Food First…. What a Concept!
When dealing with health related issues, we strongly believe that food is a complementary medicine. This couldn’t be more true than with people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Five million people have been diagnosed with IBS in Canada, and with about 120,000 new cases each year, makes it one of the highest rates in the world. IBS is among the most common chronic Gastrointestinal Issues (GI) and the 4th most expensive digestive tract disease in Canada[1].
Many of the clients we see who are struggling with gastrointestinal disorders have gone through a variety of investigative procedures and treatments but continue to have symptoms (gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, etc.). This can be incredibly frustrating and leave people feeling very discouraged and unsure where to turn.
As a Registered Nutritionist (Dietitian), it is incredibly rewarding to work with someone who is struggling with gut issues because they often feel better within a couple of weeks.
Our strategy is to provide nutritional recommendations to:
- Get the gut back to baseline
- Help the gut heal
- Find a safe plan for our clients to come back to if symptoms re-occur
Once we do that, we can then start challenging foods to see which ones work for each individual client, and which ones do not. It is important to understand that every individual is different, and no one has the exact same intolerances.
Our approach focuses on empowering our clients to take control and understand their symptoms and what may cause them. Sometimes, certain foods don’t even need to be eliminated! This is what makes what we do so unique, because we help to identify if the IBS symptoms are related to food.
Whether individuals are new to experiencing GI symptoms, waiting to have their investigative procedures done, or waiting to see a Gastroenterologist, we are able to assess their nutritional status, so we can be part of the solution… and potentially reduce some of the need for investigative procedures.
[1] http://www.cdhf.ca/en/statistics
