
Gut Health Testing and Natural Digestive Support
Bloating, irregular digestion, food reactions and fatigue often trace back to something happening in the gut. The difficulty is that standard testing rarely looks deep enough to show what that something is. At Elements of Health we start with testing rather than assumptions. As Dr. Kathleen Jones puts it, "I won't guess about your health."
Consultations are virtual, so you can work with Dr. Jones from anywhere in the United States.
Digestive symptoms patients bring to us
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Bloating, gas and discomfort after eating
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Irregular digestion and unpredictable bowel habits
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Reflux and heartburn
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Food reactions that are hard to pin down
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Fatigue and brain fog that appear alongside digestive symptoms
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Recurring infections and low immune resilience
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Skin changes and inflammation with no clear cause
The gut influences far more than digestion. Immune function, nutrient absorption, inflammation levels and even mood are connected to what happens there, which is why symptoms often show up somewhere else entirely.
How we find what is actually going on
Dr. Jones uses a range of advanced tests that are not part of routine general medicine. Which ones apply depends on your symptoms and your goals.
Stool testing
The most direct look at the digestive system. A stool test can uncover:
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Parasites and yeast
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Bacteria and fungi
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Enzyme counts
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Inflammation levels
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Food allergies
Saliva testing
Saliva testing measures gastrointestinal function, along with adrenal function and hormone levels. Digestive complaints frequently sit alongside chronic stress, and this shows how the two connect.
Comprehensive blood panel
A full blood chemistry panel establishes a baseline of biomarkers and reveals nutrient status, immune function, blood sugar and thyroid activity. Poor absorption in the gut often shows up first as a nutrient deficiency in blood work.
Electro Dermal Screening
Also called Biomeridian testing, this is a noninvasive method that assesses the energy meridians of the body and gives insight into organs and glands including the digestive system, the adrenals and the immune system. Once imbalances are identified, we test which nutritional supports work best for your body and build a personalized protocol from the results.
Why "normal" results may not mean healthy
Most lab reports compare your results against a "normal range." If you fall inside it, you are usually told you are normal, which is easily confused with being healthy.
Here is the problem with that. Normal ranges are calculated by each individual laboratory, not a central agency, using roughly 100 to 200 people who had testing done recently. Most of those people were being tested precisely because they already had a health problem. Their results are averaged, and the range extends two standard deviations either side.
So a normal result means only that you are not yet as unwell as the people used to build the range. That is a low bar, and it is why so many people with real digestive symptoms are told nothing is wrong.
What happens after your results come in
When all results are in, Dr. Jones prepares a personalized report. It includes a hard copy of every result, an explanation of what each one means, and a complete plan of the nutrients, vitamins, dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments needed to move forward.
The report is built through the Science Based Nutrition program and includes:
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Supplement recommendations and dosages specific to your findings, age, sex and weight
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Correlation of medication side effects with your test findings
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Dietary recommendations, including meal recipes
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Color coded comparison of current and previous results on the same page
From there you have ongoing support. A health coach works alongside you, and Healthie gives you 24/7 access and unlimited messaging with your doctor between appointments.
About Dr. Kathleen Jones
Dr. Kathleen Jones is a Naturopathic and Chiropractic Physician and the founder of Elements of Health. She holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic from Life University and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, and earned her Naturopathic Degree through the Central State College of Naturopathy. She has taught at the Ohio State University School of Medicine and School of Nursing, and currently serves as president of the Ohio State Naturopathic Association.
How it works
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Schedule a consultation. Virtual and phone appointments are available.
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Testing. Dr. Jones selects the tests that fit your symptoms and goals.
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Your personalized report. Results reviewed together, with a written plan you keep.
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Ongoing support. A health coach and 24/7 messaging through Healthie.
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Track progress. Repeat testing shows change side by side against your baseline.