Blog – Dr Wendy Wells Naturopathic Doctor Online

Fatigue ICD-10 Code & Why It Matters: More Than Just a Diagnosis

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints in modern medicine. But despite how widespread it is, fatigue is often dismissed, misunderstood, or labeled as "just stress." In conventional care, fatigue gets boiled down to a billing code: ICD-10 code R53.83, the general diagnosis for "other fatigue." But here's what most people, and even some practitioners—don't realize: that little code is just the tip of the iceberg. Chronic or long term fatigue can be a signal from your body that something deeper is out of balance and needs support. And in functional and naturopathic medicine, we go far beyond [...]

Fatigue ICD-10 Code & Why It Matters: More Than Just a DiagnosisWendy Wells2025-07-15T19:51:06+00:00

Vagus Nerve Signaling: The Gut-Brain Superhighway

When you have a ”gut feeling”, you’re not imagining things, your nervous system is actually listening and trying to get your attention. One of the best ways your gut talks to your brain is through the vagus nerve which is a long, wandering nerve that connects your digestive tract to your brainstem. But what most people don’t realize is that around 80% of vagus nerve fibers are afferent, meaning they carry signals from the gut up to the brain, not the other way around! When Vagal Signaling Is Working Well… In a healthy gut, vagal afferent fibers, which are [...]

Vagus Nerve Signaling: The Gut-Brain SuperhighwayWendy Wells2025-07-14T03:01:55+00:00

Probiotics and Short Chain Fatty Acids: The Good News

Good bacteria species such as Clostridia, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia species ferment the fiber from our diet and secrete short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) that have a positive effect on the body and brain. The names of these are butyrate, propionate, and acetate. Butyrate comes from anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides and Clostridia, these we cannot supplement in a probiotic capsule but we can feed the ones that are already colonized since birth with fiber in our diets. Propionate and Acetate are produced by aerobic bacteria and these are in common probiotic supplements. Here are the actions and [...]

Probiotics and Short Chain Fatty Acids: The Good NewsWendy Wells2025-07-13T01:44:46+00:00

Bugging the Blues: The Gut Microbiome’s Role in Depression

Ever wonder why your mood sometimes sinks for no clear reason? It turns out, the answer might lie deep in your gut—literally. While most people know serotonin as the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, fewer realize that nearly 90% of it is made in the gut. Even more surprising? Your gut bacteria play a major role in how much serotonin your body can produce—thanks in part to a microbial metabolic route called the shikimate pathway. Let’s explore how your microbes may be influencing your mood from the inside out. Serotonin is made primarily in the brain and the gut. [...]

Bugging the Blues: The Gut Microbiome’s Role in DepressionWendy Wells2025-07-06T19:12:43+00:00

The Gut’s Hidden Shield: How EZ Water Protects Your Body From the Inside Out

We know now that gut health is the key to a healthy brain and body. One of the aspects of a healthy gut is a healthy mucus layer over the surface of the gut. The layer of mucus that covers the internal surfaces of the body is super important to keep healthy. Why is the gut mucus lining so important? Because it is the protection from inflammatory stool and digestion material from getting into the bloodstream. It also is home to the immune system of the gut, called secretory IgA, our first line of defense against pathogens. Healthy mucous [...]

The Gut’s Hidden Shield: How EZ Water Protects Your Body From the Inside Out Wendy Wells2025-07-05T00:35:28+00:00

Fatigue Meaning: What It Really Says About Your Health

We’ve all felt it—those heavy eyelids, the afternoon energy crash, or the overwhelming desire to cancel plans and crawl into bed. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms reported in clinical practice. But what if fatigue isn’t just an inconvenience or something to “push through”? From a naturopathic perspective, fatigue is a message—one your body is wisely sending to get your attention. What Is Fatigue, Really? Fatigue is more than just tiredness. Tiredness resolves with rest. Fatigue, on the other hand, lingers. It’s a persistent lack of energy that doesn’t improve with sleep alone. And it's not always [...]

Fatigue Meaning: What It Really Says About Your HealthWendy Wells2025-07-03T18:58:17+00:00

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