Evidence-Based Support for IBS, Autoimmune Disease, Chronic Pain, Skin Conditions & More
If you're living with a chronic condition—whether it's digestive issues, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, persistent skin problems, or unexplained fatigue—you've likely tried numerous treatments without finding lasting relief.
Standard medical care focuses on managing symptoms, usually with medication. While this can provide temporary relief, it rarely addresses the underlying causes that keep you sick.
Our functional medicine approach uses specialized testing and clinical expertise to address the root causes of your condition, allowing your body to optimize naturally.
At MP Integrative Health, we specialize in helping people with chronic conditions to achieve lasting relief through personalized functional medicine protocols—particularly MRT food sensitivity testing to identify hidden inflammatory triggers.
This comprehensive guide covers the chronic conditions we commonly address, how our approach works, and what you can expect from our team.
Functional medicine differs from conventional medicine in a fundamental way: instead of asking "What medication can suppress this symptom?" we ask "What's causing this symptom in the first place?"
Chronic conditions don't develop randomly. They result from underlying imbalances—food sensitivities, gut dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, chronic inflammation, stress, environmental toxins. We use advanced testing to identify YOUR specific triggers.
Chronic conditions are multifactorial. That's why single interventions often fail. Our approach addresses diet, gut health, inflammation, stress, and lifestyle factors at the same time—creating synergistic healing effects.
We don't use generic protocols. Your treatment plan is based on YOUR test results, YOUR symptoms, YOUR biochemistry. What works for someone else with "the same" condition may not work for you—and vice versa.
Quick fixes and symptom suppression don't create lasting change. Our protocols remove inflammatory triggers, heal damaged tissues, restore function, and give you the tools to maintain your health long-term.
Our functional medicine protocols are particularly effective for chronic inflammatory conditions where conventional treatment has provided limited relief. Below are the conditions we most commonly help clients overcome.
Digestive issues are among the most common—and most frustrating—chronic conditions. They affect every aspect of your life, yet conventional medicine often offers limited solutions beyond symptom management.
Common symptoms: Chronic bloating, gas, alternating constipation and diarrhea, abdominal pain, unpredictable bowel movements
How we help: IBS is often driven by food sensitivities, gut dysbiosis, and chronic inflammation. MRT testing identifies your specific trigger foods with 94.5% accuracy. The LEAP Protocol removes inflammatory triggers while supporting gut healing. Most clients see significant improvement within 2-4 weeks.
Research support: Clinical studies show that personalized elimination diets based on food sensitivity testing significantly reduce IBS symptoms in 75-80% of patients.
Common symptoms: Severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, urgent bowel movements
How we help: IBD responds incredibly well to the reduction of inflammatory triggers. Our approach focuses on immune system stabilization and gut healing. Identifying and removing food triggers can significantly reduce flare frequency and symptoms. Our approach works alongside other treatments to minimize symptoms and potentially reduce medication needs.
Common symptoms: Severe bloating (especially after eating), gas, constipation or diarrhea, food sensitivities, fatigue
How we help: Gut imbalances often coexist with food sensitivities. We address both: identifying trigger foods that feed problematic bacteria, while using targeted nutritional support to restore healthy gut flora. This combined approach produces better results than treating either issue alone.
Timeline for digestive improvements: Most clients notice significant symptom reduction within 7-10 days of starting the LEAP Protocol, with continued improvement over 8-12 weeks.
Autoimmune diseases occur when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own tissues. While the exact causes are complex, food sensitivities and gut dysfunction play significant roles in triggering and perpetuating autoimmune activity.
Common symptoms: Fatigue, weight gain, cold sensitivity, hair loss, brain fog, depression, constipation
How we help: Hashimoto's is strongly linked to gut health and food sensitivities. Research shows that removing gluten and identifying other reactive foods can reduce thyroid antibodies and slow disease progression. We identify YOUR specific triggers (which often extend beyond gluten) and create a comprehensive protocol addressing gut health, nutrition, and immune activation.
What to expect: Many clients see improved energy, reduced brain fog, and stabilized thyroid markers within 1-2 months. Many are able to reduce or avoid thyroid medication.
Common symptoms: Joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, fatigue, reduced mobility
How we help: Food-induced inflammation significantly impacts rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Studies show that eliminating reactive foods can reduce joint pain, swelling, and inflammatory markers. Our MRT-guided approach identifies the specific foods driving your inflammation—which may surprise you (common triggers include healthy foods like tomatoes, eggs, or certain fish).
Research support: Multiple studies demonstrate significant symptom improvement when RA patients follow personalized elimination diets based on food sensitivity testing.
How we help: The connection between gut health, food sensitivities, and autoimmune disease is well-established. Removing inflammatory food triggers consistently helps reduce symptom severity, flare frequency, and overall damage.
Our role: We work alongside your rheumatologist, neurologist, or other specialists—providing complementary support that addresses root causes of inflammation your conventional doctor may not be targeting.
Important: Continue all prescribed autoimmune medications. Our approach complements—never replaces—medical treatment. Many clients are eventually able to reduce medication as the immune system calms down.
Common symptoms: Widespread muscle pain, tender points, fatigue, sleep disturbances, brain fog, heightened pain sensitivity
How we help: Research increasingly shows that food sensitivities contribute to fibromyalgia symptoms. A study published in Clinical Rheumatology found that eliminating reactive foods significantly reduced pain levels in fibromyalgia patients. We identify your specific triggers and address gut dysfunction, which often coexists with fibromyalgia.
What clients report: Reduced pain intensity, improved sleep quality, increased energy, fewer flare-ups.
How we help: Food triggers are a well-established cause of migraines. But which foods trigger YOUR migraines? Common lists (chocolate, cheese, wine) don't account for individual variation. MRT testing identifies your unique triggers—which might include "healthy" foods you eat daily. Most clients see significant reduction in migraine frequency and intensity within 4-6 weeks.
How we help: Chronic joint pain often has an inflammatory component driven by diet. Identifying and removing inflammatory food triggers reduces the overall inflammatory burden on your joints, often resulting in reduced pain, improved mobility, and decreased stiffness.
Your skin is often a reflection of internal inflammation. Chronic skin conditions that don't respond to topical treatments usually have internal triggers—particularly from the gut and diet.
How we help: Eczema is strongly linked to food sensitivities and gut health. Studies show that identifying and removing trigger foods can significantly reduce eczema severity—often more effectively than topical steroids alone. We test for reactions to 176 foods and chemicals, addressing both obvious and hidden triggers.
Timeline: Skin improvements typically appear within 2-4 weeks as gut inflammation decreases.
How we help: Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition influenced by diet, gut health, and immune function. While we can't cure psoriasis, removing inflammatory food triggers and healing the gut can significantly reduce severity, decrease flare frequency, and sometimes allow reduction of topical or systemic medications.
How we help: When hives or rashes persist despite antihistamines, food sensitivities and histamine intolerance are common culprits. MRT identifies inflammatory triggers, and our protocol addresses both food reactivity and histamine metabolism.
Regardless of your specific condition, our approach follows a proven framework:
We review your complete health history, current symptoms, medications, previous treatments, and health goals. This gives us the context to design a truly personalized protocol.
Blood test measuring inflammatory response to 176 foods and chemicals. Results categorize each substance as non-reactive (green), moderately reactive (yellow), or reactive (red)—giving us precise data about YOUR triggers.
Based on your results, we design a phased eating plan starting with your safest foods. This rapidly reduces inflammation while ensuring nutritional adequacy. Most people see symptom improvement within 7-10 days.
We address gut dysfunction, restore healthy gut flora, repair intestinal permeability, and correct nutritional deficiencies—creating the foundation for long-term healing.
Regular check-ins, protocol adjustments based on your progress, troubleshooting any challenges, and transition to long-term maintenance—ensuring lasting results.
Every person's healing timeline is unique, but here's what most clients experience:
50% symptom reduction is typical! Inflammatory load decreases. Digestive symptoms often improve first. This rapid improvement validates that you've identified real triggers.
50-70% symptom reduction is common. Patterns become clear. Sleep improves. Skin begins clearing. Pain levels decrease. Brain fog lifts. You're feeling exceptionally better.
70-90% symptom resolution for many. Gut healing progresses. Autoimmune markers improve. Energy stabilizes. Quality of life significantly better. Many people feel the best they've felt in years.
Deeper healing continues. Reintroduction of reactive foods is possible. Long-term maintenance plan established. Many clients able to reduce medications (under doctor supervision).
Important note: Chronic conditions that developed over years won't resolve overnight. Patience and consistency are essential. But most clients notice meaningful improvement much sooner than they expected—often within the first 7-10 days.
Functional medicine using MRT and a personalized healing protocol has been shown to be incredibly effective at reducing symptoms, slowing (even reversing) progression, and decreasing flare frequency by addressing the root causes of inflammation. Many clients experience such dramatic improvement that they're able to reduce their medications. We work alongside your doctor, not replace them.
Most people notice about 50% improvement within 10 days of starting the MRT/LEAP Protocol. Continued improvement (50-70% symptoms reduction) typically occurs by weeks 2-4, and major improvement (70-90% reduction) by weeks 8-12. Deeper healing continues over 3-6 months.
No, absolutely not. Continue all prescribed medications unless your prescribing doctor tells you otherwise. Our approach works alongside conventional treatment. As inflammation decreases and symptoms improve, some clients are able to reduce medication doses, but this is never required and always done with medical oversight.
This varies by doctor. Some are very supportive, especially if they see your symptoms improving and lab markers getting better. Others are unfamiliar with functional medicine and may be skeptical. You don't need your doctor's permission to improve your diet and address food sensitivities.
If you've tried multiple treatments without success, it usually means the root cause hasn't been addressed yet. Food sensitivities are often an overlooked trigger in chronic conditions because delayed reactions make them nearly impossible to identify without testing. MRT testing reveals hidden triggers that standard medical care typically doesn't investigate. Many of our clients are people for whom "everything else" has failed.
Megan Pennington, BSc in Dietetics & Human Nutrition (McGill University), Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT)
Megan Pennington is a naturopathic practitioner and integrative health specialist with over 20 years of clinical experience. She holds a degree in Dietetics, is a Certified LEAP Therapist, and 2025 Global Recognition Award Winner for Advancing Science-Based Natural Healing. As founder of MP Integrative Health, Megan specializes in helping clients with chronic conditions achieve lasting relief through personalized functional medicine protocols.
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