647 551 2898Digestive Health
Our Approach
Comprehensive Assessment
Thorough overview assessing your nutritional intake, engagement in physical activity, sleep quality and quantity, stress levels, and coping strategies. We will also discuss your medical and family history, current medications and supplements, and conduct a focused physical exam.
Routine & Specialized Testing
Investigations can include antibody or urea breath testing to detect the possible presence of an H. pylori infection, markers to determine the presence of inflammation and compromised gastrointestinal integrity (hs-CRP, anti-occludin, and anti-zonulin antibodies), vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Personalized Treatment Plan
Nutritional recommendations in addition with botanical formulations and nutraceutical supplementation support gastrointestinal function, minimizing inflammation, and reestablish integrity of the intestinal barrier.
The integrity and function of our digestive tract is at the core of our overall health and wellbeing. It is an intricate system that requires optimal blood flow for the uptake of nutrients, stimulation of the nervous system to release gastric secretions and promote rhythmic movement of the intestines, and proper immune function to protect us from any external pathogens. Any disruption to these elements can compromise our ability to breakdown food, absorb vitamins and minerals, and eliminate waste products.
Common Digestive Issues
Acid Reflux
Heartburn, also known as gastroesophageal reflux, is the experience of a slight warming to burning sensation in the centre of the chest due to the backward flow of stomach acid into the esopahgus. Other signs and symptoms can include regurgitation of food, difficulty swallowing, and coughing. While triggers are most often associated with the types of foods consumed (e.g. fried and fatty foods, citrus fruits, coffee, alcohol, chocolate, and peppermint) and lifestyle habits like tobacco use, it is also important to consider food hygiene which looks at how and when we eat.
Bloating and Gas
Discomfort after eating causing your abdomen to feel swollen, full and tight is usually as a result of excess gas production which can cause abdominal pain and cramps. Anything compromising the ability to secrete digestive secretions and enzymes, transit time, and normal gut flora are likely contributing factors to the experience of bloating.
Constipation
Constipation is defined as infrequent bowel movement and/or difficulty to pass stools and may include abdominal pain, bloating, and not feeling completely evacuated. Hemorrhoids, anal fissures, and fecal impaction are complications of chronic and ongoing constipation. Hydration, a diet rich in high fibre fruits and vegetables, and regular physical activity are all key to promoting bowel movements but sometimes it’s about digging a little deeper to understand the root cause and reestablish the rhythmic persitaltic motion of the intestines.
Diarrhea
Loose, watery, and possibly more frequent bowel movements can be a sign of an acute bout of gastroenteritis (infection by a pathogen – virus, bacteria, or parasite), a lack of particular digestive enzymes such as in the case of lactose-intolerance, or a state of chronic irritation and inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.