Holistic Gastroenterologist – Naturopathic Doctor for Gut & Digestive Health
Improving The Gastrointestinal (GI) System and Digestive Health With Natural Holistic Treatments
Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff knows that having a healthy digestive system is imperative when seeking overall optimal health. A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) system & digestive system allows the body to function and digest food properly. Some of the hallmark symptoms of impaired gut health include upset stomach, intestinal discomfort, stomach pain, nausea, heartburn, constipation, and bloating.
As a naturopathic doctor in Hawaii specializing in alternative, naturopathic, and holistic gastrointestinal treatments, Dr. Joy helps patients improve their digestive health through natural treatment modalities.
A healthy digestive system enables your body to absorb and use nutrients effectively, control metabolism, lose weight faster, stop unhealthy cravings, and strengthen your immune system. If your body is unable to digest, absorb nutrients and eliminate waste products properly, then a cascade of diseases, ailments, and restrictions on the physical body occurs.
At the Center for Natural healing Hawaii, Dr. Ostroff’s method of digestive health treatment places a strong emphasis on creating a healthy gut.
She performs diagnostic testing and evaluations to discover the current state of your health and implements a variety of modalities specific to your individual treatment plan. At the Center for Natural Healing, you will be provided with the appropriate supplementation, dietary counseling, treatments, and continual monitoring of your progress, creating a strong foundation of health, eliminating digestive issues, and feeling wonderful in the process.
We treat the root cause of your digestive problems, not just the symptoms.
Symptoms of Gastrointestinal System & Digestive Health (GI) Unbalance
Digestive system issues affect so many people on a daily basis. At the Center for Natural Healing Hawaii, we sit down with you to find out what your issues are and how best to solve them. These GI issues can be parasitic, bacterial or yeast-related in nature. The important thing is to identify your symptoms and look for natural solutions that will help restore your body’s balance and well-being.
A healthy digestive system enables your body to absorb and use nutrients effectively, control metabolism, lose weight faster, stop unhealthy cravings and strengthen your immune system. If your body is unable to properly digest, absorb nutrients and eliminate waste products, then a cascade of disorders, ailments and restrictions on the physical body occur, including digestive infections and digestive disorders.
Through years of experience, Dr. Joy understands that seemingly unrelated conditions arise when the digestive system is not functioning correctly, such as decreased immunity, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, allergies, fatigue and so on. Because the quality and strength of your digestive system strongly influences and determines your health, Dr. Ostroff’s method of treatment places strong emphasis on creating a healthy gut full of flourishing digestive bacteria.
Common Symptoms of Stomach and Intestinal Problems:
- Abdominal pain and discomfort
- Bloating and gas
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Heartburn and acid reflux
- Loss of appetite
- Unintentional weight loss
- Fatigue
- Rectal bleeding or bloody stools
- Food intolerance
Our Treatment Plans for Digestive Disorders and Intestinal Problems
By addressing the actual requirements of the digestive system, naturopathic digestive treatments can aid in addressing the causes of GI and digestive disorders. Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff can suggest a variety of solutions to repair the gut lining and replenish the intestinal tract with healthy bacteria, balancing your digestive immunity and easing your symptoms.
As a naturopathic physician, Dr. Joy utilizes a holistic approach when addressing the underlying causes of poor digestive health. The quality and strength of your digestive system can strongly influence and determine your overall health. An integral part of our treatment plans includes creating a healthy gut full of flourishing digestive bacteria.
Diagnostic Testing
Before we develop a treatment plan, we will conduct diagnostic testing and evaluations to discover the current state of your digestive health and implement a variety of modalities specific to your individual treatment plan. Our GI system testing will include an evaluation of current and past digestive health issues, medical history, prior infections, medications, lifestyle, diet, and genetics. Various gastrointestinal tests, stool tests, breath tests, potential blood tests, food allergy tests, and biomarker tests follow this assessment.
Patient Testimonials and Reviews
Parasitic, Bacterial and Yeast-Related Digestive Disorders
Intestinal Parasitic Infections
More common than one would imagine, digestive infections such as intestinal parasite infestations are a significant cause of GI problems. When people think of intestinal parasites, they sometimes think of severe diarrhea, malabsorption, and weight loss. But this is often not the clinical picture. Parasites can cause constipation, diarrhea, and often some combination. They can cause intestinal bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and irregular bowel movements and can fuel either weight loss or weight gain.
Some examples of parasites are Cryptosporidium parvum, Entamoeba histolytica, Dientamoeba fragilis, Giardia lambia and Blastocystis hominis. Because parasitic infections can be hard to detect on stool testing, especially once they have become chronic, it is important to use highly specialized and sensitive testing to uncover them. Once the infection is identified, either anti-parasitic herbs or medications can be prescribed to rid the body of the infection.
Bacterial Infections
By far the most common of the bacterial digestive infections we see is H. pylori, which is a bacteria that affects the stomach. Typical symptoms are burping/belching, heartburn or reflux, feeling like food just sits heavily in the stomach and intolerances to foods that have never caused problems in the past. It does this by attacking the cells that produce stomach acid, thereby compromising your ability to digest properly, especially proteins.
Once again, standard medical testing often misses the detection of H. pylori, so specialized testing is advised for an accurate diagnosis. H. pylori can be treated either with a 14-day course of medication or herbs and nutrients to counter the infection and heal the digestive tract. Because other kinds of bacteria are a normal part of the intestinal flora, we sometimes see imbalances in this part of the GI tract too. Usually a regimen of herbs and good quality probiotics will rebalance the internal flora, but possible underlying triggers of the imbalance such as parasites and gluten intolerance must be evaluated too.
Digestive Yeast Overgrowth
Candida Albicans is a digestive yeast that makes up a normal part of the internal flora, but again, can get out of balance if other stressors exist, such as parasites or inflammation from food intolerances. This opportunistic fungus is the cause of many undesirable symptoms, ranging from fatigue and weight gain to joint pain and gas. These microorganisms thrive on sugar and carbohydrates, and reproduce millions and billions of times.
When the Candida Albicans population starts increasing, it can weaken the intestinal wall and migrate from the digestive system into the bloodstream, releasing its toxic byproducts throughout the body. Ordinarily, the Candida Albicans population is kept under control by the friendly bacteria in our digestive system. However, when there is a major imbalance in our diet, such as during a favorite candy-eating holiday, the fungi start to multiply and can quickly take over.
The overgrowth of Candida Albicans produces toxins that your body’s immune system can struggle to cope with. The uncomfortable side effects of this battle range from headaches and fatigue to abdominal pain and depression, aka the “Sugar Blues.” Patients that have suffered symptoms of increased Candida Albicans production report a diminution of both their sweet tooth and the overwhelming craving once their intestinal health has been balanced through specific naturopathic and medicinal corrections.
*Results may vary from person to person.
