Digestive Health
Book OnlineGut Health is the key to your
GOOD HEALTH
You may think of digestion simply as breaking down the food you consume to pass nutrients into your body for energy and growth. However, there are many connections between the gut and the brain, forming a unique axis for activity and energetic potential. The gut-brain axis is the connection between your neurological pathways in your brain that travel throughout your body to your gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This insight has helped form many hypotheses about how emotions and mental state are connected to our gut health and ultimately our digestive patterns.
This may be new a new hypothesis for western medicine, however, Chinese medicine and Natural Medicines have known this for many millennia, and so many patients were treated by way of their emotional and mental state as treatment for their digestive health.
Two intricate and sensitive systems regulate the digestive system, the hormonal (endocrine) and the nervous system. Thought, sight, smell and touch all trigger these systems, before we consume our first mouthful of food. Both of these systems work together to keep the digestive state in a homeostatic balance.
The Endocrine system regulates the production and release of hormones from the pancreas, adrenal glands, hypothalamus, pituitary gland (anterior & posterior), stomach, kidney, thymus gland, ovaries, testes, placenta (pregnancy), thyroid gland, & parathyroid gland. All of which secrete hormones which are released upon specific stimulation, such as stress, food consumption, elevated heart rate, increased or decreased blood glucose, increased or decreased oxygen supply, and more..
Disruptions to hormonal health can stem from many internal and external factors such as diet, stress, emotional wellbeing, chemical exposure, pharmaceutical medications, and general homeostatic regulation.
Stress and gut health
As an example, stress is often associated with dysfunctions of the GIT. This is because stress hormones act on the digestive system by slowing down the motility and digestion of food, whether the food is in your stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, stress can prevent movement which often results in symptoms such as distension, cramping, pain, constipation and fluid retention. However, stress is only one example of how hormonal and nervous system dysfunctions can cause digestive symptoms.
At Diamond Creek Natural medicine centre, our practitioners are extremely knowledgeable in the field of digestion, hormonal and neurological functionality and how each system functions together. In your consultation with our Nutritionist, Dietitian, Chinese Medicine Doctor & Acupuncturist, all areas of the body are consider to effectively treat your gut health symptoms.
TCM, Acupuncture and Digestive health
Chinese Medicine recognised long, long ago that the digestive system was intertwined with our emotional and mental functionality, so much so, that a whole school of thought “Earth School” was born. The Earth refers to the Spleen and Stomach organ system. Li Dong-Yuan, the founder, recognised how the functioning of the ‘Spleen and Stomach’ would reflect on the rest of the body, and in order to maintain strong digestive health, the manner in which one conducted themselves needed to be addressed. He developed ‘Yang Sheng’ guidelines (Ways of Living Well), and Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicines formulations to support his findings, are still referred to in modern practice.
The most current western research shows Acupuncture has a potential for positive effect on IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), constipation and obesity. And has a positive effect on post-operative nausea and vomiting.
Chinese Medicine has traditionally been used to assist bloating, distention, discomfort, pain, diarrhoea, constipation, flatulance, food intolerances, increase or decrease of appetite, reflux, burning, weight changes and poor metabolism.
Clancy has assisted her clients to achieve balanced digestive health by working with patients on a regular basis (weekly or fortnightly) with the use of customised Wellness Plans that include Acupuncture, Detoxification Programs, Functional Pathology testing (including Parasitology and Food Intolerance).