Supporting better digestion and gut health by uncovering the root causes behind your symptoms.
Digestive Issues & Gut Health
Get Your Gut Healthy
Bloating after meals. Unpredictable bowels. Cramping that shows up at the worst times. If digestive issues are dictating what you eat, where you go, or how you plan your day, you already know it's about more than "just" digestion.
As naturopathic doctors who work with patients experiencing IBS, we take a thorough, individualized look at factors that may be contributing to your symptoms, whether you already have a diagnosis or you're still trying to figure out what's going on.
Getting to the Root of Digestive Issues
Digestive complaints are one of the most common reasons people come to see us, because symptoms rarely stay confined to your gut. Fatigue, skin issues, mood changes, and brain fog often travel alongside digestive trouble.
Some patients arrive with a diagnosis already in hand from their medical doctor - IBS, Crohn's, Colitis, celiac disease. Others fall into the grey zone: real, disruptive symptoms without a clear label yet. Either way, we start with a thorough history and may recommend testing to help identify contributing factors like food sensitivities, inflammation, infections, microbiome imbalances or how well your body is processing hormones and other compounds. There can also be side effects from other medications, blood sugar imbalances, weight loss medications, prescription iron and antidepressant medications. From there, we build a plan aimed at supporting your gut and easing your symptoms.
Testing Options
During your visit, we will assess your situation and provide testing options. In our experience, not all patients will require this level of testing, but in difficult cases the testing will provide a clearer picture. These will include tests such as:
- Food-related symptom assessment; if IgG or IgA panels are discussed, their limitations are explained and they are not used to diagnose food allergy
- SIBO breath testing, when clinically indicated
- GI-MAP testing, when clinically indicated, with its purpose and limitations explained
- Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis + Parasitology
- Intestinal permeability testing, when clinically appropriate, with its limitations explained
- Organic Acid testing
- Live blood microscopy, when clinically appropriate, as an observational tool rather than a stand-alone diagnostic test
- Liver function or metabolic testing, when clinically indicated
- Bloodwork via local Alberta Precision Labs (APL)
IBS Naturopath Support
IBS can be exhausting precisely because it's so unpredictable: one week it's constipation, the next it's diarrhea, and stress seems to make everything worse. In naturopathic care, we look at the gut-brain connection, possible food triggers, and inflammation as part of building your plan, using dietary guidance, targeted nutritional support, and lifestyle strategies aimed at helping you feel more in control of your symptoms day to day.
Food Sensitivities, Celiac Disease & Gluten Intolerance
Not all reactions to food look the same. Food-related symptoms can include bloating, fatigue, or skin issues without representing a true allergy, while celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that requires strict, lifelong avoidance of gluten. Depending on the diagnosis and the patient's response, some temporarily restricted foods may later be reintroduced; confirmed food allergies and celiac disease require specific long-term avoidance.
If celiac disease is suspected, we always recommend proper diagnostic testing with your medical doctor before starting a gluten-free diet, since going gluten-free beforehand can affect test accuracy. Once diagnosed, we can support you with nutrient repletion (celiac disease often affects nutrient absorption) and practical dietary guidance for day-to-day life.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's & Colitis) Support
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are serious, chronic immune-mediated conditions, and we want to be upfront: naturopathic care is not a replacement for gastroenterology care. The goal is a healthy patient using appropriate medications, nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle support. Medication decisions should always be made with the prescribing clinician.
What we can offer is supportive care alongside your specialist — nutritional strategies aimed at reducing inflammatory triggers, addressing nutrient deficiencies that often come with IBD, and lifestyle support during flares and remission alike. If you're managing Crohn's or Colitis, we'll always work with your health care team to support the best outcomes.
Bloating Treatment
Bloating that shows up after almost every meal isn't something you just have to live with. We look at potential contributors to help identify what may be associated with your bloating and build a treatment plan suited to your patterns and triggers, rather than a generic "avoid dairy and gluten" approach. Possible contributors can include SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), motility disorders, altered bile flow, food-related symptoms, and other medical or digestive conditions. Candida-related concerns require careful assessment because symptoms can overlap with many other causes.
Gut Health Naturopath Care
Your gut plays a major role in immune function, mood regulation, and nutrient absorption. As a gut health naturopath, our focus is on supporting the health of your intestinal lining and the balance of bacteria in your gut, using nutrition, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle changes tailored to what your body needs.
Appetite Changes & Cravings
A noticeably increased or reduced appetite, or strong cravings for carbohydrates and sugar, can be associated with blood sugar regulation, hormonal shifts, stress, mental health, medications, eating patterns, and other factors. Gut bacteria and Candida-related concerns may also be considered when clinically relevant. We look at these patterns as part of your overall digestive picture, since appetite changes can be a clue rather than a standalone issue.
Our goal is not to use intense or prolonged dietary changes without a clear reason. Healthy choices, together with attention to possible contributing factors, can support digestive health. We then work toward integrating diet and lifestyle choices into a manageable program that fits your busy lifestyle.
Heartburn & Peptic Ulcers
Occasional heartburn is common, but frequent or severe symptoms deserve proper medical attention first, especially since ulcers can occasionally involve H. pylori infection or, rarely, more serious complications that need prompt medical care.
Once any necessary medical treatment is underway, we can offer supportive care: dietary strategies to reduce irritation, stress management (stress is a well-known aggravator), and nutritional support for healing. If you're experiencing severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, or black/tarry stools, please seek immediate medical attention rather than waiting for a naturopathic appointment.
Constipation, Diarrhea & Bowel Regularity
Ongoing changes in bowel habits deserve a proper look rather than a one-size-fits-all fibre recommendation. We assess diet, hydration, gut bacteria, and underlying triggers to build a plan aimed at more predictable, comfortable digestion.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
We start with a real conversation about your symptoms, history, and any diagnoses you already have. If further testing would help clarify what's going on, we'll talk through that together. From there, we build a plan you understand and feel confident about, coordinated with any other care providers involved.
Your Questions, Answered
Have questions about digestive care? We're here to help you understand your journey to natural health.
Do I need a diagnosis before booking an appointment?
No, the majority of our patients have a list of symptoms they have been suffering with, but no formal diagnosis. Many patients have seen lots of doctors, done lots of tests and tried lots of pills, but still no help overall.
Should I see a naturopathic doctor or a gastroenterologist first?
Naturopathic care can complement medical assessment, but it should not delay a gastroenterology referral when one is indicated. If your symptoms are severe, persistent, or associated with warning signs, medical assessment is important. Some patients with colitis require steroids, biologic medications, or other specialist-directed treatment. My goal is to support the patient in becoming as healthy and comfortable as possible. Any medication taper must be directed by the prescribing clinician, and reducing or stopping medication is not appropriate for everyone.
How is IBS treatment here different from what my doctor might suggest?
A naturopathic doctor takes a whole-person history and may assess possible influences involving the digestive, immune, and nervous systems, including stress, trauma, infections, diet, and food-related symptoms. A medical doctor or gastroenterologist may use bloodwork, imaging, colonoscopy, or gastroscopy to assess for structural disease and other diagnoses. IBS can be diagnosed even when these investigations are normal. Prescriptions can improve quality of life, including medications for diarrhea, constipation, cramping, or reflux. Naturopathic care may add individualized nutrition and lifestyle strategies and should be coordinated with medical care rather than used to replace needed investigations or medication.
Is bloating always digestive, or can it be hormonal?
Bloating can be related to digestion, food-related symptoms, bile function, constipation, medications, stress, infections, and other medical conditions. Hormonal changes may also contribute, and some women notice flares of digestive symptoms or bloating around ovulation, during premenstrual changes, or in perimenopause.
How does stress affect digestion?
Stress signals the nervous system to respond in a fight-or-flight pattern. Most modern stresses cannot simply be "run away from," so the effects may persist. I often ask patients: "If you are running away from a bear in the woods, how important is digestion?" The point is that stress can change stomach-acid production, gut movement, appetite, blood sugar regulation, and how digestive symptoms are experienced. Your gastrointestinal tract was not built to live under chronic stress, so the concern may involve both digestion and stress. A whole-person assessment can help clarify the pattern and identify reasonable treatment options.