic diet and lifestyle changes. Her body did the rest.

If you have been told your labs are normal but you still do not feel well, there may be more to the story. Link in bio to schedule a free discovery call.

03/31/2026

Most people have never heard of emulsifiers. But if you are eating packaged foods regularly, you are almost certainly consuming them.

Emulsifiers are additives used to improve the texture and extend the shelf life of processed foods. They are what make nut milks creamy, protein powders smooth, and salad dressings from separating on the shelf. On the surface, that sounds harmless. But what they do inside your gut is a different story.

Research shows that common emulsifiers like polysorbate 80, carboxymethyl cellulose, and carrageenan can thin and erode the protective mucus layer that lines your intestines. That mucus barrier exists for a reason. It keeps bacteria and food particles where they belong and out of your bloodstream. When it gets damaged, you create the conditions for leaky gut, chronic inflammation, and immune dysregulation.

What makes this particularly frustrating is where these ingredients show up. Not just in obvious junk food, but in the products people buy specifically because they are trying to eat well. Oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, protein powders, salad dressings, and even some supplements.

The fix is not complicated, but it does require reading labels. Look for these names on ingredient lists:
Polysorbate 80, carrageenan, carboxymethyl cellulose, soy lecithin, guar gum, xanthan gum.

If you are dealing with bloating, irregular digestion, food sensitivities, skin issues, or fatigue that no one has been able to explain, the ingredients in your everyday foods may be part of the picture.

This is the kind of root cause detective work we do every day at Aura Functional Medicine.
Link in bio to schedule a free discovery call with Dr. Egeland.

03/18/2026

Is your thyroid swollen? There’s always a reason, and it’s not random.

Thyroid swelling (called a goiter) has 5 root causes, and knowing yours changes everything:

Autoimmunity , Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease, where your immune system attacks your thyroid

Thyroid nodules , often linked to oxidative stress, inflammation, aging, or hormonal shifts

Inflammation , usually from a viral infection, or postpartum immune changes
Iodine imbalances , too little or too much can both cause swelling

Medications , a smaller but real cause

The most common? Autoimmune, especially here in the US.

At Aura Functional Medicine, we don’t just name the condition. We find your root cause with advanced testing so we can actually fix it.

Watch the full video. Then book your free discovery call if any of this sounds familiar.
Link in bio, aurafunctionalmed.com

03/04/2026

Did you know your stomach inflammation could be causing anxiety, heart palpitations, and sleep problems?

Most people don’t realize gastritis can trigger histamine reactions that show up far beyond digestion.

If you’re dealing with flushing, hives, headaches, sinus congestion, itching, or unexplained anxiety alongside your stomach issues, your inflamed stomach lining might be the missing link.

I’ve worked with patients who had minimal stomach pain but were struggling with profound fatigue, brain fog, and mysterious symptoms that no one could explain.

Their gastritis was silent, but it was stealing their vitality.

When we addressed the root cause of the inflammation, everything shifted. Not just their digestion, but their energy, mental clarity, and overall quality of life.

Your body isn’t broken. It’s sending you signals. We just need to learn what it’s trying to say.

Ready to connect the dots? Link in bio to schedule a discovery call.

02/25/2026

When your stomach is inflamed, it’s not broken, it’s communicating. Our job is to understand what it’s trying to say.

02/10/2026

If you’ve been told “it’s just gastritis, here’s a PPI” and sent on your way, I get it.

Because I’ve been that patient.

I’ve sat in doctor’s offices trying to explain the burning pain that wouldn’t stop. I’ve tried multiple PPIs that didn’t work. I’ve wondered if anyone would ever actually figure out what was wrong.

It wasn’t until someone looked at my body as a system, not just a stomach, that I finally healed.
That’s why I became a functional medicine doctor. And it’s why I’ll never dismiss what you’re going through.

Your stomach pain isn’t in your head. It’s not something you just have to live with. And you deserve someone who will actually listen and find the root cause.

If you’re ready to stop masking symptoms and start healing, link in bio to schedule a discovery call.

12/18/2025

Your bloating might start before food even reaches your gut.

Digestion doesn’t begin in your stomach—it starts the moment you see and smell food. But if you’re low in stomach acid, digestive enzymes, or bile flow from the liver and gallbladder, food doesn’t break down properly.
Instead, it sits and ferments. This creates gas, pressure, and bloating.

This can happen when you’re eating too fast, eating under stress, nutrient deficient, or taking acid-blocking medications.

When digestion isn’t working at the top of the system, everything downstream struggles.
The fix isn’t just about what you eat—it’s about how well you’re breaking it down.

If you’re eating healthy foods but still bloated, this is one of the first things we investigate in my practice.

Your body might need digestive support, not just a different diet.

Drop a comment if this resonates with you.



Alternative Shorter Version:
Eating healthy but still bloated?
The problem might not be WHAT you’re eating—it’s HOW you’re digesting it.
Low stomach acid, digestive enzymes, or bile flow means food sits and ferments instead of breaking down properly. This happens when you’re eating too fast, eating under stress, nutrient deficient, or taking acid-blocking medications.
When digestion fails at the top, everything downstream suffers.
Sometimes your gut needs digestive support, not just a cleaner diet.

12/16/2025

Ladies: Is your bloating worse around ovulation or before your period?

Hormones play a MAJOR role in chronic bloating.

Conditions like:

Endometriosis
Ovarian cysts
Hormone imbalances..can create persistent abdominal pressure, pelvic inflammation, and changes in motility that feel just like digestive bloating.

Hormone shifts can increase inflammation and fluid retention.

In these cases, bloating isn’t just a gut issue—it’s also a reflection of what’s happening in your reproductive system.

Your symptoms are giving you clues!

12/11/2025

Snacking all day could be STOPPING your gut from self-cleaning.

Your body has something called the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC)—cleaning waves that sweep through your small intestine between meals.

But here’s the catch: The MMC only activates during FASTING.

If you’re eating or snacking every 1-2 hours, these cleaning waves shut off. Food and bacteria don’t get moved through properly, leading to fermentation, gas, and bloating.
In my practice, I see many people who snack or graze all day long thinking it’s healthier or better for their metabolism.

But once we shift them to this pattern:

3 solid meals per day
4+ hours between meals
12-14 hour overnight fast

Their bloating often improves dramatically.
The space between meals combined with the overnight fast allows the MMC to do its job and move remaining food and bacteria through the digestive tract.

Your gut needs time to clean house.
Have you tried meal spacing? Let me know your experience in the comments.

wellness healthtips MMC gutmotility rootcause digestivesystem

12/09/2025

This common toxin could be destroying your gut health (and it’s in foods you eat daily).

Glyphosate is a herbicide sprayed on many of our foods. Research suggests it has multiple mechanisms for disrupting gut health:

Kills beneficial bacteria
Allows harmful bacteria to thrive
Contributes to leaky gut
Binds important minerals like magnesium and zinc
Raises inflammatory endotoxins in the body
Drives inflammation and immune dysfunction

The most heavily sprayed foods:

Wheat, oats, barley
Corn and soy
Chickpeas, lentils and peanuts

My recommendation: Buy organic whenever possible for these foods. Organic standards prohibit synthetic pesticides including glyphosate.
This is one piece of the bloating puzzle. When we reduce toxic load and support the gut microbiome, many of my patients see significant improvement in their digestive symptoms.
Your environment matters just as much as what you eat.
What’s one swap you can make this week? Drop a comment below.
leakygut inflammation cleaneating bloating microbiome pesticides rootcause

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