Why Naturopathy?
Naturopathic Medicine is a form of primary care that is focused on preventative treatment and utilizes more natural, gentler and generally less invasive therapies. The focus is treating the individual as a whole (body and mind), patient empowerment, and for Doctor and Patient to work as a team to find the most appropriate and sustainable treatment.
Naturopathic medicine differs from conventional medicine in a number of ways—the most notable being the use of natural or physical modalities to treat the condition at hand. However, there is also a core focus placed on prevention and acting proactively (rather than reactively). Our goal is more than just resolving symptoms; we want to find the underlying cause of your concerns.
Visits are longer, allowing for ample time to get to the root of the issue and for me to get to know my patient as an individual. Similarly to conventional medicine, NDs are highly trained primary care providers, utilizing many of the same diagnostic tools and physical exams to inform our approaches. Naturopathic medicine can make a great addition to your life, as it can fill in the gaps conventional medicine may leave.
NDs also strongly emphasize patient education and empowerment. It is up to you to make the necessary changes to achieve success, and I am here to educate and support you along the way.
Naturopathic medicine can provide either primary or supportive care to a number of conditions, including (but not limited to):
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Mental health, such as anxiety and depression
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Skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis
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Digestive concerns, such as bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, IBS and IBD and more
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Diabetes (Type I, II or gestational)
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Hormones: painful periods, PMS, PCOS, Endometriosis and more
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Pediatrics
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Cardiovascular conditions
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Cold and Flu
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Respiratory conditions
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Healthy aging
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Conception and Pregnancy support
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Weight Management
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Immunity and Autoimmune conditions
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Pain management
To accomplish your health goals, we will utilize a combination of the following naturopathic modalities:
Lifestyle Modification:
Lifestyle and environmental factors affect our wellbeing in a multitude of ways. Discussing lifestyle can often give us greater perspective of ourselves, our motivations and our habits, allowing us to make better decisions. Sleep, stress and exercise are some of the many areas we may look at.
Dietary Counselling:
What you eat is foundational to your health. We will work out simple dietary plans that work for you, and use food as medicine to help achieve your health goals. Conversely, food sensitivities may be at play, and we can investigate these.
Herbal Medicine:
Herbs can be used to treat or support virtually any condition. They are most often used in tea or tincture.
Acupuncture:
the use of fine needles inserted into the body along meridian lines, or trigger points, for various concerns—from mental/emotional, to digestion, to pain management.
Homeopathy:
the use of highly diluted substances to balance the body and mind and resolve symptoms.
Lab Testing:
Standard or more comprehensive bloodwork or stool tests may be used to get a better idea of where imbalances lie and to inform our treatment plan. Examples include routine blood tests, food sensitivity tests, comprehensive stool analysis.