Digestive Issues & Gut Health
Bloating. Reflux. Irregular bowels. Abdominal pain. Nausea. Reactions to certain foods. Fatigue that doesn't quite make sense. These symptoms are common, common enough that they're often waved off with an antacid or a "that's just how your stomach is." But common doesn't mean unimportant. Each of these is information, and in my practice, gut health is one of the areas I spend the most time on, because the small details patients mention often connect into a much bigger picture.
Why I focus here
The digestive system isn't just about digesting food. A well-functioning gut is linked to immune regulation, skin health, hormone balance, mood, energy production, inflammation levels, and how well the body absorbs the nutrients it needs. Research into the gut microbiome continues to reveal how far-reaching its influence is on the rest of the body's systems.
Because of this, gut symptoms rarely stay contained to the gut. Patients who come to me primarily for digestive concerns often notice changes elsewhere too, clearer skin, steadier energy, more balanced mood, less inflammation, as their digestive health improves.
What I look for
No two digestive presentations are identical, but here are some of the patterns I commonly assess:
Bloating and abdominal discomfort. Persistent bloating, distension, or excess gas is one of the most frequently reported (and most frequently dismissed) symptoms. It can point to a number of underlying issues: a microbiome imbalance, food sensitivity, bacterial overgrowth, or something else worth investigating further.
IBS. IBS is often given as a catch-all label, but it's rarely the end of the story. I look at the contributing factors that may sit underneath an IBS diagnosis: microbiome imbalances, bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivities, nervous system dysregulation, bile acid issues, or digestive insufficiency.
SIBO and dysbiosis. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and broader microbiome imbalances are commonly overlooked contributors to bloating, gas, food intolerances, and ongoing digestive symptoms.
Reflux and gastritis. Heartburn, nausea, and burning after eating can stem from several different sources, stress, food sensitivities, microbiome imbalance, dietary triggers, H. pylori infection, or disrupted stomach acid production. This is why I look at the pattern rather than treating reflux as one single thing.
H. pylori. This is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide, and a well-established contributor to chronic gastritis and peptic ulcers. Many people carry it without realizing. I offer testing and support for H. pylori, both alongside conventional treatment and as a standalone naturopathic approach.
Irregular bowel habits. Ongoing constipation, sluggish bowels, loose stools, or alternating patterns can meaningfully affect quality of life, energy, and skin health, and are worth addressing rather than working around.
IBD and Crohn's disease. These involve chronic, immune-driven inflammation of the digestive tract. I typically work alongside a patient's existing medical team to provide additional support with gut healing, inflammation, microbiome repair, and addressing nutritional deficiencies.
Ulcerative colitis. Chronic inflammation of the large intestine, often accompanied by nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, and immune dysregulation, areas where naturopathic support can complement conventional care.
Celiac disease. An autoimmune response to gluten that damages the small intestinal lining and interferes with nutrient absorption. I find naturopathic support particularly useful for patients navigating the diagnostic process, or for those who continue to have symptoms even after removing gluten.
Food sensitivities and gut inflammation. These two are closely tied together, and identifying a patient's individual triggers is often a key piece of the broader picture.
Increased intestinal permeability. Sometimes referred to as "leaky gut", this may be associated with immune activation, autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, food reactivity, systemic inflammation, and skin flare-ups.
Candida and yeast overgrowth. Imbalances involving yeast in the gut microbiome have been associated with bloating, digestive dysfunction, fatigue, sugar cravings, brain fog, and skin concerns.
Parasites. More common than most people assume, parasitic infections can present as bloating, cramping, diarrhea, fatigue, skin changes, micronutrient deficiencies, and general gut dysfunction.
Testing I use
I rely on functional testing to move from guessing to actually seeing what's going on:
Food sensitivity testing helps identify IgG reactions, which can guide a temporary, targeted elimination approach while the digestive tract has a chance to heal.
SIBO breath testing is completed at home and measures methane and hydrogen gas production to help detect bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
Gut microbiome panels are one of the tools I rely on most. Rather than guessing, this testing lets us look directly at bacterial composition, identify imbalances, assess digestive function, check inflammation markers, and screen for yeast overgrowth, H. pylori and other pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and signs of intestinal permeability as well as inflammation, all of which shapes a far more targeted treatment plan.
My approach
Every treatment plan I build is different, because every patient's presentation is different. Depending on what we find, my approach may draw on evidence-based nutrition, targeted herbal medicine, microbiome-focused strategies, nervous system support, practitioner-grade nutraceuticals, and functional testing.
Gut health rarely exists on its own. In my practice, I keep an eye on how digestive function connects to skin health, hormone balance, the nervous system, immune regulation, and inflammation — because addressing the gut in isolation only tells part of the story.