Usually fine
Normal digestion
- Bloating after a large or rich meal that settles
- Wind that comes and goes
- Bowel habit changing briefly with travel or diet
- Occasional indigestion after spicy or fatty food
Private gut wellness clinic · Macclesfield · Online across the UK
Your Gut.Properly Understood.
Struggling with bloating, reflux, IBS or a gut that just isn't right? We find out what is really driving your symptoms, and treat the root cause, not just the signs.
Always alongside your GP and specialist care, never instead of it.
Why we exist
Gut problems rarely have a single cause
Bloating, night-time reflux and unpredictable bowels are common, but they are not normal. They usually build from several influences at once: processed food, stress, poor sleep, blood sugar swings, antibiotics and infections. Short appointments tend to manage the symptom rather than ask why it started.
1 in 5
adults in Western countries have reflux symptoms at least weekly1
10–20%
of adults live with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome2
1 in 123
people in the UK live with Crohn's disease or colitis — nearly double earlier estimates3
40%
of adults worldwide meet the criteria for a disorder of gut–brain interaction4
64%
of people in the UK with coeliac disease are still undiagnosed5
98%
of people treated for an eating disorder also meet the criteria for a functional gut disorder6
Sources: 1. El-Serag et al., Gut (2014). 2. NICE CG61. 3. Crohn's & Colitis UK / University of Nottingham (2022). 4. Sperber et al., Gastroenterology (2021). 5. Coeliac UK. 6. Boyd et al., Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology (2005).
Know the signs
What's normal, and what's worth checking
Everyone's gut has off days. The pattern matters more than any single symptom.
Worth checking
Worth looking into
- Excessive belching, burping or bloating
- Regular use of antacids or acid-reducing medicines, especially omeprazole
- Reflux or heartburn more than twice a week
- Offensive breath
- Alternating constipation and diarrhoea
- A sense of fullness during and after meals
- Difficulty digesting proteins and meats
- Undigested food in your stools
- Foul-smelling stools
- New or growing food sensitivities
- Fatigue, brain fog or skin flares alongside gut symptoms
Don't wait
Arrange A Consultation Promptly
- Blood in your stools, or black stools
- Unexplained weight loss
- Difficulty swallowing
- Coeliac disease
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- SIBO
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Early Parkinson's
- Eating disorders
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Autoimmune disease
- Liver or gallbladder disease
Early intervention
The window for change is early
Gut problems tend to move from occasional to persistent, and then begin to affect energy, mood and skin. The earlier the drivers are found, the more straightforward they are to correct.
1
Occasional
Comes and goes with obvious triggers
2
Recurring
Returns weekly, linked to food or stress
3
Persistent
Most days; avoiding foods to cope
4
Spreading
Fatigue, fog, mood or skin affected too
5
Diagnosed disease
e.g. coeliac, SIBO, IBS, leaky gut, IBD
6
Advanced
Chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's, MS, early-stage dementia. Requiring special lab work ups and care
Stages 1–4 · The window where functional care makes the most difference
Stages 5–6 · Requiring a full diagnostic work-up with specialist labs and in-depth care
Our philosophy
Your gut doesn't work alone
Gut
Digestion, stomach acid, enzymes and bile, the gut lining and the microbiome.
Brain
The gut–brain axis, the vagus nerve, stress response, mood and focus.
Body
Blood sugar, thyroid and adrenal hormones, the immune system, sleep and nutrients.
Functional Medicine
A whole-system approach that asks why your body has stopped working properly, then measures and corrects the drivers.
Functional Neurology
Assessing how the nervous system is working, with a focus on the gut–brain axis and drug-free rehabilitation.
Lifestyle Medicine
Evidence-based changes to nutrition, movement, sleep and stress that keep the gains going long term.
Measure, don't guess
Our Assessment Profiles
Three layers of assessment build a clear, prioritised picture before anything is recommended.
01
Online · about 10 mins · £12
Gut Wellness Profile
A 15-part functional assessment that shows which systems need attention first, with a written interpretation emailed to you.
Start here →02
At your Discovery Consultation
Case History Review
An unhurried look at the whole story behind your symptoms, so testing is chosen for a reason.
03
Recommended at your Discovery Consultation
Functional Lab Testing
Targeted tests from four specialist laboratories, chosen because your history points to them, never as a blanket screen.
See the lab tests →Your results
Everything comes together in a personal plan: a baseline to measure progress against, the drivers we have found, and what to change first.
Your care journey
What to expect
All consultations are online, by secure video. Each step builds on the one before: your history guides testing, results shape the plan, and progress shapes what comes next.
Step 1
Discovery Consultation
Complete the Gut Wellness Profile first.
- Review of your Gut Wellness Profile
- Diet and lifestyle patterns
- Medical and medication history
- Review of any past lab tests
- Next steps and lab test recommendations
£9560 mins
Book Online Consultation
Step 2
Full Consultation
Once your recommended lab tests are back.
- Your lab results explained in plain terms
- Results matched to your symptoms and diet
- Recommended dietary changes
- Targeted nutritional and herbal supplements
- A tailored plan and a baseline to track progress
£12060–90 mins
Book Online Consultation
Step 3
Follow-Up Consultation
- What has changed since last time
- What has improved, and what is still difficult
- Interpretation of any agreed retests
- Refined, practical recommendations
- A clear plan for the next stage
£9560 mins
Book Online Consultation
Lab test fees are separate and agreed with you at the Discovery Consultation. More about our consultations →
About your practitioner
Alan Lee
Alan is a clinician, educator and researcher in functional medicine and functional neurology, specialising in gut, hormonal and brain-based imbalances. He is also an osteopath in Llandudno and Menai Bridge.
His starting point is simple: most digestive complaints are managed rather than investigated. He takes time to understand the whole case before recommending anything.
- Institute of Functional Medicine
- The Kharrazian Institute
- Carrick Institute of Neurological Sciences
- International Association of Functional Neurology and Rehabilitation
- Association of Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Not sure where to start?
The Gut Wellness Profile takes about 10 minutes online and shows which of 15 body systems need attention first. The £12 fee is credited to your Discovery Consultation if you book within 30 days.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Will you diagnose my condition?
We do not replace a medical diagnosis. Conditions such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease are diagnosed by your GP or specialist. Our role is to find and correct the functional drivers behind your symptoms, alongside that care.
What happens at the first appointment?
Your Discovery Consultation is an unhurried 60-minute conversation. We go through your Gut Wellness Profile, your diet and lifestyle, your medical and medication history and any past test results, then agree which lab tests, if any, are worth doing.
Do I need to complete the Gut Wellness Profile first?
Yes. The profile takes about 10 minutes online and gives us a prioritised picture before we meet, so the consultation time goes further. The £12 fee is credited to your Discovery Consultation if you book within 30 days.
Do you work with my GP?
Yes. We work alongside your GP and any specialists involved in your care, never instead of them. Please don't stop or change prescribed medication without speaking to your prescriber.
Do you see people outside Cheshire?
Yes. Consultations are available online anywhere in the UK, and most lab tests are done with home sample kits. All appointments are online.
How much does it cost?
Discovery Consultation £95 (60 minutes), Full Consultation £120 (60–90 minutes), Follow-Up Consultation £95 (60 minutes). Lab test fees are separate and agreed with you at the Discovery Consultation.
Struggling with your gut?
The sooner you understand what is driving it, the more can be done.
Book a Discovery Consultation