NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct form of primary health care that utilizes scientific knowledge and traditional forms of natural therapies to help the body heal and reach optimal health.
As a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Nicole will take a detailed intake to understand your health status and needs. Using different processes within the practice of naturopathic medicine, she will assist the body in reaching its full healing and healthy potential.
Let’s take a look at what’s going on in your blood! Your blood cells transport nutrients and oxygen and removes waste metabolites. We can look at your blood to get an idea of what’s going on in the rest of the body. Live blood analysis is used to assist in identifying possible contributing factors to a patient’s state of health. It is not used to diagnose but can be used by a trained professional to guide further questioning or testing that aids in creating a diagnosis.
A drop of blood is examined under a microscope and viewed on a television screen so the practitioner can explain to the patient exactly what is seen.
Using this technique one can identify possible vitamin and mineral deficiencies, toxicity, allergic sensitivities, digestive and liver dysfunction, and conditions that indicate increased risk of certain disorders. With this method we get to the root of the problem and see what is really going on in the body.
We examine the condition of the red blood cells and their oxygen carrying capacity; white blood cells and the function of the immune system; the digestive system and its ability to metabolize, absorb and eliminate; hormonal status; tendency towards plaque and clots; and organ stress.
Further testing may be recommended and a naturopathic treatment plan is prepared based on the compiled information.
Make an appointment to see if this is for you!
IV therapy is the injection soluble vitamins, minerals, and nutrients directly into the blood. It allows for 100% absorption of the substance providing much higher concentration of substances in the body than could possibly be obtained orally.
Your naturopathic doctor will do a complete assessment before recommending this form of treatment.
Common IV Formulas include:
- Vitamin C
- Myer’s cocktail
- Multi vitamin/mineral
- Glutathione
- Ozone
- Chelation
- Alpha Lipoic Acid
Nutrient absorption and utilization can vary depending on a number of factors such as digestion, toxin load, illness, chronic infections/disease, stress, and hormone function among many others. Your individualized treatment plan may incorporate specific dietary guidelines and/or professional grade supplements. Supplements may involve orthomolecular nutrition (high dose vitamins), functional medicine (looking at the entire body), or herbal combinations.
The goal:
- To optimize your absorption of nutrients.
- To return body systems to normal functioning.
- To improve detoxification.
- To specifically modify disease processes.
Naturopathic doctors are well trained at applying different diets and supplements to help you optimize your health.
Regenerative injection therapies (RIT) include a number of different injection techniques to repair musculoskeletal injuries, degeneration, or scars. Often, a single treatment of RIT will combine a number of the different techniques best suited to the individual’s concerns. The number of treatments needed depends on the kind of condition and the patients current state but typically one will need between 3-6 treatments.
After an initial intake, acupuncture may be recommended as a treatment option. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a 5000-year-old practice that involves the insertion of acupuncture needles at specific points of the body to stimulate the movement of qi energy. These particular points have been associated with anatomically and physiologically important points that may assist in blood or lymph flow or the function of nerves or muscles. Thus, “qi energy”, can be understood as the circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body, proper contraction and relaxation of muscles, and the proper signaling within the nervous system.
Another form of acupuncture is intramuscular stimulation or myofascial release. This is a method that effectively treats different forms of pain that originate in the musculoskeletal system. Specific muscles are treated by needling very tight or tender points with the goal of causing muscle relaxation and consequent pain relief.
Bio-FLex Laser therapy is a non-invasive light-based technology that speeds up the healing process and helps resolve pain associated with many conditions including:
- strains and sprains
- burns
- fractures
- repetitive stress injuries
- inflammatory conditions
- arthritis
- back pain
- wounds
- sports injuries
- neurological conditions
Red and infrared laser diodes are placed directly on the skin to allow photons to enter the tissue where it enhances ATP or energy production – and thus produces the energy needed to speed healing. The treatment is pain free. The number of treatments varies for condition and from person to person but we usually expect to see some response in 3-4 treatments.
Testing is essential for guiding and monitoring treatment. Live blood analysis is frequently used in office to monitor general terrain of the body. We also have a number of different kinds of tests at our disposal. Routine testing is done through Dynacare labs to get some basic information. Sometimes, we have to dig deeper. Testing is case dependent and only recommended after a visit has been conducted. On occasion, very specific testing must be done and we will order in test kits pertinent to your case.
We have partnered with different laboratories to offer patients the most comprehensive testing. This is not an exhaustive list.
- Hormone testing
- Thyroid assessment
- Food reactions and sensitivity
- Environmental tests
- hair element analysis
- urine element analysis (used for detecting heavy metals)
- Vitamin D status
- Fatty Acid Profile
- Nutrigenomix
- Cardiometabolic testing
- Nutritional testing
- Genetics
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Nutritional Status
- Environmental Exposure and Detoxification
- Lyme disease and tick borne coinfections
- Lyme disease and tick borne coinfections
- Viruses that look similar to Lyme