27
Sep, 2020

By Dr. McKenzie Nisbet, ND

Endometriosis

ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is one of the most common causes of pelvic pain and infertility in women and many women do not know they have it.

Endometriosis is where tissue similar to what grows within the uterus growths outside of the uterus. This growth can occur on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowels and other areas within the pelvis.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:

– Chronic pain in pelvis, back and/or legs

– Ovulatory pain

– Period pain before or after your period

– Pain with intercourse

– Cramping and/or pain with bowel movements

– Heavy bleeding and/or spotting between periods

– Infertility

DIAGNOSIS

The best way to diagnose endometriosis is with a laparoscopic surgery – to visualize the tissue. A blood parameter “CA-125” can also be used to help detect endometriosis. This marker is present in most (but not all) women with endometriosis – around 80%. You can be negative for CA-125 and still have endometriosis.

TREATMENT

There is no known cure for endometriosis, however symptoms typically resolve with menopause. Until then, conventional treatments include hormonal suppression (such as the birth control pill), painkillers, and surgery.

Naturopathic approaches such as addressing inflammation, hormonal imbalances (ex estrogen dominance) and scarring/adhesions can help manage symptoms of endometriosis.

Questions? Book your free 15-Minute Meet & Greet Session and let’s chat!

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07
Feb, 2019

By Dr. McKenzie Nisbet, ND

What Causes IBS?

WHAT CAUSES IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal (GI) condition. 9-23% of the world’s population is thought to be affected by IBS. Canada has one of the highest rates of IBS in the world, with 120,000 new cases each year!

WHAT IS IBS?

IBS is a GI condition consisting of abdominal discomfort or pain with changes in stool frequency or form and/or improvement in pain/discomfort with a bowel movement. It is an ‘umbrella term’ for digestive changes with no clear pathophysiology or definitive cause. IBS has a large impact on quality of life however, most individuals receive no formal treatment.

There are 3 subtypes of IBS: IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) and IBS with mixed stools (IBS-M).

IBS-C (Constipation): hard or lumpy stools >/= 25% or loose/watery stools <25% of bowel movements

IBS-D (Diarrhea): loose or watery stools >/= 25% or hard/lumpy stools <25% of bowel movements

IBS-M (Mixed): hard/lump stools >/= 25% or loose/watery stools >/= 25% of bowel movements

WHAT REALLY CAUSES IBS?

Though IBS has no true cause there are many factors that that can play into the pathogenesis of IBS. Such as altered motility of the GI tract, intestinal inflammation, food sensitivities, post-infection reactivity, brain-gut interactions, altered micro floral, visceral hypersensitivity, carbohydrate malabsorption and bacterial overgrowth.

Bacterial overgrowth in particular has been gaining traction in the research over the past few years, specifically small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: SIBO.

WHAT IS SIBO?

SIBO is a condition where an abnormally large number of bacteria (the types naturally present in the large intestine) are found in the small intestine. These bacteria grow and feed off of carbohydrates from food, creating fermentation and gases (methane and hydrogen). This causes symptoms.

DO YOU HAVE SIBO?

Symptoms of SIBO include many of the same ones as IBS, such as bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, malnutrition, and malabsorption.

A SIBO test can measure the level of fermentation gases (methane and hydrogen). This is done via a non-invasive breath collection (every 15-minutes for 2-3 hours, depending on the test).

HOW DO YOU TREAT SIBO?

There are many options available for the treatment of SIBO. Treatment varies based on the symptoms you are experiencing as well as the test results. Options include dietary and lifestyle changes, antimicrobials, probiotics, and pro-kinetics. If you have IBS or think you have have SIBO see a Naturopathic Doctor to discuss testing and treatment options to get to the root cause of your irritable bowel symptoms!

Interested in learning more about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gut health? Book your free 15-minute meet and greet appointment and let’s chat!

Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23449495/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5347643/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2890937/, http://cdhf.ca/en/statistics
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07
Aug, 2018

By Dr. McKenzie Nisbet, ND

Vitamin B12

VITAMIN B12: YOUR ENERGY BOOSTER

 

Vitamin B12 is one of the most commonly overlooked deficiencies. Do you know the importance of Vitamin B12 for your health? Do you know how to tell if you are deficient? Keep reading to discover if you’ve been overlooking signs of a Vitamin B12 deficiency and what you can do to get back on track fast!

 

ARE YOU DEFICIENT?

Your body cannot make Vitamin B12 itself, it must come from your diet. You can get Vitamin B12 from animal products such as red meat, dairy, poultry and eggs. If you’re not eating Vitamin B12 rich foods you may be deficient.

Vitamin B12 is absorbed in your gut using intrinsic factor. If you are lacking intrinsic factor, have gastrointestinal inflammation, a gut infection, bacterial overgrowth of the intestine, scarring or a bowel disease you likely have impaired absorption and therefore are deficient.

Certain medication may also interfere with the absorption of B12. These include commonly prescribed medications such as PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), other acid reducing medication, oral contraceptive pills and metformin. If you’re on one of these medications, you may be deficient.

 

Vitamin B12 deficiency presents differently in each person. If you have any of the below signs or symptoms you may be deficient.

  • Tired, weakness, lightheaded
  • Constipation, diarrhea, loss of appetite, gas
  • Heart palpitations, shortness of breath
  • Nerve problems (numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, or problems walking)
  • Vision loss
  • Smooth tongue, pale skin
  • Memory loss
  • Depression, behavioural changes or other mental concerns

HAVE YOU BEEN TESTED?

Think you may be deficient in vitamin B12? A simple blood test can tell us what your vitamin B12 level is and what degree of intervention is needed to get you feeling your best!

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

After testing we’ll choose an intervention that matches your diet, lifestyle and requirement. Possible interventions include: dietary changes, capsules, sublingual tablets or the quickest (and my favourite) way to improve your Vitamin B12 levels: intramuscular injections! The key is consistency. Your body does not store this water-soluble vitamin for long. If your medication, dietary choices or malabsorption are causing your deficiency you need to be supplying your body with Vitamin B12 on a consistent basis to ensure your Vitamin B12 stays at a healthy level and you stay symptom-free.

 

WHY IS VITAMIN B12 SO IMPORTANT?

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in DNA synthesis and acts as a cofactor for many different biochemical reaction in your body. Vitamin B12 deficiency is related to neurological dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, mood disorders, hormonal imbalances (including thyroid disorders) and cognitive decline.

 

Think you may be deficient in Vitamin B12? Book an appointment or send me an email and let’s get you feeling your best!

 

Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441923/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257642/, https://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403
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Endometriosis
What Causes IBS?
Vitamin B12