Do you feel bloated after meals? Is your digestion less than optimal? Are you often running for the nearest bathroom….or unable to go at all for days on end? While it may be “common,” it certainly ISN’T “normal”!
When you consult with a Naturopath, we get into all of these details. How well do you digest? Which foods make you feel better or worse? What are your energy levels at different points in the day? How strong is your immune system?
Here are a few signs that your digestion needs to be addressed:
- Constipation – either dry, difficult to pass stool or fewer than once daily bowel movements
- Loose stool, especially if they are urgent
- Blood, mucus, or undigested food in the stool
- Bloating and gas
- Foul smelling gas or stool
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Abdominal pain
When it comes to digestion, there can be several different causes for your unwanted symptoms. Food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth, or low stomach acid and digestive enzyme levels are only a few of the basics. While these concerns can sometimes overlap, functional testing helps to identify the concern and determine which treatment approach is most appropriate for you.
To avoid unnecessary costs, testing is only recommended if it affects the course of treatment or at the patient’s request. This reduces the need to use a “trial and error” approach.
At Health Over All, we offer Food Sensitivity and SIBO testing for digestive concerns.
Food sensitivity test measures delayed sensitivity reactions that you may have to various foods, including dairy and eggs, meat, nuts, fruit and vegetables, and even certain spices. These reactions can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 days to develop after having eaten the offending food. This makes it INCREDIBLY difficult to identify triggers for delayed reactions. The test results highlight which foods cause reactions, as well as the severity of the sensitivity. Your Naturopathic Doctor will explain the results and help guide you through making the appropriate dietary changes. An alternate approach to food sensitivity testing would be to follow an elimination-style diet for 4-6 weeks and gradually re-introduce each food to identify your triggers.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine causing severe gas, bloating, burping, abdominal pain, and loose stool or constipation as a result of excess-fermentation. SIBO testing is a 3 hour breath test that measures the levels of hydrogen and methane gases produced after drinking a sugar solution. These gases are present in higher levels when there is an overgrowth of bacteria, as they feed on sugars and carbohydrates. Have you noticed that certain carbs like grains, beans, sweet potatoes, apples, or garlic and onions make you feel very bloated and gassy? If so, it may be worth testing! Stay tuned for a spotlight on SIBO coming soon!
You deserve to feel energetic and healthy every day!
When your digestive system isn’t working at it’s best, it can drain you, your immune system, and leave you feeling pretty awful.
Click here to book and appointment and get to the bottom of your digestive concerns!
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