 |
SERVICES
Physical Examination and Diagnosis | Clinical Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling | Homeopathic Medicine | Massage Therapy | Botanical Medicine | Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine | Drainage and Detoxification | Bodywork and Hydrotherapy | Hair Mineral Analysis
The Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
- First, do no harm
- Co-operate with the healing powers of nature
- Address the fundamental causes of disease
- Heal the whole person through individualized treatment
- Teach the principles of healthy living and preventive medicine
Physical Examination and Diagnosis
Naturopathic Doctors are licensed in Ontario to do full physical examinations. Your first appointment will include physical examination as necessary, and review of recent bloodwork as well as any medications and supplements you are currently taking. We will also examine your tongue, facial features, and pulses from a Traditional Chinese Medical perspective. We will work towards establishing a conventional diagnosis if you have not been previously diagnosed (e.g. "bronchitis" or "irritable bowel syndrome"), a Traditional Chinese medical diagnosis (e.g. "Yin deficiency" or "Stomach Heat") and/or a naturopathic diagnosis (e.g. "adrenal fatigue" or "Liver congestion"). Recommendations for additional bloodwork or laboratory tests will be suggested as needed.
Back to Top
Clinical Nutrition and Lifestyle Counseling
Clinical nutrition is the use of specialized diets and nutritional supplements to treat specific illnesses or conditions. We will review your diet and lifestyle in regards to appropriate choices for your age, level of activity, digestive strength, and balance of yin/yang/Qi/fluids in the body. An "ideal diet" will be compiled based on your primary complaints, and detailed suggestions made as to how to work towards this ideal given your specific lifestyle. Your current supplements will be reviewed and recommendations made as needed.
Back to Top
Homeopathic Medicine
Homeopathy is the use of specially prepared medicines, given in minimal doses that stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Homeopathic medicines are made from plant, mineral, and animal substances that are highly diluted and energized. We know that light waves, sound waves, electrical waves profoundly affect our body, so why not the energy signatures of plant, mineral, or animal substances? All substances used in this clinic have well-established clinical histories of effective use. We use no "experimental" substances or therapies.
Homeopathy was developed in the late 17thC. by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. It is a central system of medicine in much of Europe; Great Britain’s royal family has been under homeopathic care for over 100 years. Many European hospitals as well as veterinary surgeries employ homeopathic therapeutics.
North America is just beginning to consider the more widespread use of homeopathic therapies in light of the development of highly resistant bacterial and viral strains due to antibiotic and vaccine overuse.
Back to Top
Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body to gain a therapeutic response. Soft tissues include muscles, skin, and connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments, fascia and joint capsules. Massage therapy is a drugless, natural, non-invasive form of therapy that calms, soothes and relaxes, minimizing the effects of stress and tension from everyday life. Massage therapy also promotes proper circulation of the blood and lymph to maintain essential nutrition to all cells of the body and remove waste products. Eliminating waste products reduces pain caused by muscle congestion. The trauma of an injury can create permanent pathways in the body. Whenever your body becomes stressed, it remembers those trauma pathways and the pain settles there. Massage causes your muscles to relax, thereby releasing tension and diminishing pain sensations. Massage therapy can also provide total pregnancy care for the body’s changing needs.
Massage Therapy provides relief from a variety of conditions including:
Headaches /migraines
Neck and shoulder tension
Low back pain
Fibromyalgia
Inflammatory conditions (arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis)
Pain during pregnancy
Menstrual pain
Pain management in cancer
Pseudo-sciatica
Sprains and strains
Respiratory and circulatory problems
Frozen shoulder
Post-injury and surgery rehabilitation needs
Muscle spasms and tears/Whiplash
TMJ dysfunction
Repetitive strain injury, e.g.Carpal tunnel syndrome
Back to Top
Botanical Medicine
Botanical Medicine is the use of standardized extracts of herbs according to documented research on their therapeutic usage. Standardized extracts ensure exact amounts of the known active ingredients of the herb. All products used in this clinic are organic, vegan (contain no animal ingredients), and contain no additives or filler ingredients. Both western and Asian traditional herbal combinations are used in this clinic. All western and Asian herbal products we use are manufactured in North America to ensure that only organic, non-GMO herbs are included. We do not currently use any products from Asia due to continuing manufacturing problems with imported products.
Back to Top
Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine
Acupuncture is the use of very fine needles to stimulate the natural flow of energy in the body. In Traditional Asian Medicine pain is seen as a stagnation of either fluids or energy (Qi) in the body. Acupuncture fosters the flow of energy, relieving pain and even acting as anaesthetic. Acupuncture needles can also encourage the flow of arterial and venous blood, lymphatics (the immune system), hormones, neurotransmitters (brain chemicals), or phlegm by stimulating the flow of Qi. Acupuncture can relieve depression and anxiety, help alleviate infertility and other gynecological problems, relax muscles and decrease pain, and help with smoking cessation and weight loss.
In this clinic, only sterile one-time use needles are used. All acupuncture work is done in a sterile, relaxing environment, often combined with massage and/or trigger point therapy as part of the acupuncture treatment.
Back to Top
Drainage and Detoxification
As important as what you put into your body is what comes out: how well your body cleanses itself and eliminates waste. Drainage and detoxification refer to various methods of optimizing your body’s natural elimination pathways: urination, bowel movement, perspiration, menstrual flow, hair growth, and bile production. Our first interview will include questions to assess how well your liver is breaking down chemicals such as medications, alcohol, and pesticides, how well your colon is keeping pathogenic yeast growth in check and disposing of excess waste estrogens, how well your skin breaks down oils. Hair Mineral Analysis can be used to ascertain levels of heavy metals in the body as well as the relative acidity of the body and the relative metabolic rate of elimination.
Back to Top
Bodywork and Hydrotherapy
Therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy and acupressure are available as part of your naturopathic appointment. Naturopathic Doctors are trained and licensed in all of these therapeutic arts. Structural joint and skeletal problems will be referred, as required, for X-ray and more extensive chiropractic assessment. Massage treatments incorporate the use of essential oils to relax muscles, drain sinus congestion, alleviate joint pain and encourage mental and psychological relaxation.
Hydrotherapy is the use of hot and cold water to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. Alternating hot and cold showers can increase red blood cell production, cold wet socks can drain sinus congestion (don’t try this without proper instruction!), and witch hazel sitz baths can alleviate hemorrhoid pain. Hydrotherapy "homework" may be suggested as part of your treatment protocol!
Back to Top
Hair Mineral Analysis
Heavy metals and nutritional minerals are excreted into the hair shaft. Hair mineral analysis is considered the gold standard for assessing levels of heavy metals in the body. Anyone who has regularly worked with chemicals, solvents, cleaning solutions, or who has mercury fillings may want to assess their heavy metal levels. Hair mineral analysis has been criticized for not being accurate in assessing levels of nutritional minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium, etc). Hair mineral analysis does not supply exact levels of nutritional minerals; instead it gives ratios and patterns which are useful in assessing the body’s rate of metabolism. For example, you may be eating well and taking all the right vitamins, but still not seeing results. Hair mineral analysis can tell you if your problem losing weight is because your adrenal glands are exhausted or your thyroid is slowing down, or that your bone loss is because your body is too acidic. Depression, anxiety and ADHD often have keys in Hair mineral analysis, for example excess copper can lead to severe depressions. Elevated calcium and a reduced potassium level in the hair have been associated with antisocial personality patterns. Hair mineral patterns are excellent for assessing unexplained fatigue.
Back to Top
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
