DIGESTIVE HEALTH
IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR DIGESTIVE SYMPTOMS
DEVELOP A TREATMENT PLAN TO RELIEVE SYMPTOMS, REPAIR, AND OPTIMIZE GUT HEALTH
IMPLEMENT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE OPTIMAL HEALTH
Healthy digestive function is the foundation of our health.
It nourishes us, and provides what is necessary for us to thrive. Mentally, and physically. From climbing mountains for the joy of racing down them. To dreaming a masterpiece. Building relationships. Creating life.
The basic role of the digestive system is to breakdown food into small parts to be absorbed as nutrients into the bloodstream for energy, growth, and cell repair.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also home to an enormous and complex community of commensal bacteria, our gut microbial community (microbiota). Humans and their commensal bacteria have co-evolved for over a millennia. They benefit us in vast ways, including contributing to good digestion, protecting the human’s digestive tract from colonization by invasive pathogens, regulating our immunity, producing and absorbing nutrients, and detoxification.
GI tract microbiota has been nicknamed the body’s “second brain” as it is also responsible for communicating with the nervous system and affecting mood.
Optimal digestive function is essential to optimal health. Its function should always be prioritized and be assessed in any cases of chronic illness. When the digestive tract is not in balance, it results in reduced nutrient absorption which can develop into imbalances and deficiencies, inflammation, and impaired detoxification and impacts all other systems in the body.
We will work together to optimize digestive health through proper identification of underlying causes of disease, healing, and implementation of lifestyle modifications.
IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
Canada has one of the highest prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the world, impacting an estimated 18% of the population. More than 70% of these people indicate that that their symptoms interfere with their everyday life, 54% experience fatigue, and up to 60% experience psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a commonly used term for the experience of unexplained digestive symptoms. Common symptoms can include bloating, cramping, gas, irregular bowel function, pain, and pressure.
It is a diagnosis of exclusion, not a disease.
Symptoms can be relieved by addressing the root cause of what is disrupting digestive health.
Many causes of digestive symptoms are rooted in inflammation as a result to irritation that may be due to food sensitivities, microbiome imbalance, nutritional or enzyme deficiencies, toxic exposure, or acidity issues.
COMMON CAUSES OF IBS INCLUDE:
Food sensitivities
GI microbiota imbalance
Inflammation
Enzyme deficiencies
Suboptimal stomach acid production
EXPLORE FOOD SENSITIVITIES, GUT HEALTH, AND MICROBIOTA WITH FUNCTIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING:
IgG Food Sensitivity Testing: identify and learn severity of food sensitivities
Organic Acid Testing: metabolic snapshot
GI-MAP (GI-Microbial Assay Plus): microbiome analysis