Hippocrates was quoted as saying ‘all disease begins in the gut’ and over 2000 years later we are beginning to appreciate his point of view.[1]
The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract—also called the GI tract or digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Bacteria in the GI tract, also called gut flora or microbiome, help with digestion.
Working together, nerves, hormones, bacteria, blood, and the organs of your digestive system digest the foods and liquids you eat or drink each day.[2]
Throughout this digestion process, we absorb the nutrients that we need for our body to function.
Many health conditions are related to or caused by poor digestion.
Herbal medicine and healthy nutrition can help and assist in promoting better digestion health.
The healing process includes learning what a healthy eating plan is suitable for you, incorporating lifestyle changes, eliminating dietary indiscretions and reducing stress.
Natural medicine offers remedies for different pathological syndromes and tonics that help prevent a problem from manifesting in the first place.
If the digestion process is not working effectively, you might experience health problems – even if you are eating healthy food.
Poor digestion can cause symptoms such as blemish on your skin, low energy and low immunity, and can be linked to many diseases, including osteoporosis[3], arthritis[4] and bowel cancer[5].
Good digestion depends on several factors including chewing, levels of digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid, and proper functioning of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and intestines.
In the clinic, we can help you identify triggers and get to the root cause of your digestive issues.
We will advise a tailored naturopathic plan that includes botanical remedies, nutrition and lifestyle advice so that you get maximum support for your digestive health goals.
[1] van den Elsen LW, Poyntz HC, Weyrich LS, Young W, Forbes-Blom EE. Embracing the gut microbiota: the new frontier for inflammatory and infectious diseases. Clin Transl Immunology. 2017;6(1):e125. Published 2017 Jan 20. doi:10.1038/cti.2016.91
[2] “Your Digestive System & How it Works | NIDDK.” https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works.
[3] Katz, S., & Weinerman, S. (2010). Osteoporosis and gastrointestinal disease. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 6(8), 506–517.
[4] Horta-Baas, G., Romero-Figueroa, M., Montiel-Jarquín, A. J., Pizano-Zárate, M. L., García-Mena, J., & Ramírez-Durán, N. (2017). Intestinal Dysbiosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Link between Gut Microbiota and the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Journal of immunology research, 2017, 4835189. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4835189
[5]Song M, Garrett WS, Chan AT. Nutrients, foods, and colorectal cancer prevention. Gastroenterology. 2015;148(6):1244-60.e16. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2014.12.035