Autoimmune & Digestive Health

Naturopathic treatment can be used to manage autoimmune conditions alone or in conjunction with conventional medical care. Whether you have been newly diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, or are looking to better manage your symptoms, our approach will help you regain control over your health.

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Autoimmune Conditions

Autoimmune diseases are a broad group of conditions that can affect any area of the body. Examples of autoimmune conditions include Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (hypothyroidism), rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia, Crohn’s, colitis, Celiac disease, psoriasis, eczema, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and more. These conditions share the same underlying cause: the body’s immune system has become dysregulated and has started attacking your own body. This attack causes widespread inflammation and symptoms such as fatigue, pain, frequent cold and flu, and organ/tissue damage specific to the area being attacked.

Lab Testing

Lab testing is an important aspect of autoimmune care because it allows us to target underlying causes, monitor treatment efficacy, and diagnose contributing factors and concomitant illnesses.

Lab testing offered at Darou Wellness include:

4 Point Salivary Cortisol Testing (assesses stress levels)
Screening for concomitant autoimmune conditions (blood tests)
Assessing inflammation and monitoring disease progression (blood tests)
Food Intolerance Testing
Heavy Metal Testing
Overall health assessment including B12, iron, thyroid panel, vitamin D, and insulin resistance testing

Treatment Approach

The naturopathic approach focuses on treating the underlying causes of illness. In autoimmune disease this means reducing inflammation, calming the immune system, and removing precipitating factors. We use evidence-based supplements, herbs, stress reduction, and nutrition to provide a whole-body approach to treating autoimmunity.

Since 70% of the immune system is in the gut, the foundation of treatment focuses on gut health. Natural support also target healing or improving the function of damaged organs such as the thyroid gland, skin, or nervous system, depending on your condition. We will also address symptom management while we’re treating the underlying cause, such as pain reduction and improving energy. Lastly, it is important to find and remove triggers such as stress-coping, food intolerances, and heavy metal toxicity to minimize future flare-ups.

There are many ways to support autoimmune conditions naturally, with the overarching goal of targeting the underlying disease process to reduce symptoms and prevent recurrence.

Digestive Health

Digestive health affects the health of our whole body. More and more research is coming out to support that the gut is our “second brain” and is responsible for much more than we previously understood.

Digestive disturbances are a sign that the important processes in that should happen in the gut may not be functioning well. Seventy percent of the immune system is in the gut, so digestive abnormalities can directly influence our ability to fight infection, and can cause immune system dysregulation leading to autoimmune disease. Ninety to ninety-five percent of our serotonin is produced and stored in the gut, which is the hormone responsible for mood, sleep, and appetite. This is why a connection is often seen between digestive health and insomnia, anxiety, or low mood. An overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast in the gut can cause bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea, as well as full-body symptoms of fatigue, congestion, and brain fog.

Conditions treated

Constipation / diarrhea
Bloating
SIBO
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis
Food intolerances
Candida overgrowth
Antibiotic recovery
GERD (heartburn)

Lab testing

Lab testing is a valuable tool to asses the cause of digestive disturbances, progression of disease, and the effects of digestive health throughout the body. Lab testing offered at Darou Wellness includes:

Food intolerance testing
SIBO breath testing
Celiac testing
Nutrient status, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, and iron levels
Inflammation markers, including ESR, CRP, and autoimmune antibodies
Recommendations for obtaining diagnostic imaging such as colonoscopy, H. pylori testing and cytoscopy

Treatment Approach

The naturopathic approach focuses on treating the underlying causes of illness. In digestive conditions this means adjusting the diet, reducing inflammation in the gut, balancing the gut micro-biome, and addressing precipitating factors such as stress. We use evidence-based supplements, herbs, stress reduction, and nutrition to provide a whole-body approach to treating digestive conditions.

There are many ways to support your digestive health naturally, with the overarching goal of targeting the underlying disease process to reduce symptoms and prevent recurrence.