TerraMadre Naturopathic Services

Asian Medicine and Acupuncture - including tongue and pulse diagnosis, traditional and auricular acupuncture

Naturopathic Doctors receive extensive Asian medicine and acupuncture training, practical practice and clinical practice over their four years of training. At CCNM, I received this training and experience. I was trained to understand herbs and herbal medicine, its applications, benefits and risks. I received extensive training in tongue and pulse diagnosis, a modality used to help assess disease from an Eastern medical perspective. In addition, extensive used of acupuncture on other students and patients, under the supervision of licensed ND’s was received. Additional applications of this modality under which I was trained include: cupping, moxibustion and myo-fasical release acupuncture. Myofasical acupuncture is used to help release tight and knotted muscles throughout the body. Results are quick and totally amazing. Be sure to ask me about this technique for your sore and knotted muscles.

Botanical Medicine - use of herbal medicine, herbs, tinctures and teas

This involves the use of herb; in their dried form, in tinctures of either alcohol or glycerine and as teas, as a way to support, enhance and stimulate the bodies natural systems. These are used for many symptoms and disorders including, menstrual, UTI, prostate, GI and others. As with any medicines it is important to follow directions carefully and to inform the doctor of all other medications and supplements you may be taking, even if not taking regularly.

Homeopathy - Using remedies that best match totality of symptom presented

Homeopathy is a form of energetic medicine on a similar level as Reiki. It was first used and defined by Samuel Hahnemann. The premise of homeopathy is that only one condition of dysfunction can occur in the body at one time. Prior to administering a homeopathic remedy, a trained practitioner (either a homeopathic school graduate or a naturopath) will take a thorough intake of your totality of symptoms. Your symptom picture will be unique for you.

The medical practitioner will them work to match your symptom picture with one of thousands of remedies that have been proven to work with specific symptomologies. One of the goals of homeopathy is to find a remedy which would be considered your constitution remedy, the one that will work with you whenever you develop an illness. Another way to use homeopathy, which is the way I use it most often, is for acute prescribing. In other words, using it to work with the symptom picture you are presenting at the time of the appointment. Homeopathy has been shown to work in both instances.

Massage therapy

Though not trained as a registered massage therapist (RMT), I have had adequate instruction and training in using massage as a treatment modality with patients. I often will use it in conjunction with other treatments, such as acupuncture, as a way to get muscles to relax prior to conducting more focused treatments. I may give a full massage, if requested and offer a referral to a RMT if further work is needed. This referral will be for a specific number of sessions after which you will return for a follow-up assessment to determine ongoing treatment.

Hydrotherapy - use of hot and cold water to stimulate the immune system and healing.

Hydrotherapy is a modality that has been around for many centuries. It involves using hot and cold water as a way to both stimulate and heal the body. Forms of hydrotherapy include but are not limited to: hot and cold showers, ice and heat therapy, sitz baths, heat wraps, and constitutional hydrotherapy.

Hydrotherapy is often used when a patient reports the early symptoms of a cold or fever. It is also used with chronic conditions such as PMS, pain or arthritic pain. It is an inexpensive treatment but can achieve lasting results

Chiropractic Adjustments

Naturopaths are given two years of chiropractic training and treatment practicums. The use of chiropractic adjustments, its risks and benefits are clearly understood by a naturopathic doctor. Naturopaths are also training in reading and understanding x-rays for analysis of conditions. I will use chiropractic adjustments when it appears that their are no contra-indications for a patient and when their condition appears to be acute in nature. If I suspect a patient needs short-term ongoing chiropractic care, I will refer them for assessment and treatment by a chiropractor followed by a return appointment with myself to assess their progress and determine further treatment planning.

Extensive diet and nutritional training

Naturopaths receive four full years of diet and nutrition training, which includes the use of supplementation, dosing and interactions. ND’s receive far more extensive training in this area then any other licensed health care provider except perhaps a holistic nutritionist.

Diet and nutrition are the cornerstone to health and a primary focus of many Naturopaths. “You are what you eat” can be said to be a mantra for health and wellness. Your nutritional health is one aspect of health that I pay close attention to in helping your achieve optimal health.

Exercise physiology, treatment and rehabilitation

This is another area of training that is received by Naturopaths. I have a basic understanding and diagnostic ability to access problems, problem areas and treatment protocols for healing injured muscle as well as correct exercise physiology. If I see that you have an extensive problem beyond my expertise, a referral will be given to either a physiologist or other professional for a set of appointments to address your immediate concern, with follow-up after completion of the recommended treatments.

Pharmaceutical use and training (though not all jurisdictions license Naturopathic Doctors with prescribing rights)

In Ontario, where I practice, we do not currently have pharmaceutical prescribing rights. Naturopaths do receive adequate training in pharmaceuticals, and will likely be receiving additional training as it appears that prescribing rights will be granted in the coming years.

You might wonder why a Naturopath would want to have prescribing rights? There are 2 answers to that question. One is that many of our patients want to come off their prescriptions medications but an ND is unable to assist in that matter without direct consent with the prescribing physician. Many patients do not want or fear their primary physician having knowledge that they are seeing a Naturopath for many reasons. The second reason is that many new patients are looking to me and other Naturopaths to be their primary health care provider. There are times in everyones life when an antibiotic may be necessary. Without prescribing rights, a naturopath is unable to prescribe any pharmaceuticals as such.

Minor surgery (though not all jurisdictions license Naturopathic Doctors with this specialization)

Minor surgery is another area where the province of Ontario does not grant rights to Naturopaths, though they do receive basic training in this area. A Naturopath that wants to practice minor surgery, which can entail anything from mole removal to hemorrhoid removal and stitching up a cut or gash, would likely undertake additional hands-on-training to specialize in this area. As of this writing, only British Columbia Naturopaths have this right in their legislation.