Are You Producing Enough Acid?

One of the most important factors in digestion is stomach acid. Too little acid or too much can cause digestive problems. Stomach acid (Hydrochloric acid) is critical for not only all protein digestion, but also for mineral absorption and more importantly it is the first line of defence against infections such as bacteria entering your body.

Lack of acid makes you prone to infections and it can lead to indigestion and bloating. The likelihood of developing allergies can also increase because large undigested food enters the small intestine and triggers allergic reactions. What are the signs of not enough acid?

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Gut Health | Redlands Naturopath

Good digestion and absorption are crucial to good health. Research is telling us that healing your gut is the most important thing you can do to get your health back on track. Even the ancient healers such as Hippocrates stated 2000 years ago that “All disease begins in the gut.

Some examples of autoimmune diseases are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Crohn’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, Diabetes, Celiac disease, Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Genetic predisposition makes up about one-third of your risk of developing an autoimmune disease. The other two-thirds of your risk come from environmental factors, which include: diet, lifestyle, infections, mineral deficiencies, exposure to toxins – such as heavy metals mercury or cadmium, hormones, weight and others. Statistically, nearly 1 in 5 people now have an autoimmune disorder, and having a first-degree relative with an auto-immune disease will dramatically increase your risk of developing some form of autoimmunity.

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The Treatment Of Digestive Disorders

Did you know that about 80% of our immune system is located in the gut? Unhealthy gut has been linked to a multitude of imbalances in the rest of the body such as hormonal issues, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, skin issues and other chronic health problems.

There are 4 steps to follow when treating digestive issues:

  1. The first stage of the treatment is to remove the things that negatively affect the gut environment and cause inflammation. These things may include some foods such as gluten or dairy which the body is reacting to; heavy metals such as mercury or cadmium; yeast or parasites or bacteria. One of the most common causes of IBS is SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) in which case following a low FODMAP diet combined with specific treatment plan using herbal medicine is needed to remove the bacteria that are causing the bloating.
  2. The second stage is the repair of the damaged gut by addressing the inflammation of the gut wall and leaky gut using nutritional supplements.
  3. The third stage involves adding back the essential nutrients to restore proper digestion and absorption of food. This step usually involves supplementing with enzymes and bitters to get the digestion on the right track.
  4. The fourth and the last step is to reinoculate or re-introduce the beneficial bacteria which helps to regulate digestion and elimination and play a crucial role in keeping our immune system functioning properly

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Meet Our Microbiome | Bayside Naturopath

Did you know that more than 100 trillion microorganisms live in our gut, skin, mouth and other parts of our bodies? Most of these organisms live in our digestive tract and are composed of fungi, viruses and mostly bacteria, and these influence every aspect of our health.

The microbiome affects our metabolism, immunity, mood and brain function. It affects every aspect of our everyday life! Scientists have also linked allergies, obesity and many chronic illnesses such as diabetes and autoimmune disorders to our microbiome. Our gut health can have a significant impact on ADHD, autism, asthma, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, high blood pressure, IBS and IBD, memory issues, fibromyalgia, arthritis, atherosclerosis, menstrual issues, skin problems eg. eczema and acne, frequent colds and infections etc. Your intestinal flora determines whether your body is in a state on inflammation or not.

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Why Test For Minerals?

Minerals are the spark- plugs of life as they are needed for almost every metabolic process in the body. They are essential for healing, immunity, growth, vitality and wellbeing.

Ideally, we should be getting all our minerals from our diet. Unfortunately, due to modern farming techniques using fertilisers and pesticides which reduce the mineral content in soil, our bodies are significantly deficient in minerals. Consequently, the need for testing and monitoring our nutritional status is more important now than ever before.

Other factors that cause mineral imbalances are stress, medications, pollution, genetic factors and also improper use of nutritional supplements.

The Oligoscan can be used for detection of early mineral imbalances at the cellular level, it can show the accumulation of toxic elements and also detects metabolic issues as early as possible.

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Essential Fatty Acids: Why Are They So Important?

Omega 3 fatty acids have an important role to play in maintaining optimal health.

  • They reduce pain and inflammation
  • They support healthy cognitive function – enhance memory, learning and brain development from infancy to adult life
  • They support healthy heart function and help maintain healthy blood pressure and help lower cholesterol
  • They help improve mood
  • They help improve the condition of skin, hair and nails: one of the signs  of omega 3 fatty acids deficiency is dry skin
  • They help maintain healthy cell membrane integrity

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