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Digestive Concerns & Gut Health

Natural Solutions for Chronic Digestive Symptoms

Digestive symptoms are often the first sign that something deeper is out of balance, yet they are also some of the most commonly dismissed. If you live with bloating, gas, abdominal pain, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, or unpredictable digestion, you may have been told to “just manage it,” avoid certain foods, or accept it as normal.

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It’s not.

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As a Naturopathic Doctor, I help patients understand why digestive symptoms are happening by identifying and treating the underlying causes, including gut microbiome imbalances, low stomach acid, digestive enzyme deficiencies, nutrient deficiencies, and impaired cellular energy production.

Digestive health is not just about the gut. It influences your energy, hormones, immune system, brain function, pain levels, and mood. When digestion isn’t working properly, it affects your entire body.

When Digestive Symptoms Won't Resolve

Many of my patients come to me after years of trial-and-error approaches, including elimination diets, probiotics, medications, or supplements that only helped temporarily or made things worse.

 

You may experience:​

  • Bloating

  • Diarrhea

  • Constipation

  • Belching or frequent burping

  • Heartburn, burning in the stomach, or acid reflux

  • Gas

  • Abdominal pain, discomfort, or cramping

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Mucus, blood, or undigested food in your stool

  • Pain or discomfort with passing stool

  • Fatigue, brain fog, headaches, anxiety, or low mood along with digestive symptoms

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​These symptoms are often connected and they usually point to deeper digestive dysfunction rather than a single food intolerance.

Common Root Causes of Digestive Concerns

Hypochlorhydria (Low Stomach Acid)

Low stomach acid is one of the most overlooked causes of digestive symptoms.

 

Adequate stomach acid is essential for:​

  • Proper breakdown of food

  • Activation of digestive enzymes

  • Absorption of key nutrients (iron, B12, magnesium, zinc)

  • Protection against harmful bacteria entering the gut

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When stomach acid is too low, food is poorly digested, leading to bloating, acid and food reflux, nutrient deficiencies, and increased risk of gut microbiome imbalances and SIBO. Symptoms of low stomach acid often mimic acid reflux, which is why suppressing acid may worsen the problem long-term.

Digestive Enzyme & Pancreatic Insufficiency

Digestive enzymes are produced by the pancreas and released into the small intestine. They are responsible for breaking down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

 

When enzyme production is insufficient, food is not fully digested, leading to:​

  • Bloating and gas shortly after meals

  • Floating or greasy stools

  • Diarrhea or constipation

  • Abdominal discomfort or pain

  • Poor nutrient absorption

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Pancreatic enzyme insufficiency can occur due to chronic stress, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, gut infections, Celiac disease, Diabetes, or inflammatory bowel disease. Supporting enzyme production is often a key step in restoring comfortable digestion.

Nutrient Deficiencies Can Impair Digestion

Digestion itself is a nutrient-dependent process. Deficiencies in nutrients can reduce stomach acid and digestive production, movement of the gut muscles to push food through, and repair of the gut lining. This creates a cycle where poor digestion leads to deficiencies, and deficiencies further impair digestion.

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Addressing nutrient status is not optional in fixing digestion, it is foundational.

The Role of Mitochondria in Digestive Health

Digestion is an energy-intensive process. The cells lining your digestive tract rely on healthy mitochondria (your cells’ energy producers) to:​

  • Secrete stomach acid and enzymes

  • Maintain gut barrier integrity

  • Support healthy gut motility and movement

  • Repair and regenerate intestinal tissue

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When mitochondrial function is impaired (often due to chronic stress, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, or infection), digestion slows and symptoms worsen. This is why digestive issues are so commonly paired with fatigue, brain fog, and pain. Healthy mitochondria are a commonly overlooked factor in optimal digestion.

Healing the Gut Lining

Intestinal Hyperpermeability (also known as “Leaky Gut”)

The lining of your digestive tract acts as a highly selective barrier, allowing nutrients to pass into the bloodstream while keeping bacteria, toxins, and partially digested food particles out. When this barrier becomes compromised, a condition known as intestinal hyperpermeability (often referred to as “leaky gut”) can develop.

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A weakened gut lining allows inflammatory substances to cross from the digestive tract into the body, triggering immune activation, inflammation, and contributing to symptoms both inside and outside the digestive tract.

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Common contributors to gut lining damage include:

  • Chronic stress

  • Gut infections or bacterial overgrowth (also known as SIBO)

  • Inflammation

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • Certain medications

  • Not consuming enough protein

  • Consuming a diet high in processed foods, sugar, and alcohol

  • Autoimmunity (Celiac disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease)

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When the gut barrier is impaired, patients may experience:

  • Food sensitivities that seem to appear out of nowhere, and include more and more foods over time

  • Ongoing bloating, gas, pain, or irregular bowel movements

  • Fatigue, brain fog, headaches, or joint pain

  • Skin issues or autoimmune flares

  • Heightened anxiety or low mood

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If the gut lining is not addressed, you’ll continue to react to foods, supplements, and other treatments, even when other aspects of digestion appear to be improving. This is why some people feel stuck in cycles of restriction, flare-ups, and temporary relief.

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Healing the gut lining is often a critical step in resolving persistent digestive symptoms and preventing symptom recurrence.

The Gut Microbiome: The Central Regulator

Your gut microbiome is the community of trillions of bacteria, viruses, yeast, and fungi living in your digestive tract.

 

The gut microbiome plays a central role in:

  • Digesting food

  • Producing vitamins, nutrients, and energy for your digestive cells

  • Regulating inflammation and immune function

  • Communicating with the brain and nervous system

  • Influencing hormone balance and hormone excretion

  • Regulating mood by assisting in the production of serotonin

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Imbalances in the microbiome (called gut dysbiosis), overgrowth of bacteria in the wrong location (such as SIBO), or reduced diversity in the species living in the gut microbiome can drive persistent digestive symptoms and systemic issues throughout the body.

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Restoring balance to the gut microbiome is often the turning point for patients who feel stuck and have tried many other approaches.

My Approach to Digestive Healing

I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all treatment plans or endless restriction. Instead, I work with you to understand your digestion and build a plan that is both effective and sustainable.

 

Your care may include:

  • A thorough health and digestive history

  • Targeted lab testing when appropriate (stool testing, urine testing, bloodwork)

  • Support for stomach acid and digestive enzymes so food is properly broken down before reaching the intestines

  • Reducing sources of inflammation and irritation in the gut to encourage healing of the gut lining

  • Replenishing key nutrients involved in gut lining repair, and production of acid and enzymes

  • Supporting mitochondrial energy production in intestinal cells

  • Restoring a balanced, diverse gut microbiome using herbs, supplements, and specific foods

  • Gentle, individualized nutrition guidance

  • Lifestyle, stress, and sleep support to improve gut-brain communication

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The goal is not just symptom relief. It’s restoring digestive resilience so you can enjoy food comfortably again without fear or constant management of your symptoms.

You Don’t Have to Keep Guessing

If digestive symptoms are interfering with your energy, confidence, or quality of life, it’s time for a deeper look.

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Healing is possible when we address the root cause.

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Book your Complementary Discovery Call today and take the first step toward feeling comfortable, energized, and confident in your body again.

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