Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is a Nutritionist / Doctor of Natural Medicine?
• What can a Nutritionist / Doctor of Natural Medicine do for me?
• What health conditions can our protocols address?
• Are your services covered by healthcare insurance plans?
• How do I book a consultation?
• What should I expect on my first visit?
• How long does it take before I see results?
• Can I take my prescription medications while on this program?
• When do I book my follow-up appointment?

What is a Nutritionist / Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM) ?

What is a Nutritionist?

A nutritionist is a highly skilled healthcare practitioner who specializes in restoring health to diseased bodies and to prevent disease before it happens. A Nutritionist is specifically trained in how foods, the environment, vitamins, minerals and other holistic modalities can help not only prevent disease but restore health once it happens. For more information on Darko please click here

What is a Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM)

The core philosophy of the Natural Medicine systems is the prevention of disease and the stimulation of the natural healing processes of the body to re-establish homeostasis when the body is in a state of disequilibrium. A Natural Medicine Doctor is one who practices a system of medicine in which only natural substances and techniques are used, including but not limited to nutritional and dietary therapeutics; phytotherapy (botanical/herbal remedies) and vegetable minerals as listed in Naturae Medicina; electrotherapy, as a natural environmental force; Manual techniques (massage, manipulation, hydrotherapy, etc), remedial exercises, mineral therapy and biochemical therapy(the use of natural minerals and cell salts), homeo-therapeutics (a dynamic use of mineral and plant extracts).

Natural Medicine Doctors Scope of Practice

The practice of Traditional Natural Medicine consists of the assessment of body systems and biochemical imbalances through traditional natural medicine techniques, and treatment of conditions with the use of traditional natural medicine therapies and techniques to promote, maintain or restore health. These treatments, therapies and techniques include:

• Clinical nutrition – the use of specific diets and nutritional supplements to prevent disease, or to re-establish optimal body chemistry;

• Botanical/herbal medicine – the therapeutic use of flora for their balancing and nutritional value;

• Homeopathic medicine – the use of micro-doses of natural substances to stimulate the body’s self-healing response without side-effects. Although Natural Medicine Doctors are conversant with homeopathic modalities, they are not specialists in homeopathic medicine;

• Physical Medicine – therapeutic manipulation of soft and hard tissue, exercises, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, ultrasound and heat therapy;

• Lifestyle Counseling and stress management – coaching and education, nutritional balancing, stress management, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback as well as counseling on lifestyle and environmental factors that affect wellbeing;

• Emergency Medicine – Natural Medicine Doctors and Practitioners must be trained in basic emergency medicine, and / or wilderness medicine.

What can a Nutritionist / Doctor of Natural Medicine (DNM) do for me?

First we must realize that there is no single way or standard therapy for everyone, each person is an individual with specific nutritional and bio-chemical needs. This is referred to as orthomolecular nutrition. The term “orthomolecular” was coined by Nobel laureate Linus Pauling “the right molecules in the right amounts” (ortho is Greek for “right”). Orthomolecular medicine focuses on what it sees as the right nutritional molecules in the right amounts for the individual.

A Nutritionist / DNM determines your particular needs through a comprehensive nutrition/body assessment and provides you with guidance on how to give your body the nutrients it requires in order to balance itself regardless of the condition it may be in. Therapies used to restore health, will include professional guidance in the proper therapeutic use of food supplements (Vitamins, Minerals, Enzymes, Glandular Concentrates, Herbal Preparations, Homeopathics, Physical Therapies, Foods etc.) and educating you about the benefits of a sound nutritional program to encourage the body to heal itself. For more information on Darko please click here

What health conditions can our services address?

Are your services covered by healthcare insurance plans?

Our services are not covered b OHIP but may be covered by some extended healthcare insurance plans. In order to determine if your healthcare plan provides coverage please contact your provider directly and inquire if you have coverage for nutritional consultations with a certified and registered nutritional practitioner or a Doctor of natural medicine as we are covered under both modalities.

How do I book a consultation?

You may book an appointment by contacting our office and a clinic representative will assist you in scheduling an appointment and answer any questions you may have. Please note we also do consults by phone and Skype although some restrictions do apply.

What should I expect on my first visit?

The first phase of therapy entails a full 8 weeks commitment that starts with your visit with us and includes the following breakdown:

1^st Visit – Initial Consultation

• Introduction, registration and a non-invasive computerized scan of the iris [eyes].

• Full health history, which includes soliciting the following information:

a) the primary complaint or condition in question

b) the contributing factors involved in the etiology and pathology of the condition(i.e.)– what caused the condition and by which mechanism?

c) the persons complete medical history

d) the persons family medical history

• A complete health assessment questionnaire that covers over 150 different health questions and symptoms necessary to determine exactly what is at the root cause of your primary complaint rather than just deal with the symptoms.

• A full review of the person’s lifestyle and dietary history; including a detailed food and beverages intake questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed to assess protein, carbohydrate and fat intake ratios as well as to identify any dietary allergens, or dangers such as trans fatty acids, hydrogenated products, genetically modified food components, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, stimulants or other harmful dietary components that are negatively impacting your health.

• A comprehensive physical assessment that includes observing the general condition of the eyes, hair, skin, teeth, oral mucosa and tongue. These are valuable diagnostic tools in helping determine which nutritional deficiencies are present in the body that are contributing factors to the cause of the disease.

Once all this detailed information about your health has been gathered, we will require approximately another several hours of collaborative effort from our team of practitioners to properly process your information and prepare a clinically supported protocol according to your healthcare needs. Once we have completed your program our office will contact you to set up your next appointment.

2nd Visit – Protocol Pickup

During this visit we will review the protocol prepared for your specific health condition. Once we have adequately covered all the therapeutic recommendations outlined in your protocol we will review any questions, explain how to take the remedies, execute any therapies and address any other concerns you may have.

How long does it take before I see results?

Today’s society has been conditioned to think that illness, pain and symptoms should be dealt with by a quick visit to the doctor’s office and then prescribed a pill designed to control or manage merely the symptoms of degenerating states of health.

Unlike traditional physicians, natural medicine deals with the symptoms of disease not on a superficial level, but at the root cause. This means that the one who seeks good health must go on a journey. A journey back to the earth, back to eating the foods Mother Nature has provided to sustain us since the beginning of time. Unfortunately due to our depleted soils, increased global pollution, and chemically produced foods, good health is becoming more difficult to attain and maintain than ever before.

Remember it takes years for the body to get to the point of disease or disharmony, and it will take time to restore the proper nutrients and balance as well. The average program will last a minimum of 3 months or 1 month for every 10 years of age. This is simply because it WILL take time to rebuild new tissue, tissue of higher quality, tissue able to resist disease and provide energy and vitality.

Can I take my prescription medications while on this program?

Each case will be carefully evaluated and provisions will be made for the safe use of remedies with medications where applicable. In most cases medications are only taken for the shortest period of time necessary to bring about relief to the symptoms while we restore health with our natural therapies at which point medications are incrementally reduced or eliminated with your primary physician’s cooperation.

When do I book my follow-up appointment?

Once you have finished your 8 weeks please call our office to reserve a follow-up appointment which is required to review the effects of therapies, diet and supplements on your health progress. Your supplements and therapies will be modified, reduced or discontinued safely and properly at that time.

Please note that follow-up appointments are normally two hours in length and require a few weeks to assess the changes to your health status and develop your revised protocol based on your condition and a new protocol will be prepared accordingly. All follow-up visits are subject to an additional fee for services provided, please contact us for full details and prices.