Gut Health & IBS

Nutrition & herbal medicine
for GUT HEALTH & IBS

Are you putting up with digestive symptoms unnecessarily?
Digestive health is central to whole body health. We can think of the digestive system as the gateway to the rest of the body. It supplies our other body organs and systems with nutrients and it’s important for the elimination of wastes. It also houses a whole ecosystem of microbes, which when thriving and healthy benefit us in a multitude of ways.
Our modern lifestyle and diet can place a heavy load on our digestion and actually it can lead to an upset in a delicate balance of microbes in our gut, it can reduce our digestive capacity, damage our gut wall and lead to inflammation.

Some signs that your digestive system is not functioning optimally include..

    • Bloating or stomach pain
    • Reflux and indigestion
    • Loose stools or Diarrhea
    • Constipation or alternating bowel patterns
    • Food sensitivities or intolerances
    • Nausea and poor appetite
    • Diagnosis of IBS or inflammatory bowel disease

Unfortunately, many of us put up with these symptoms. We become accustomed to them, thinking they are normal. Unless they are addressed, our bodies and our minds can’t function at their best.

There are also several conditions that have been associated with abnormal gut health or microbiome imbalance. Some of these include autoimmune conditions, eczema, hayfever, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, post-viral fatigue, anxiety, depression, obesity and other metabolic issues.

Gut Health and IBS

Treatment

Key aspects for long term outcomes

Treatment always takes a holistic and individualised approach. There’s no one-size fits all. An in-depth assessment is conducted in the initial appointment to help me understand your story which enables me to create a treatment plan to best suit your needs.

Naturopathy and nutrition support digestive health through diet strategies and using food as medicine. We also pay attention to lifestyle, such as how stress is impacting your digestive health or what role medications, or alcohol might be playing. We may use selected herbal medicines and nutritional supplements to help restore digestive function and promote a healthy microbiome balance.

    Testing for Gut Health

    There are some tests that can be useful in some cases to gather objective data about what’s going on in your digestive system. Depending on the test chosen we can get information about the state of your microbiome, bacterial overgrowth, your ability to digest foods and/or levels of intestinal inflammation.

      Microbiome testing

      This is a stool test that assesses various aspects of the microbiome including types and amounts of normal intestinal flora, opportunistic flora, pathogenic microbes, yeasts, and parasites. Other information this test provides can gives us insight into digestive inflammation, enzymes and digestive capacity and the likelihood of intestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut) caused by damage to the gut lining.

      SIBO Breath Test

      The small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) breath test is an at home test that measures levels of gases produced by bacteria in the small intestine. This test is diagnostic for overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine which is highly prevalent amongst those with IBS symptoms.

      What is the human microbiome?

      The human microbiome refers to the ecosystem of microbes such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi which live harmoniously on and within the human body. The average human adult has approximately 2kg of bacteria within their digestive tract alone.

      This microscopic community offers great benefits to us as humans heavily involved in regulating digestive function, immune function, nervous system function and metabolic outcomes.

      When the delicate balance of microbes is disrupted, this has negative impacts on our health and wellness.

        Gut Health Microbiome

        I’d love to hear from you!

        As your Naturopath and Nutritionist, it is my aim to support and empower you on your way to better health. Start your journey today!

        Email Address

        info@kellik.com.au

        Call Me

        +61 479 196 021

        BY appointment

        Lifewell Central Clinic
        Broadview, SA

        Marion Physiotherapy
        Marion, SA

        Online via Zoom