Gastro-Intestinal Problems:
(IBS, Poor digestion, bloating, gas, constipation)

Poor digestion can have a big effect on a person’s daily life. From stomach aches to frequent trips to the restroom or having to avoid certain foods, indigestion is something that most everyone understands. However, sometimes people suffer from bad indigestion and have no idea of the cause or even the extent of the effect it has on their body.  

In Traditional Oriental Medicine, there are several key physical symptoms associated with indigestion that the untrained eye would easily overlook. Knowing what to look for can help reveal the problem and lead to effective, natural solutions.

For example, a common physical sign of poor digestion is hair and nail health. The quality of hair, skin, and nails directly reflects the quality of a person’s nutrition and their ability to absorb and digest nutrients. Specific traits of the nails or hair can sometimes reveal the digestion problem, but more often than not, these signs are not diagnostic in themselves.

Traditional Oriental Medicine states that diet is integral to overall health and well-being. This is a fundamental premise of eastern medicine. Food can be a form of medicine. Eastern medicine holds the belief that not only does it matter what you put into your body, but it also matters how you eat it and how you treat meal times. Eating patterns can affect digestion as much as the kinds of foods one eats. For example, eating while sitting is always better than eating while standing. One should always chew food thoroughly and really focus on the meal, turn off the TV or other distraction to accomplish this. Try to avoid eating on the go or while driving or doing other tasks. Don’t skip meals, but instead eat in smaller portions throughout the day. This is beneficial for your digestive system to manage and also has proven metabolic benefits. Additionally, it’s best to eat locally and organically, avoiding any chemicals or processed foods. When one eats organic, this naturally lends itself to eating what is in season, which is also a long-held eastern medicine belief.

However, to best benefit from good nutrition and a healthy diet, the body must be able to properly digest these foods. In addition to poor hair, nail, or skin health, stomachaches, bloating, fatigue, gas, diarrhea, and constipation can all be signs of poor digestion. Paying attention to the signs your body is giving you is the first step to solving any imbalance. As a practitioner of eastern medicine, I am going to work with you to devise a diet specifically geared to your body’s needs as well as prescribe and create herbal formulas or offer an acupuncture treatment plan devised specifically for you. Body awareness and education of common symptoms is a critical first step to good health.