"Not only

have my stomachaches

and acid reflux gone away,

but I'm also feeling

more energy and

everything

just seems to

work better!"

-Mary S.

Gastroenterology

Many diseases begin with dysfunction in the gut. An imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract is not only uncomfortable and painful, but it can lead to more serious conditions in the future.

Symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction include bloating, excess gas, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low appetite, sugar cravings, excessive weight loss or gain, and burping.

When these symptoms are present, we do a thorough investigation of the stressors that might be causing the imbalance. Once these stressors have been identified, we begin the 4R program. The 4R program has been used successfully for all types of gastrointestinal dysfunction, including those listed below.

Read more about the gastroenterology disease we treat and the treatments we use below.

Gastroenterology Diseases We Treat

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

IBS is diagnosed when a person has had abdominal pain or discomfort at least three times a month for the last 3 months without other disease or injury that could explain the pain. The pain or discomfort of IBS may occur with a change in stool frequency or consistency or be relieved by a bowel movement.

Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBD)

IBD involves chronic inflammation of all or part of your digestive tract. IBD primarily includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Both usually involve severe diarrhea, pain, fatigue and weight loss. IBD can be debilitating and sometimes leads to life-threatening complications.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. Symptoms include weight loss, pain and discomfort in the digestive tract, chronic constipation and diarrhoea, failure to thrive (in children), anaemia, fatigue, and vitamin deficiencies.

Constipation

Chronic constipation is infrequent bowel movements or difficult passage of stools that persists for several weeks or longer.

Constipation is generally described as having fewer than three bowel movements a week, but if you are not having a bowel movement everyday, then Dr. Fong would consider this constipation that needs to be addressed.

Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth

SIBO refers to an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestines. Often these are bacteria that should not be in the small intestines or are growing at higher rates than normal, resulting in pain, excess gas, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

Gastrointestinal Infection

Parasites, viruses, fungus, or bacteria all can cause gastrointestinal (GI) infections. When the gut is not healthy, it is more vulnerable to these infections. Symptoms of GI infections include abdominal pain, bloating, excess gas, diarrhea, and other symptoms.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

GERD occurs when stomach acid or, occasionally, stomach content, flows back into your food pipe (esophagus). The backwash (reflux) irritates the lining of your esophagus and causes GERD. Symptoms include heartburn, chest pain, difficulty swallowing, dry cough, hoarseness or sore throat, regurgitation of food or sour liquid, or sensation of lump in throat.

Gallstones

Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your gallbladder and bile ducts. Gallstones can be present, but silent and untreated conventionally. These gallstones can cause digestive problems that appear unrelated to the stones. If the gallstones cause significant symptoms, gallstone surgery is the conventional solution. Dr. Fong can support your bile flow and flush out the ducts and gallbladder to clear the gallstones.

Gastroenterology Treatment

4R Program

The 4R program is a four step program for healing gastrointestinal dysfunction. The four steps are:

RID: food sensitivities and allergies, infections, poor diet, stress
REPLACE: digestive enzymes, Hydrochloric acid
REPAIR: restore the health of the gut mucosa using herbs, food, and nutrients
REPLENISH: replenish the gut flora using specific strains of probiotics and food

In this 4R Program, we utilize a variety of treatments, such as supplements, herbs, homeopathy diet modification, detoxification, colon hydrotherapy, and more.

Root Cause Solutions

Supplements, herbs and homeopathy can address the root cause of gastrointestinal imbalances and also act medicinally to alleviate the symptoms and protect the body from further damage, while the root cause of the symptoms are also being addressed. After evaluating you with an extensive intake, physical exam, and laboratory testing, Dr. Fong will prescribe a customized treatment plan for you. The eventual goal for you is true gastrointestinal balance, where you will not need any support, conventional or naturopathic, because the "root cause" of the imbalance has been addressed.

Detoxification

Poor gastrointestinal function leads to a build up of toxins in the system. Your gastrointestinal tract is the "highway" that the toxins take to leave the body. If this highway is not working properly (i.e. constipation, bloating, diarrhea, etc.), then there will be a "traffic jam" that leads to increased toxin load in the body. This can lead to further damage of the gastrointestinal system and further problems. Our goal is not only to improve gastrointestinal function, but also to decrease the toxic load on the system. We offer a la carte detoxification treatments that support gastrointestinal health, including colon hydrotherapy, colon implants, and liver/gallbladder flushes, as well as general and customized gut detoxification programs to address the root cause of your disease.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP