Naturopathy and dieticians
#8111 - 05/01/03 07:00 PM
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I'd like to hear about everyone's experiences with naturopathy and dieticians. Also, what are the diffs between dieticians and nutritionists? Right now I'm just eating potatoes trying to figure out if I have celiac or not. This CAN'T be good for my bod...I need to add more nutrients (I'm also nervous to take a vitamin supplement because vitamin C is said to cause probs for some folks). A couple of you have already given me your opinion on naturopathy...do you know anything about dieticians/nutritionists as well? Also, do naturopaths have an MD like physicians or an ND for naturopathic doctor? How do you know if they're legit?
I've started looking at celiac.com...there's TONS o info. there...but it's a HUGE sight, difficult for me to maneuver. I'm having a tough time sifting through the info. For example, is two weeks of going gluten free long enough to know if I have celiac? Are these questions a naturopath/dietician should be able to address? Thanks everyone!!!!!!! (((big hugs)))
Ruchie
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Hi Ruchie,
I don't know anything about naturopathy, but I have been seeing a registered dietician (RD, LD) and she is the reason I'm finally feeling better after years of going to medical doctors. I got tired of male doctors telling me that the cause of my digestive problems is that I'm a female under stress, so I found a terrific dietician who helped me immensely.
She isolated my problems first with a two-week elimination diet, from there we tried a wheat/gluten free diet for 2 weeks (thinking I might have celiac disease), but when she found Heather's books and I started following her IBS diet I knew we had finally found the problem. In addition, she has me taking probiotics, L-Glutamine and Omega-3 capsules for inflammation, and digestive enzymes. I feel like a new woman! (And I'm still under stress...wonder what my doctor would say now??!!)
If you can find someone through recommendations (rather than just the yellow pages) I say, "go for it!"
Barbara
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Barb: which digestive enzyme are you using? There are so many types it's hard to just start trying them all (and expensive).
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Hi Ruchie,
I believe dieticians and nutritionists are the same thing, but I don't know that for sure. I think it's worth a shot to go see one. My experience was very pleasant. They do make you do alot of work in keeping food journals and they ask you a ton of questions and have a huge questionnaire for you to fill out initially, but it is worth it because they really do a ton of research to try and figure out your problem. They help you make a list of what you need to ask your doctor and give you really good suggestions on recipes, snacks, etc. I think it would be a good idea to ask them the same questions Heather has listed in her book about what you should ask your doctor (ie. make sure whoever you go see is familiar with what IBS is and how to treat it properly through diet, etc.) In fact, a good dietician/nutritionist who claims they are familiar with IBS should already know of Heather's books and her diet - I would ask them if they have ever heard of them. I first went to see a dietician years ago because I was so tired I was falling asleep at 8:00 pm and not waking up for twelve hours. I couldn't figure out why I was so tired all the time. My dietician calculated my total calories for one day and I was only getting 1200 calories. I am a very active person and with all the activities I was participating in, she suggested that I need to receive around 2400-2600 calories/day. I gradually worked my way up and felt TONS better (I eat like a horse now!) I went back to see her last year when I started having symptoms of IBS. I had no idea what was wrong with me other than I thought all of a sudden I've developed tons of food allergies. She told me to go to my doctor and she made me write down a list of questions to ask him. She thought I might have celiac disease initially, but dieticians/nutritionists cannot authorize the proper medical tests to determine any diseases. To make a long story short, the dietician was VERY helpful and compassionate. (I don't have celiac disease by the way).
As for a naturopath, I also highly recommend them. They are not covered by my health care plan so I pay him every time I go see him, but I get a half hour appointment every time I book and he really cares about how I am doing. When I go to my regular doctor, I'm trying to ask him questions while he has his hand on the door knob saying "take this medication - if it doesn't work, come back and see me in a couple of days." The naturopath sits and listens to ALL my complaints/questions with an open mind. A friend recommended him to me. If you're wondering about how to find out if they have a medical degree I think you'll just have to call a bunch of different places and ask??
I hope this helps and you're feeling better very soon, I'll be thinking of you!
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Lorna 
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These are excellent digestive protectors and aids:
1) DGL LICORICE (deglycyrrhizinated licorice)
Relieves gas pain, increases protective lining of stomach and small intestine with no side effects
Take 1 tablet (make sure you chew it, must mix with saliva) 3 X a day. BETWEEN meals or 20 MINUTES BEFORE meals or at BEDTIME.
2) ENTERIC COATED OIL OF PEPPERMINT
Has to be enteric coated - Take 1 AFTER each meal with a glass of water
3) CHAMOMILE TEA (DECAF ONLY IN YOU PURCHASE PREPACKAGED)
Helps protect stomach from cramping and diarrhea
4) PAPAYA ENZYME - Chew AFTER meal
5) ALOE VERA GEL - Relieves constipation, stomach irritation, digestive disorders
I've used supplements from Puritan Pride for more than 20 yrs. and they carry the products I listed - for people who don't have access to health stores. They have an on line site.
Hope some of these or all help you, try them.
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Hi,
I take an enzyme called Azeo-Pangen by Metagenics. Here's the blurb about the enzyme:
"Azeo-Pangen is a comprehensive enzyme complex that helps promote digestive function. The raw pancreatic enzyme concentrate supplies proteases that break down protein, amylase that break down carboyhydrate, and lipases that break down fat. Because Azeo-Pangen is made with whole, raw pancreas it also supplies peptidases, nucleases, and elastases.
The porcine glandular concentrate is processed under special conditions so that the delicate enzyme constituents reamin intact. To provide assurance of the enzyme potency of the finished product, an enzymatic analysis is performed on each batch by a third-party laboratory and the assay is included with each shipment."
That's the "good" news! The "bad" news is that you can only get this through a healthcare practitioner. If you go to the site (www.metagenics.com) you can click on a link to find someone in your area that you can connect with and through whom you can purchase it. I get my products just by calling in an order, but I have to use my dietician's name. The company is extremely reputable and I would recommend you finding someone in your area so you can purchase their products.
Hope that helps!
Barb
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Hi - I've found the licorice tablets to be especially helpful for taking with medications that can cause stomach irritation (like Advil or Aleve). The peppermint, chamomile, and papaya are also useful for almost everyone. The aloe, though, seems to trigger diarrhea in a lot of folks. It's nice to finally hear from someone who has been helped by it.
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Quote:
Hi - I've found the licorice tablets to be especially helpful for taking with medications that can cause stomach irritation (like Advil or Aleve). The peppermint, chamomile, and papaya are also useful for almost everyone. The aloe, though, seems to trigger diarrhea in a lot of folks. It's nice to finally hear from someone who has been helped by it.
- Heather
Wait, Heather, so taking peppermint capsules HELPS cancel out Aspirin side effects?
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IBS-C and Bloating
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