Naturopathic Medicine
Toronto Naturopathic Doctor / Holistic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the innate healing power of the body and treat the underlying causes of illness.
We look at your health from a larger perspective, acknowledging how stress, lifestyle, nutrition, environment and mental & emotional health affect your physical health. As a Naturopathic doctor, Dr. Guthrie views illness as a process, with warning signals along the way. It is important to pay attention to these warning signs so that prevention of illness can be emphasized.
We realize that the most valuable things we can offer you are time to listen to your concerns, compassion in understanding how illness affects you, and expertise in developing a personalized treatment plan. It’s through our deep commitment to understanding your unique set of health concerns that we create treatment plans and programs that are personal, realistic and effective.
We are trained to treat virtually all health concerns ranging from acute to chronic, pediatric to geriatric and physical to psychological. Our goal is to teach you how to restore and maintain your health, regardless of what your current state of health may be.
Naturopathic doctors work with three main groups of people:
- Patients that are looking for disease prevention and health promotion
- Patients with a range of health concerns and no clear diagnosis
- and Patients living with pre-diagnosed chronic illnesses.
Naturopathic doctors are the only regulated health professionals in the field of natural medicine.
The College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CONO) regulates the profession in the public interest: www.collegeofnaturopaths.on.ca
Your first visit at our clinic is one hour in length. During this time we will take the time to obtain valuable information about your current health, your medical history and your lifestyle. The first appointment also includes any relevant portions of a physical exam. This information is used to create a personalized treatment plan that is tailored to you as an individual.
Your second visit, also an hour in length, is usually a week or two later when we will discuss your individualized treatment plan. During your second visit, we discuss options for naturopathic care that are tailored to you.
Together, we decide which treatments are best for you. Your follow-up visits are scheduled to monitor your progress and to refine and expand your plan of care. Follow-up visits range from 30 minutes to one hour, depending on your needs. As you regain a sense of vitality, your visits will focus on health maintenance through the development of a personalized prevention plan.
The frequency of your visits will depend on the pace of your progress, the type of therapy used and the amount of support you may require.
Thorough Health History
We take the time to find out about your family history, your lifestyle, the stressors in your life, past medical history, history of accidents or injuries and the significant events in your life that have affected your health or well being.
Nutritional Analysis
Understanding your nutritional status, eating habits and patterns and the type of food that you eat on a regular is an important part of the naturopathic assessment. We take the time to assess the impact that your diet is having on health and your body’s ability to handle the food that you are eating.
Physical Examinations
Naturopathic Doctors are trained to do complete physical exams as a standard part of patient assessment. As your health changes or as acute situations arise, we use the physical examination to aid in diagnosis of your health concerns. Having a complete physical exam on a yearly basis is an essential part of preventative health care. Naturopathic Doctors often take the time to ensure that the “small” symptoms are identified and addressed before they become a “bigger” problem.
Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA)
BIA is a science that was originally developed for monitoring patients after surgery in a hospital setting. BIA provides us with insight into aspects of your health such as how much fat and muscle you have in your body. Our BIA machine is thoroughly backed by medical research showing that it gives very accurate measures of your unique body composition.
Comprehensive Laboratory Testing
Laboratory testing, including urine analysis, blood and saliva testing, is an essential aspect of a complete medical assessment. We use standard laboratory testing to provide further information for a complete assessment.
Previous Medical Reports and Diagnostic Testing
All medical reports, such as blood tests, MRIs, X-rays or scans are valuable assets that we use during your health assessment. We will refer to another medical health professional, when appropriate, to ensure that all patients receive the best quality health care possible and that all required information is available in order to fully understand the root causes of your health concerns.
First Do No Harm – Your naturopathic doctor chooses remedies and therapies that are safe and effective, to improve your health and minimize harmful treatment side effects.
The Healing Power of Nature – Your naturopathic doctor works to restore and support the powerful and inherent healing abilities of your body, mind and spirit and to prevent further disease from occurring.
Identify and Treat the Cause – The primary goal of your naturopathic doctor is to determine and treat the underlying cause of illness. We aim not to simply treat symptoms of illness, but to treat the reason why you experience those symptoms in the first place.
Treat the Whole Person – Your naturopathic doctor takes into account not only your physical symptoms, but also the mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual and other factors that affect your well-being.
Doctor as Teacher – Your naturopathic doctor will assist you in understanding your health and in becoming more capable of maintaining your own health.