What I do:
I help people get healthy in natural ways. I put puzzle pieces together to try and make sense of what's going on with the body as a whole. 

Naturopathic Doctors are trained health care providers in that we learn in-depth medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, differential diagnosis, and physical examination, and we learn how to help manage many medical conditions naturally (see below). As such, we are able to treat many concerns that you would visit your family doctor for, though you do need a medical doctor or family doctor (MD) as well. I am happy to find you a family doctor in your area if you need one, or you can visit the CPSO website. Preferably, we'll all work together as a team to help you be healthy and stay healthy. 

Both your MD and I have our limitations in what we're able to treat effectively. For all concerns, I know what my limits are and am not shy to call on another practitioner for help collaborating your care, or suggest a visit to your MD for their evaluation. If I don't know the answer, I promise I'll find out or find someone who does.

How I do it.

In short, I develop individualized treatment plans that always include diet and lifestyle tweaks, as I believe these are the building blocks to a good foundation and long-term health. From there, we'll help the body to heal itself via botanicals or herbals, acupuncture, or nutritional supplements as necessary. I don't believe in taking things just because they're healthy, so I try my hardest to minimize what you're taking by really targeting the approach. We can also do hormone testing, blood work, or food sensitivity (IgG) testing if it's indicated and will help figure out the root cause.

The type of treatment provided depends on the nature of the condition and what is best suited to you as an individual. Treatment modalities may include:

• Lifestyle and diet modification. I'll have you track what's happening now for a few days to give me a good picture of what you're already doing. This is my starting point and where the little tweaks happen, step-by-step, in a way that works for you. No complete overhauls unless asked. I promise. They never work, anyway.
• Clinical nutrition. I assess for nutrient deficiencies, evaluate your medication regime to make sure any depletion is corrected, and use therapeutic doses of vitamins and minerals if there's good research out there to support their use.
• Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. So wonderful for anxiety, depression, fertility, and smoking cessation in particular. Acupuncture is my go-to for muscle or joint pain.
• Botanical medicine. My go-to for people who have been given the option of medication for certain conditions but want a bit of time to try something else instead. Herbal medicine is just so effective in most cases. Minimal side effects and maximum efficacy when used in the correct dosages.
• Physical medicine. Have muscles that need to let go? Joints bugging you? Acupuncture or soft tissue work can be a great addition to the work your RMT or chiropractor are doing, or we can give it a shot before heading to these guys. I also use microcurrent and/or TENS to help heal injuries and provide pain relief.
• Bioidentical hormones. This is relatively new to our scope of practice as NDs and I'm excited to be able to offer this service for help with concerns such as menopause or stubborn hypothyroidism. Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are applied topically for effective relief of many menopause-related concerns, while desiccated thyroid is taken orally. These are always monitored regularly by blood work or saliva testing.
• Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture. Cosmetic acupuncture is a safe, effective, painless, and non-toxic alternative to traditional cosmetic procedures such as Botox, fillers, or surgery. This is a great way to boost your skin's own collagen production, enhance circulation, and balance oil/hydration in the skin to reduce or eliminate fine lines, minimize deeper wrinkles, lift sagging skin, and enhance complexion. In-clinic or private home visits (8 people max) are available. Botox parties are so yesterday. 

Though covered in our ND training and scope of practice, I don't use homeopathy in my practice.