The gastrointestinal tract is a complex system that interacts with other parts of the body, as well as the outside world. Everyone has a unique combination of microorganisms, diet, and lifestyle habits that influence their gut health. This means there is no universal, one-size-fits all treatment, even for two people experiencing the same symptoms. Finding the underlying cause of digestive symptoms and providing individualized treatment specific to you is important in creating healing that lasts.
Conditions Treated
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- IBS
- Acid Reflux
- Bloating
- Gastritis
- SIBO
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
The naturopathic approach to gut healing usually follows a 4-step order:
- Remove: The reason for the digestive symptoms is identified through a clinical intake, physical examination, and lab testing. We then work on removing the trigger.
- Replace: Factors that cause gut irritation are replaced with food and nutrients that support healthy digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination.
- Reinoculate: Good gut bacteria is promoted in order to maintain a healthy microbiome and prevent dysbiosis.
- Repair: The gut lining is repaired by reducing intestinal permeability and inflammation.
Treatment targets the root cause of the symptoms and may include botanical medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture, nutritional supplements, diet and lifestyle counseling, and more. Naturopathic medicine can address the following:
- Digestive function: relieve bloating, nausea, and heartburn, support digestion and absorption of nutrients, optimize diet, reduce stress and promote healthy mood, promote the parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ mode
- Bowel regulation: ease spasms and cramping, ensure healthy detoxification and elimination, eliminate gut infections and promote healthy microbiome, improve constipation and diarrhea
- Inflammatory conditions: reduce pain and inflammation, soothe gut irritation and promote repair, support the immune system during infection or IBD, protect against acid damage.
Functional lab tests for digestive health can provide valuable information by checking for:
- Dysbiosis
- SIBO
- Candida
- Intestinal inflammation
- Celiac disease
- Nutrient deficiency
- Food sensitivity
- Hormonal regulation
- Metabolic status
- Thyroid health
- Liver function
Frequently Asked Questions
Common reasons for bloating include poor diet, food sensitivity or intolerance, low stomach acid, stress, hormones, dysbiosis, and infections. A thorough discussion regarding your health history as well as physical examination and lab testing can help us narrow down the cause of your symptoms.
Naturopathic medicine is a primary healthcare system focused on prevention and addressing the underlying cause of illness. Naturopathic doctors in Ontario undergo rigorous training and education to safely provide effective and evidence-based treatments that support the body’s own ability to heal. Treatment methods include botanical medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture, diet counseling, lifestyle counseling, and nutritional supplementation.
A specific set of symptoms (called the Rome IV criteria) is used to make a clinical diagnosis of IBS. There are also subtypes of IBS based on the way someone experiences symptoms – whether they tend more towards constipation, diarrhea, or alternating patterns between the two. IBS can have the same symptoms as other digestive issues, so it is important to rule out other conditions through clinical examination and lab testing.
In botanical medicine, plants and herbs have different effects on the digestive system, including reducing inflammation, helping to eliminate gut infections, regulating bowel movements, and promoting detoxification, among others. First, it is important to identify the underlying cause of the symptoms in order to decide on the appropriate botanical treatment.
Probiotics are important components of our gastrointestinal tract. They can make certain vitamins (like B and K), compounds which support the gut barrier (like butyrate), prevent the overgrowth of bad bacteria, and promote proper functioning of the immune system in the gut.
Common uses of probiotics include helping to regulate bowel movements (if experiencing constipation or diarrhea), and restoring the microbiome after antibiotic use, diarrhea or acute infection.
Different types (called ‘strains’) of probiotics exist, and in different amounts (CFU, or colony forming units). The probiotic that’s best for you depends on your symptoms and the state of your gastrointestinal health.
Functional and routine lab testing can be done through stool, blood or breath. A comprehensive stool analysis is a great tool that is often used to check for the presence and amount of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites and worms. This can help guide the appropriate course of treatment.
Yes. Common digestive issues such as constipation, food sensitivities and dysbiosis can contribute to acne, eczema, rosacea, and other skin conditions. This is because inflammation in the gut can aggravate the immune system, which then shows up through the skin.
It definitely can. Gut health is an important aspect of weight management because it plays a large role in your metabolism, hormone regulation, immune system, inflammation and digestion of food. Dietary changes for weight loss are most effective when the digestive system is optimally functioning.
