Naturopathic Medicine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Powerful Case Study from Pinewood Natural Health Centre, Toronto

This is Dr. Michael Rahman, I am a Naturopathic Doctor in Toronto.

I wanted to share a case study from naturopathic practice regarding a patient who came to see me for irritable bowel syndrome. (IBS)  In case this is a new term to you, IBS is a very uncomfortable bowel condition that typically involves alternating diarrhea and constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, gas and/or various food intolerances.

This patient (I will call her Sherri) came to see me with all of these symptoms and had given up hope that there was a solution.  She had tried Western medications, dietary changes, and even some stress reduction techniques, yet her symptoms were not improving. 

The beauty of my approach is that it can often help even when other modalities or approaches come up short.  This is because naturopathic medicine has a very unique way of diagnosing and treating our chronic health concerns.   In Sherri’s case, I noticed that she was holding onto a lot of stress in her body.  Her shoulders were hunched, her face seemed tense, and even her voice carried the tone of tension.  This all suggested to me that I had to help her liver become regulated, as it’s very common for the liver to be the underlying cause of IBS.

Even after the first session, I noticed a profound change in Sherri’s entire disposition.  Her face looked more youthful and relaxed, her shoulder were down, she was breathing deeper, and it was apparent that her mind was slower and more at peace.  Even Sherri made the comment, “Wow, I haven’t felt this relaxed in years.”  

This was confirmation to me that we were on the right track. Sherri came back the following week saying she was still having the symptoms of IBS, but that they were 25% less severe than normal.  This encouraged her, though still concerned that these symptoms would plague her forever.

I offered Sherri a similar strategy, with a few adjustments  and could tell once again that her body was receiving the work on a very deep level.  She once again expressed astonishment by how peaceful and relaxed she felt, by our mind-boy exercise; we then looked towards identifying food intolerances.

Sherri came in the following week saying that her symptoms were reduced by about 75%, which she was extremely excited about.  Amazingly, after 2 more sessions, her symptoms were completely clear as Sherri experienced healthy digestive function for the first time in years. 

In her words, “I feel like I have my life back.  I can now do the things I have been putting on hold for so long.  It’s amazing to feel this way!”

Sherri now comes in occasionally for maintenance treatments.  She still has to minimize certain foods that can cause an inflammatory reaction in her gut, and she has committed to daily yoga practice to help her stress level and overall health. Sherri made the connection for herself that she had to take responsibility for her health and really listen to what her body was trying to tell her.  Because she was willing to do this, our work together went to a much deeper level and she was able to reap the full benefit of naturopathic medicine

If you struggle with IBS and are looking for natural solutions, feel free to call my office at 416 – 656 -8100 in Toronto or Pickering at 905- 427 - 0057 so we can discuss your situation and create a plan that will help you the most.