Digestive Health

• Have you been diagnosed with IBS and yet still feel confused about what to do or what this means?
• Do you struggle with daily bloating that is uncomfortable or worrisome?
• Do you have chronic loose stools, constipation or alternating diarrhea/constipation?
• Do you have reflux/heartburn and/or using a anti-reflux medication to manage your symptoms?
• Have you been to your doctor several times to get help with your digestive concerns, only to be told that “everything looks normal”, and yet you still feel unwell?
• Are you confused about what foods are causing your digestive symptoms? 
• Or do you struggle with an overly restrictive diet just to manage your digestive symptoms?
• Do your digestive symptoms prevent you from enjoying certain activities such as going out for dinner with friends, traveling etc?
• Are you confused about what foods to eat for digestive health because there is so much conflicting information out there?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you have come to the right place. The symptoms you are struggling with are REAL, even if you’ve been told that everything is “fine” by your doctor. . . There are many “dysfunctions” that can happen within the digestive system that are not necessarily found through conventional testing but that can lead to the symptoms you are struggling with (bloating, gas, chronic diarrhea/constipation, reflux/heartburn, abdominal pain/cramping, unfavorable reactions to certain foods, etc). Not only should these be validated by your healthcare professional, but they  can be addressed through changes to diet & lifestyle and with a personalized approach aimed at understanding your unique health.

For those who are specifically looking for help with IBS, please read below about the IBS Relief Roadmap.

Dr. Lovink’s IBS Relief Roadmap

Dr. Lovink has a clinical focus on IBS and has developed a unique approach to helping those patients get the relief they have been looking for. She will work with you to finally understand what IBS means for you, to provide an individualized toolkit of treatments that address your unique health factors, and help you to regain confidence in your gut again. Over the course of several months, you will work through each step of the IBS Relief Roadmap, which include:

• Stage 1: Assessment & Diagnosis
• Stage 2: Dietary Modification & Optimizing Gut Function
• Stage 3: Restoring Digestive Resilience
• Stage 4: Maintenance & Education

Stage 1: Assessment & Diagnosis

Dr. Lovink will thoroughly explore your health to understand the various factors that have lead to you developing IBS. Where appropriate, testing will be discussed to help rule out other diagnosis and to provide objective data on important parts of your health. Upon landing on a diagnosis, Dr. Lovink will take the time to ensure you understand how this has caused your symptoms and which treatments will be appropriate for you. 

Stage 2: Dietary Modification & Optimizing Gut Function.

During this stage, Dr. Lovink will help you clearly identify triggers, both dietary and non. While many individuals have hypotheses as to what’s causing their symptoms, there are often many misconceptions that need to be dismantled. The goal here is to provide clarity and confidence in knowing what to focus on to improve your IBS. Diet is an important part of this, but other equally important pieces that Dr. Lovink will highlight include daily routines, stress management tools, mental health, sleep hygiene (and it’s connection to gut health), bathroom habits, meal hygiene and more!

Stage 3: Restoring Digestive Resilience

All the work done in Stage 2 provides the foundation for strategically reintroducing foods back into your diet. The goal in this stage is to work towards the broadest diet possible, since gut resilience is built upon a diverse & robust microbial population. One of the ways in which this is done is by feeding your microbes a variety of fiber rich foods.  The other factor for building gut resilience includes repairing & restoring gut-brain communication which requires a deeper dive into mind-body therapies, stress coping & other supportive vagal toning activities.

Stage 4: Maintenance & Education

During these final appointments, Dr. Lovink will work with you to build a toolkit of strategies and treatments that are aimed at long-term wellness. The reality of IBS is that flare-ups will happen, however they can be managed quickly and confidently with the right set of tools. Through your work with Dr. Lovink, you will be armored with the knowledge, confidence and resources to allow you to navigate these bumps in the road quickly and with minimal interruption to your quality of life.