Feel better. Understand your health. Change what's driving it.
Digestive and Metabolic-health Naturopath |Dr. Michael Michna, ND
Feel better. Understand your health. Change what's driving it.
You may be in the right place if…
You've been told your bloodwork is “normal” but you still don't feel well.
You're struggling with weight despite making changes.
You've been dealing with persistent bloating, reflux or digestive symptoms.
You're concerned about insulin resistance or prediabetes.
You're tired, overwhelmed or unsure what to investigate next.
You want a practitioner who will take the time to connect the dots.
What is Metabolic-Health?
Metabolic health is about how effectively your body regulates energy, blood sugar, hormones, appetite, and other processes that influence how you feel and function every day.
Optimize Energy
When low energy persists, we look beyond symptoms to uncover what may be driving it. Through targeted naturopathic testing and a personalized assessment of metabolic and mitochondrial health, we identify areas of imbalance and develop a plan to help restore cellular energy and vitality.
Restore Healthy Weight
Healthy weight management is about more than calories and willpower. Our personalized approach explores the mechanics of YOUR metabolism -investigating your hormones, nutrition, and lifestyle factors that may be affecting your ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
Manage Cravings & Mood
Cravings, mood changes, and energy dips may be connected to blood sugar, hormones, stress, and nutrition. We help identify these underlying factors to support steadier energy, appetite, and mood.
How is Metabolic Health Assessed
Functional and Precision Testing
Metabolic health is about more than your weight or a single blood sugar reading. Dr. Michael's focus is to use a combination of advanced blood testing, HOMA-IR and glucose tolerance testing, body composition analysis, complete thyroid panels and cortisol analysis to understand how your body is regulating blood sugar, storing fat, building muscle, and producing energy.
We also look beyond overall body fat to assess visceral fat—the metabolically active fat surrounding internal organs—which can provide important information about metabolic risk even when weight appears “normal.” Depending on your individual needs, functional blood and urine testing can further evaluate hormones and other systems that influence metabolism, helping us create a personalized plan to restore metabolic and mitochondrial health.
InBody Testing
A non-invasive, quick, and accurate body composition analysis that provides a detailed breakdown of your weight in terms of muscle, fat, and water. The InBody test provides on the spot results you can trust so you can reach your health and fitness goals with precision and actionable objectives. The test can also help analyze cellular health components and gauges strength.
Complete Health Workup
This includes a 1-hour review of your history, previous testing from your MD or other health-care practitioners and an investigation into your current state of health. Importance is placed on both current symptom management and long-term optimal health outcomes. Dr. Michael places special emphasis on optimizing sleep, regulating circadian rhythms, micro-macro nutrient balance, and specific exercise protocols to balance cortisol levels.
What is Insulin Resistance?
Insulin resistance occurs when the communication between rising blood sugar and the pancreas becomes less responsive, so the beta cells must produce more insulin to help move glucose into the body’s cells.
Over time, factors such as diet and nutrient balance, genetics, aging and hormonal changes, chronic stress, and disrupted sleep can interfere with this finely tuned metabolic signaling.
The result can be persistently elevated insulin and blood sugar levels, which may gradually increase the risk of metabolic dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue and type 2 diabetes among many others.
Digestive Health - health begins in your GUT
What is a healthy Microbiome and how SHOULD I feel?
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
A healthy microbiome is a diverse, balanced community of microorganisms that supports digestion, immune function, metabolism, and overall health. When your microbiome is thriving, you should generally feel comfortable after eating, have regular and well-formed bowel movements, and experience steady energy and minimal digestive discomfort.
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance or disruption in the community of microorganisms living in your lower gut. It can be influenced by factors such as diet and nutrient intake, antibiotics and other medications, chronic stress, poor sleep, infections, alcohol use, and changes in digestion or bowel function. Understanding the factors affecting your unique gut environment can help guide a more personalized approach to restoring balance and supporting digestive and overall health.
Can stress affect digestion?
Some reasons for dysbiosis (imbalance in the community of microorganisms in your lower GUT):
Can stress affect digestion?
Yes—stress can have a significant impact on digestion through the gut-brain connection, influencing stomach acid, digestive motility, enzyme and bile function, and the gut microbiome. Ongoing stress may contribute to symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, or changes in appetite. Supporting the nervous system, alongside nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits, can help create the conditions your digestive system needs to function well.
IBS or SIBO- which is it?
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
Can stress affect digestion?
IBS and SIBO can share many of the same symptoms, including bloating, abdominal discomfort, constipation, and diarrhea, making them difficult to distinguish based on symptoms alone. Breath testing for SIBO and SIFO can provide additional insight into the microbial activity in the gut and help your practitioner determine whether these conditions may be contributing to your symptoms and guide a more targeted approach.
Common Causes of acid reflux
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
Acid reflux can have many contributing factors, from meal timing, food choices, and portion size to stress, digestive function, medications, and changes in the lower esophageal sphincter. Factors such as excess abdominal pressure, impaired stomach emptying, and disrupted gut health may also contribute to symptoms. Understanding the underlying contributors can help guide a more personalized approach to improving digestion and reducing reflux.
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
What testing can be considered for digestive symptoms?
Depending on your symptoms and health history, testing may include comprehensive stool analysis such as GI-MAP, which helps assess for bacteria, viruses, parasites/worms, yeast and other digestive imbalances, as well as markers of blood and intestinal inflammation. Additional laboratory testing may include inflammatory markers, urea breath-testing nutrient and vitamin levels, blood counts, metabolic markers, and other targeted tests to help identify potential contributors to digestive symptoms.