Indican Tests
The urine indican (or Obermeyer) test is an efficient aid used by naturopathic doctors in the screening for bacterial links to digestive issues.
In humans, after food has been processed into chyme in the stomach it enters the small intestine. In the small intestine, further enzymatic degradation of food occurs and then the broken down simple nutrients are absorbed. Undigested materials and bile salts then flow through a one-way sphincter called the ileocecal (IC) valve into the large intestine. In the large intestine, water and bile are reabsorbed while left-over materials are further compacted and simultaneously processed by symbiotic bacteria into the end product, feces.
Intestinal Flora
The small intestine is usually sparse in bacterial activity. In contrast, the large intestine normally houses several types of bacteria including Escherichia coli(E. coli), bifidus , and lactobacillus species. These bacteria thrive on the left-over materials, take up space, and make it an inhospitable environment for more pathological types of organisms.
Sometimes other bacteria or fungi do take over in the large intestine and then push past the IC valve into the small intestine (often called Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth Syndrome -or SBBOS). Causes of this may evolve from the use of antibiotics, diet choices, or physical inadequacies of the IC valve.
The Test
The indican test is a quick and efficient screening exam that assays the possibility of dysbiosis using a patient's urine. During occasions of overgrowth, bacteria intercept the amino acid tryptophan before it can be processed by the small intestine. They break it down into unique parts which are then absorbed by the small intestine, changed around in the liver, and then excreted in the urine.
Therapists
Jean-Paul Staats
Jean-Paul is the original founder of the Health & Healing Wellness Centre. Jean-Paul has seen thousands of patients in his 18 years of practice, which has given him the fantastic opportunity of seeing what actually works and what doesn’t when it comes to taking the present level of a person's being and turning it around to much higher level of health and vibrant living.
Tina White
Tina has over 30 year’s clinical practice in natural therapies. As a practitioner, Tina has remarkable insight coupled with a caring nature and is a beacon of hope for those she serves. Having worked as a researcher, lecturer and writer, Tina has gained recognition by other healthcare professionals and stands at the cutting edge of her profession.
