How can a Naturopath help with gut health?

A natural approach to digestive health

Is your gut giving you grief?

 

Are you getting bloating, burping, flatulence, or reflux after every meal? A day in jeans feels like abdominal torture. You’d wear yoga pants everywhere if you could.

 

Are you anxious about social events and everyday activities like shopping or extended car trips? You don’t like to be too far away from a toilet. Your gut controls your life.

Are your food intolerances increasing?

 

Digestive issues are making you miserable. Menus at restaurants are a minefield. Choosing something to eat that you won’t suffer for later is mission impossible.

 

You’ve given up gluten, dairy, eggs, FODMAPS foods, and now it seems like no food is “safe”. The more foods you exclude, the more foods you seem to become “intolerant” to.

 

You’ve had numerous tests only to be told nothing is wrong. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and told you’ll have to live with it.

 

But you know it’s not right. It wasn’t always like this.

 

It’s frustrating.

 

You wish you could find pleasure in food again.

 

Repairing your digestive system naturally.

 

There’s an ocean of information out there about gut health. Diets of exclusion more restrictive than a pair of Spanx, the panacea of probiotics and supplements peddled by Influencers. All promising a silver bullet cure for your digestive woes.

 

No wonder you’re overwhelmed and confused.

 

To restore your digestive system function, we first need to discover why it’s gone rogue. What is the underlying cause? Band-aiding symptoms won’t achieve the lasting relief you long for.

 

Did your digestive symptoms after any of the following?

• A severe bout of food poisoning or gastroenteritis
• A course/s of antibiotic or antifungal treatments
• In conjunction with another illness or medical condition
• After starting medication (**never stop prescribed medication without consulting your doctor.)
• A change in diet or lifestyle
• A period of high stress or traumatic event

 

What a Naturopathic approach to gut health looks like

 

1. We find and treat/manage the underlying cause by taking a comprehensive health history and using functional testing (if indicated).
2. Create a personalised treatment plan to address any off-kilter aspects of digestive function, restoring your gut to “factory settings”.
3. Evaluate your diet to ensure your gut has the nutrient building blocks for optimal health
4. Empower you with clinical resources and handouts. You’ll get the practical knowledge to look after your gut health going forward.

 

The Your Remedy Naturopathy gut health/philosophy

 

Decide if we’d be a good match for you!

 

Personalised treatment

At Your Remedy Naturopathy, the treatment plan is all about YOU –Your lifestyle, budget, and goals. There are no cookie-cutter protocols or fad diets here.

 

The session times are much longer than standard medical consultations. This allows plenty of time to discuss what’s going on for you and get a comprehensive picture of your health.

 

A nutritious diet as the foundation of health

Getting a healthy gut is not about long-term diets of exclusion such as low FODMAP or gluten-free (unless there is a reason for it, such as Coeliac Disease or documented food allergy). In the initial phases of treatment, some foods may be temporarily limited to reduce inflammation and promote healing. The medium to long term goal is to reintroduce a wide variety of nutritious foods.

 

I work with many diet preferences, including vegan and vegetarian. The aim is to increase the nutrient density of your preferred way of healthy eating. There is no single eating style that suits everyone.

 

Will you need to quit sugar or your favourite treat forever? Will you need to devour your body weight in kale? No, but you need to get the balance right. Occasional treats ARE on the menu. You can, of course, consume kale in moderation, but only if you enjoy it!

 

The role of supplements and herbal medicine

 

In the first phase of your treatment plan, targeted nutritional supplements and herbal medicines may be recommended to kick start the healing process. I have a minimalist philosophy when it comes to supplements – no more than three at a time because:

1. Who has 15 minutes in the morning to take supplements? I don’t, and I don’t expect you to.
2. With too many supplement variables, we won’t know what’s working and what’s not.
3. I don’t want you to spend any more than you need to achieve your goals.
4. Ultimately good health does not come out of a bottle or pill.

If we correctly treat the root cause of your gut issues, they should stay resolved after treatment is finished and be maintained with a healthy diet and lifestyle. The aim of Naturopathy is not to create dependency on long-term use of herbal medicines and nutritional supplements.

Dislike or don’t want to take supplements? No worries. Good gut health is possible using only diet and lifestyle changes.

Teamwork

 

Often the best results come from teamwork, and I happily collaborate with your doctors, specialists and other members of your health care team.

 

What to expect from a consultation?

 

Initial consultation

• With 60 minutes, there’s plenty of time to listen to your story and learn about your health history, current challenges, and goals.
• We review do an initial assessment of diet and lifestyle
• Review of any current supplements and herbal medicines
• Review of any recent test results
• Clinical examinations include pulse, blood pressure, nail analysis, tongue analysis and iridology, and others as appropriate.
• Emailed summary of session notes and prescription details
• Discussion of the treatment plan
• Testing referrals – if appropriate

 

After the consult: I gather all the information and develop a detailed treatment plan we discuss at your next session.

 

Follow up sessions

• These are 30-40 minutes and allow us to review how things are going, adjust the treatment plan, and review test results.
• The first review is usually an in-depth discussion on diet and nutrition after completing a 7-day diet diary.
• Other review appointments include specific areas of education around your condition.
• We schedule review appointments as required. At the beginning of the treatment plan, they are often more frequent, and as things progress, the interval becomes longer until you no longer need to see me.

Benefits of the Naturopathic approach

• Lasting relief from bothersome and painful digestive symptoms so you can savour food again
• Understanding of your underlying cause/triggers so you can address these for lasting results
• Overall increased energy and vitality. Once you digest, absorb and assimilate nutrients correctly, it flows to all aspects of your wellbeing. Glowing skin, strong hair and nails, improved mental health, reduced joint pain, just to name a few.
• Knowledge and tools to give you the confidence to make nutrition and lifestyle choices to support your gut health. It’s empowering to know you are in control of your well-being.

 

 

Get your digestion back on track so you can enjoy the freedom good gut health brings.