Digestion
Digestive Health & Diagnostics
A healthy digestive system is the critical first step to convert food into life energy. When functioning optimally, the digestive system keeps the body healthy, allows detoxification, and leads to optimal wellness.
It also functions as a barrier to potential toxins, bacteria, yeast, parasites, food antigens, and large or partially digested food molecules that can potentially aggravate the immune system. A number of conditions impacting physical and emotional health result from gastrointestinal problems.
Digestive Health Program
Struggling with gas, abdominal pain, or diarrhea? Do you have uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating or constipation? You may have an imbalance/overgrowth of gut bacteria, yeast, or parasites causing your symptoms.
Not to fear…at Natural Balance we see and treat this every day. We understand that these symptoms can negatively impact your quality of life and we are here to tell you that it’s going to be okay! We have successfully treated hundreds of patients with these same issues.
Please visit these articles for a more in-depth understanding of how we approach treatment for gastrointestinal disorders and SIBO.
Gastrointestinal Tests
Many diagnostic strategies are available at Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center to help guide clinical decisions, address vague symptoms, and treat pre-illness and disease states. These tests are usually covered by health insurance with a written doctor’s prescription and come from the most innovative, well-respected laboratories in the country and the world.
This test is used to help identify gluten sensitivity related to celiac disease and other more “subclinical” gluten sensitivity problems. The results help provide a guide to elimination diets and a means to assess improvements over time.
Provides a comprehensive, noninvasive diagnostic evaluation of the GI system to look at gut ecology; discover potential pathogens such as opportunistic bacteria, invasive yeast, and parasites; evaluate metabolic markers; quantify inflammation; and assess the ability to digest and absorb nutrients. The test is a 3-day home stool collection and 3 weeks culture/evaluation.
A number of clinical conditions result from either increased or decreased permeability, and we use this and other intestinal assessments to look for the root cause of “dis-ease.”
Measures urine level byproducts to identify or confirm the presence of pathogens (yeast, parasites, aberrant bacteria), dysbiosis, or bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine.
New Patient Process
Call for your complimentary 20-minute consultation with Dr. Soorya. This is to get to know you and hear your story as well as briefly tell you how we approach gastrointestinal disorders.
If you decide to join our clinic, you will proceed with the following steps.
The purpose of this visit is to finish talking about your story and decide what testing is needed. You will also have a physical exam at this time.
Typical testing includes:
- Comprehensive Stool Analysis: This test looks at the balance of bacteria in your gut microbiome. It provides information regarding pathogenic bacterial, yeast, ova, and parasite overgrowth.
- Hydrogen/Methane Breath Test: If Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) is suspected, we will check this test as well. This noninvasive test is performed typically after 12 hours of fasting and requires ingesting a precise amount of sugar and measuring your breath every 15 minutes for 3 hours. If bacteria are present within the small intestine, they end up fermenting the sugar, producing hydrogen, methane, or both, which are absorbed into the bloodstream, and breathed out (which is measured).
- Urine Organic Acids Testing: This test evaluates one urine sample for byproducts of yeast and bacteria. If out of range, it can indicate yeast or bacterial overgrowth.
- Blood Test: If you have already had blood work done, we are more than happy to see and work with what you have already if it is recent enough. Important blood work for evaluating GI patients includes at least a CBC and CMP.
If something concerning is flagged on these initial tests or during our initial discussion, we may need to order additional testing depending on the nature of what was found.
After all your testing is in, we will discuss the findings and put together your treatment plan which includes dietary, lifestyle, and nutraceutical interventions.
Treatment options for digestive issues include:
- Precision Medicine
- Functional & Integrative Medicine
- Alcat
- NAET
- Dietary/Lifestyle Coaching
- GAPS™ Dietary Consultations
While you work with our clinic, you will have an appointment approximately every 6-8 weeks for about 6 months while we are going through the GI remodel. This is for your safety and to ensure that you are tolerating all of the supplements, troubleshoot any problems you may be having, and help provide any guidance and coaching. Of course, if you need to see us anytime sooner than your scheduled appointment, you may always schedule to see us. We are here for you!
If you would like more in-depth dietary recommendations, you may also schedule an appointment with our registered dietitian.
After completing the GI remodel, we will see how you are doing off of supplements and counsel you on long-term lifestyle, dietary, and wellness strategies.
Most patients take about 6-8 months to properly remodel the gastrointestinal system. It does take time, but we want to make sure we do it right so that you sustain all of the improvements you make with our clinic. Even after completing the GI remodel, it will take some time for your body to reestablish its natural balance.
As a medical center, it is our sincere intention that your visit be recognized by insurance AND qualify for reimbursement based on your out-of-network benefits. Our clinic’s ability to provide superbills for your visit and utilize insurance for testing is why we are able to save patients thousands of dollars compared to other practices run by limited license clinicians such as chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, etc. That said, we are unable to guarantee that your insurance will reimburse your visits, nor can we project how much reimbursement you might receive.
For general pricing information, please see the table below. We do offer follow-up visits via phone/video conference as a convenient way for you to still reach your health goals without feeling like you have to take a lot of time out of your schedule to drive and see us. We have patients all over the state and country who love our clinic for this!
Please note: The times below include preparation and post-counseling with the nurse or clinical assistant, as well as direct collaboration with our physicians or clinicians.
Our clinic policies include important information about working with our clinic, refund policies, payment information, cancellation policies, etc. We request that all new patients review this material prior to enrolling with our clinic.
We Are Here to Help You!
On behalf of the Natural Balance Team, we hope you have found this information helpful and we look forward to working with you.
To schedule your new patient appointment or if you have any questions, please contact Lili Boggess at Natural Balance Wellness Medical Center at (734) 929-2696, extension 11.