IBS, Heartburn, Constipation, etc...

Happy September!

Fall has always felt like time for a new start to me. In the Jewish religion, the new year is in September and that makes a lot of sense to me. As I've said before, I'm not into new years resolutions - I'm more about reflecting at any point in time and regularly trying to incorporate better habits. This includes getting a handle on any health issues that have been nagging you! Digestive issues are one of the most common complaints of my patients, so I thought I'd discuss them here. And just a note as to why digestion is so near & dear to my heart... I was diagnosed with IBS about 30 years ago and it was life changing in a good way. After going through the traditional medical system with no relief, I got help from a Naturopathic Doctor and it was so fantastic that it changed my career path from MD to ND!

What are the most common symptoms of digestive disturbances?

- Constipation

- Irregular Bowel Movements

- Bloating

- Gassiness (both farting & burping)

- Heartburn

- Loose bowel movements

- Hemorrhoids

- Stomach aches

- Nausea

- IBS

What is IBS?

- IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion. That means that if your MD can't find anything else causing a digestive upset, often you'll be diagnosed with IBS - just like I was!

What causes a digestive disturbance?

- There are many potential causes, of which I'll mention just a few...

- Eating a food that your body is reacting to

- Stress

- Not chewing your food

- Not eating enough fibre

- Hormonal shifts

- Not having enough digestive juices to break down food properly

- Eating too quickly

- Having an imbalance of bacteria in your gut

- Having a history of food poisoning or travellers diarrhea

What do I do if I'm experiencing these symptoms?

- Make an appointment to come and see me :)

- There are lots of herbs, teas, vitamins and diet/lifestyle changes that can help with all of the symptoms.

- One of the things I love to start with is by simply getting people to chew their food to a paste - if you take the load off of the digestive system by chewing better, lots of things can shift!