Natural, evidence-informed digestive health support at Health Therapies Clinics, Freshwater. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, naturopathic functional testing, and targeted nutrition — addressing the root cause of your gut symptoms.
Our approach to gut health draws on two sophisticated and complementary bodies of knowledge — Traditional Chinese Medicine and contemporary functional gastroenterology.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen and Stomach are the central organs of digestion — responsible for the transformation and transportation of food and fluids. When Spleen Qi is deficient, digestion becomes sluggish: bloating, fatigue, loose stools, food intolerances, and a tendency to gain weight all emerge. When Stomach Qi rebels upward rather than descending, there is reflux, nausea, and belching.
TCM also identifies patterns such as Liver overacting on the Spleen (stress-induced digestive disruption), Damp accumulation, and Cold invading the Middle Burner. These patterns map remarkably well onto functional gut disorders — IBS, functional dyspepsia, SIBO, and leaky gut — and respond well to acupuncture and herbal medicine.
The gut contains over 500 million neurons — more than the spinal cord. It communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve in what is now understood as a bidirectional superhighway. This gut-brain axis means that psychological stress profoundly disrupts gut function, and gut dysfunction profoundly disrupts mood, cognition, and mental health.
The microbiome — the community of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms living in your gut — produces neurotransmitters including serotonin, regulates immune function, and influences systemic inflammation. Dysbiosis (imbalance of the microbiome) is now implicated not just in digestive conditions but in anxiety, depression, autoimmune disease, skin conditions, and metabolic disorders. Supporting the microbiome is one of the most impactful things you can do for whole-body health.
Our practitioners have extensive experience with a wide range of functional and inflammatory digestive conditions. Where appropriate, we work alongside gastroenterologists and GPs to provide complementary support.
Abdominal cramping, bloating, alternating bowel habits, urgency, and the frustration of a condition that conventional medicine often struggles to resolve. Acupuncture and herbal medicine have meaningful evidence for IBS management.
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis require ongoing medical management. We provide complementary support — reducing flare frequency, supporting remission, managing associated symptoms, and addressing the nutritional consequences of IBD.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth causes bloating (particularly after meals or carbohydrates), abdominal distension, irregular stools, and fatigue. Naturopathic protocols address the bacterial overgrowth and the underlying motility dysfunction that allowed it to develop.
Increased intestinal permeability allows partially digested food particles and bacterial endotoxins into the bloodstream, driving systemic inflammation, food sensitivities, skin conditions, fatigue, and immune dysregulation. Repair protocols address the mucosal lining directly.
Chronic constipation responds well to acupuncture (which regulates gut motility), herbal medicine, dietary fibre optimisation, and hydration strategies. We look for underlying causes including thyroid dysfunction, medication side effects, and pelvic floor issues.
Gastro-oesophageal reflux, heartburn, and regurgitation — addressing the underlying factors of lower oesophageal sphincter dysfunction, gastric acid production, and the dietary patterns that drive symptoms.
Persistent or post-meal bloating is one of the most common digestive complaints. We identify whether the driver is dysbiosis, SIBO, food intolerances, slow transit, or impaired digestive enzyme production, and address accordingly.
Identifying and addressing true food intolerances (not true allergies, which require medical management) through systematic elimination and challenge protocols, alongside gut healing to reduce the reactivity driving the intolerances.
Gut health rarely responds to a single intervention. Our multi-disciplinary approach addresses the gut from multiple angles — often achieving results that neither modality could deliver alone.
Acupuncture regulates gut motility, reduces visceral hypersensitivity (the amplified pain response in IBS), and activates the vagus nerve — the primary nerve of the parasympathetic system and the gut-brain axis. TCM Spleen and Stomach point protocols are used to strengthen digestive function, reduce bloating, and regulate bowel habits. Acupuncture is also deeply relaxing, which directly addresses the stress-gut connection.
The TCM herbal pharmacopoeia for digestive conditions is extensive and sophisticated. Formulas addressing Liver overacting on Spleen (stress-IBS), Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine (IBD), Spleen Qi deficiency (bloating, fatigue), and Stomach Yin deficiency (reflux, dry mouth) are individually prescribed and adjusted as your condition responds. Western herbal medicine adds a complementary layer — herbs like Slippery Elm, Aloe vera, and Marshmallow for mucosal repair; Berberine and oregano oil for dysbiosis.
Where the clinical picture warrants it, our naturopaths can refer for specialised functional pathology testing including comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA), SIBO breath testing, food intolerance panels, organic acids testing, and intestinal permeability assessment. These investigations identify specific drivers that cannot be determined from symptom patterns alone and allow highly targeted treatment.
A properly supervised elimination diet is one of the most powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tools in functional digestive medicine. Our naturopaths guide patients through structured elimination of common triggers — gluten, dairy, FODMAPs, histamine, salicylates, or other relevant groups — followed by systematic reintroduction to identify individual triggers. This is always done under professional supervision to ensure nutritional adequacy.
Rebuilding and diversifying a depleted or dysbiotic microbiome requires a thoughtful, staged approach. Prebiotic foods and fibres feed beneficial bacteria. Probiotic supplementation (strain-specific and evidence-informed) reintroduces beneficial species. Dietary diversity — the single most important driver of microbiome diversity — is addressed through practical, achievable dietary guidance tailored to your preferences and lifestyle.
The gut-stress connection is not metaphorical — it is physiological and bidirectional. Chronic stress impairs gastric acid production, slows bowel transit, disrupts the microbiome, and increases intestinal permeability. Addressing stress through acupuncture, mindfulness practices, nervous system regulation, and lifestyle modifications is not an adjunct to gut treatment — it is a core component of it.
Standard pathology often misses functional digestive disorders. Specialised functional testing provides a deeper picture of what is driving your symptoms.
Assesses the composition of the gut microbiome, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal inflammation markers, and parasitic infections. Provides a detailed picture of gut ecology and function.
The standard diagnostic test for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth — measures hydrogen and methane gas produced by bacteria in the small intestine after ingestion of a fermentable substrate.
IgG-mediated food sensitivity panels identify delayed (non-allergic) immune reactions to specific foods that may be driving gut symptoms, skin conditions, fatigue, and joint pain.
A urine-based assessment of cellular metabolism, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter metabolism, and markers of dysbiosis and nutritional deficiency. Particularly useful in complex, multi-system presentations.
Testing is recommended selectively based on clinical need — not every patient requires testing. Your practitioner will advise whether specific tests are likely to inform and improve your care.
If you have seen multiple practitioners for your gut issues without lasting resolution, stress may be the missing piece. This is not a suggestion that your symptoms are psychological — they are real, physical, and measurable. But the nervous system profoundly regulates gut function, and for many people with IBS, SIBO, or persistent bloating, addressing the nervous system component is what unlocks real and lasting improvement.
In TCM terms, the Liver (responsible for the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body, and strongly influenced by emotional stress) frequently overacts on the Spleen and Stomach when under chronic pressure. This manifests as stress-related IBS, urgency before important events, bloating that worsens during difficult periods, and nausea associated with anxiety. These patterns respond exceptionally well to acupuncture, which simultaneously calms the nervous system and regulates gut function.
In functional medicine terms, the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) inhibits digestive secretions, reduces gut motility, and impairs mucosal immunity. Chronic sympathetic dominance — the physiological state of most busy, stressed modern adults — is incompatible with healthy digestion. Restoring parasympathetic tone (rest-and-digest) is a foundational part of gut health recovery.
The gut-stress link is one of the most important things to know about gut health. If stress and your gut symptoms tend to move together — worsening under pressure and improving during calm periods — tell your practitioner at your first appointment. This pattern significantly shapes the treatment approach we will recommend.
HICAPS on-the-spot private health fund claiming is available for acupuncture. Functional testing fees are billed separately by the laboratory.
| Service | Duration | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture Initial Consultation | 90 min | $200 HICAPS |
| Acupuncture Follow-up | 60 min | $175 HICAPS |
| Herbal Medicine Consultation | 30 min | $95 |
| Naturopathy Initial Consultation | 75 min | $170 |
| Naturopathy Follow-up | 45 min | $130 |
| Naturopathy Telehealth | 45 min | $120 |
See our full pricing page for all fees and details.
