Category: Naturopathy

Living with Lyme disease, which is often referred to as the “great imitator,” presents many unique challenges.

Lyme disease is difficult to manage and diagnose, its wide array of symptoms can imitate the symptoms of several chronic diseases, making it incredibly difficult to diagnose and manage.

The disease was reported to have affected over 2,100 Canadians in 2022, with cases expected to rise in line with the effects of global warming.

The fight against this complex and multifaceted disease has taken a promising turn at Calgary Integrative Medicine. We employ a unique holistic approach to Lyme disease with a focus on natural and integrative medicine.

This approach revolves around healing and improving the entire body for optimal comfort, healing and wellness.

Understanding Lyme Disease: The Great Imitator

Lyme disease is a complex illness primarily caused by transmission of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, through the bite of ticks.

It is known to mimic other chronic diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinsons’, Lupus, and Fibromyalgia. In addition to these, the disease can also present as chemical sensitivities such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and even some psychiatric illnesses.

It’s clear to see just how Lyme disease has earned itself the nickname of the “great imitator.”

As a result, treating and managing the disease requires a complex and integrative approach that extends beyond the mere eradication of a virus or bacteria.

Calgary Integrative Medicine: A Unique and Holistic Approach

The comprehensive approach provides a robust management plan for Lyme disease while catering to all other aspects of a patient’s health and wellness.

Here at Calgary Integrative Medicine, we have made significant strides in providing the innovative, natural, and unique approach required for managing and treating Lyme disease.

By combining and blending the expertise of multiple practitioners and modalities, the clinic focuses on improving the overall health of the body – ensuring that every system functions together for optimal well-being.

Our goal is to provide a comprehensive approach that manages the symptoms and progression of the disease, all while covering all aspects of your health and wellness.

Detection: The First Step to Wellness

At Calgary Integrative Medicine, the first step to managing and treating Lyme disease starts with detection.

This approach involves the identification of all causative agents and dysfunctions that contribute to the disease and its symptoms. Factors such as heavy metal and chemical toxicity, dysregulation of the immune system, detoxification, genetic predispositions, and infections are considered.

Using advanced medical and laboratory diagnostics in addition to a full and thorough medical history, the causative factors are identified. This lays the groundwork for an effective and personalized treatment plan.

Treatment: Customizing the Path to Recovery

The next step is treatment. With the causative factors identified, the clinic designs a specific treatment program for each and every patient. This includes improving digestive health, detoxification, repairing the mitochondria, and correction of genetic predispositions.

The intention of our practitioners and treatment program is to create an environment that is inhospitable for the bacteria causing Lyme disease and setting the stage for healing.

Eradication: Comprehensive and Effective

The final step of the process is eradication. A highly individualized plan is administered to eradicate Lyme and its symptoms.

Typically this incorporates a combination of supplements, IV therapy, diet, and lifestyle recommendations. Each treatment plan is tailored to the patient’s unique needs.

This comprehensive 3 step process ensures the management of Lyme disease symptoms and paves the way for a return to optimal health.

Conclusion

The management and treatment of Lyme disease require more than a band-aid approach and symptomatic relief. The multi-systemic nature of Lyme disease demands a tailored and comprehensive approach, with a focus on detection, individualized treatment, and eradication.

Calgary Integrative Medicine offers a unique and holistic approach to health and wellness, providing an avenue for patients to reclaim their health, finding comfort and optimal health once more.

This approach to the treatment showcases the potential of Lyme disease natural treatment and integrative medicine in the management of complex chronic disease.

Contact Calgary Integrative Medicine and discover well-being today.

Spring is just around the corner! For some, this is great news. For others, however, the onset of spring brings along with it seasonal allergies that can really put a damper on your plans.

As pollen counts begin to rise, so do allergies and many tend to turn to conventional medications to relieve their symptoms. These medications often come with undesirable side effects, like drowsiness and nausea, which many of us have learned to put up with as we yearn for the summer. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Treating allergies naturally is a safe and effective alternative to resorting to the medications we’ve become so accustomed to. Here’s how to do it:   

Avoid Exposure When the Pollen Count is High

Treating allergies naturally begins at home. As gorgeous as the day may be, staying indoors can sometimes be your best option to avoid worsening your allergy symptoms. Keep doors and windows shut to minimize the chances of exposing yourself to pollen and curl up with a good book or catch up on your favorite show. If you have to travel or leave the house when the pollen count is high, get into the habit of leaving your shoes outside, showering, and changing your clothes as soon as you get home to keep pollen out of the house.

Keep a Clean Home

From the moment you step out of the house, your body, shoes, clothes, and hair become covered in tiny particles that can make your allergies worse. In addition to leaving your shoes outside and showering as soon as you get home, it’s important to regularly clean your home. Be mindful that the chemicals used in some house cleaners can irritate your nasal passages and make your allergies worse. So, use them sparingly and opt for natural or homemade cleaning agents whenever possible. Don’t forget to regularly check and clean dust-prone areas like shelves and under tables, and be sure to use HEPA filters in your home’s HVAC system and vacuum cleaner.

Regularly Clear Out Your Nasal Passages

Homemade nasal rinses are great at both clearing out excess mucus from your nose and treating allergies. Make a simple mixture of three teaspoons of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda, and store it in an airtight container. Mix one teaspoon of the mixture into eight ounces of boiling water and let it cool. Use a neti pot or nasal bulb once the solution has fully cooled down to gently rinse out any accumulated dust and pollen from your nose. If nasal rinses aren’t your thing, steam therapy can work just as well. Simply pour some boiling water into a bowl, place a towel over your head, and inhale the steam to clear your nasal passages. This works great when paired with therapeutic essential oils like peppermint or eucalyptus oil.

Visit a Naturopath 

Naturopathy uses natural treatments to treat the root causes of your ailments and improve your overall wellness. More than just simply suppressing the symptoms, a naturopath will help you treat your allergies naturally using a variety of treatment methods, including specialized diets, advanced laboratory testing to assess root cause, IV therapy, customized supplementation and acupuncture.

There’s no need to suffer or put up with the side effects of conventional medications this allergy season. At Calgary Integrative Medicine, we believe in using the least invasive methods possible to help you achieve your path to wellness. Contact us today to book your consultation and have your allergies tested and treated naturally with the help of a professional naturopath.

Your first visit to a naturopathic doctor will be somewhat different from a regular visit to a medical doctor, so it’s worth knowing what to expect. The main difference between naturopathy and conventional medicine is the treatment methods and approaches adopted by the different systems, thus the way a naturopathic doctor approaches a particular ailment may differ from the way a medical doctor does. In short, naturopathy focuses on tackling the underlying causes of a condition and utilizing the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

First visits typically last an hour and primarily serve as information-gathering sessions for naturopathic doctors to obtain a detailed overview of your health history and identify the underlying causes of any health concerns you may have. Following this, your naturopathic doctor may have enough information to devise an effective treatment plan or may recommend further physical examinations and lab tests. The following is a closer look at what’s involved in each step.

Information Gathering

Since naturopathic doctors focus on the underlying causes of a condition, they’ll typically ask a series of questions covering areas such as your current and past medical history, medications, supplements, diet, sleeping habits, emotional and mental health as well as a review of all body systems to try and gather as much information as possible.

If at any point you feel like the questions being asked are unrelated to your condition, remember that the main goal of the first visit is for your naturopathic doctor to pinpoint exactly why you’re feeling the way you are and what’s causing it and that each question asked can play a part in your treatment plan. Be honest when answering the naturopathic doctor’s questions and bring along the results of any recent lab tests you’ve had — this will help ensure they can create the most effective treatment plan possible.

Physical Examination

If necessary, your naturopathic doctor may carry out a physical examination on your first visit to collect important information such as your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and information from a standard physical exam that you would have performed by your conventional doctor. Physical examinations are especially important if your condition stems from or has affected a particular part of your body.

Blood Work

Once your naturopathic doctor has gathered the necessary information and carried out a physical examination, they may order some blood work. Blood work and other lab tests can be an effective way to assess your overall health and help your naturopathic doctor better understand what’s causing your current condition, as well as how to effectively treat it.

While you might not receive any naturopathic treatment to take home with you on your very first visit, it’s an essential step on the road to recovery and a better life. Reach out to Calgary Integrative Medicine to find out more about the benefits of naturopathy and book your first visit today.   

With many of us striving to achieve optimal health and wellbeing, the demand for health products and services has been accelerating. In addition to conventional medicine, society as a whole has been focusing on preventative and proactive approaches to healthcare. This is where naturopathic medicine is playing a foundational role in shaping the future of healthcare as we know it. Naturopathic medicine is that preventative, and proactive healthcare model that so many patients are looking for.

Naturopathic Doctors aim to find the root cause of their patient’s health issues, not just to address the symptoms present. This requires investigation with a very thorough consultation, physical exam, and blood work. Rather than solely relying on medication, Naturopathic Doctors use a variety of techniques, and treatment modalities to approach a patient’s health and healthcare goals. So, why would people choose to visit a Naturopathic Doctor in addition to a conventional physician? Let’s find out!  

 

An Individualized and Integrative Approach to Wellness

Taking an integrative approach to wellness means that your health care is now a part of a team effort. Naturopathic Doctors have a broad scope of training in many modalities and also work in conjunction with your other health care providers. Each body is unique and requires an individualized approach. Naturopathic doctors may use several treatments to tackle your health including lifestyle modification, clinical nutrition, supplementation, acupuncture, injections, intravenous therapy, and manual therapy. No two bodies are alike, and your treatment protocol will reflect this as each protocol is personalized to you and your case.  

Suitable for a Variety of Medical Conditions

Naturopathic medicine can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, with many Naturopathic Doctors choosing to focus on specific areas like integrative oncology, chronic pain, and cardiovascular health. A few medical conditions commonly treated by our Naturopathic Doctors include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Neurological disease
• Integrative oncology
• Lyme disease
• Digestive and metabolic disorders
• Hormone balance and thyroid optimization (female and male hormone imbalances)
• Weight loss
• Pain management (prolotherapy, neural therapy, acupuncture)

Focus on Root Cause

Naturopathic Doctors focus on the root causes of medical conditions to develop long-term sustainable solutions, rather than short-term relief. The first visit to a Naturopathic Doctor is typically an information-gathering visit that involves the Naturopathic Doctor going through a series of questions to get a detailed view of your health history, with the intention of identifying the root cause of your condition. Advanced blood/serum, sputum, urine, and stool testing may be utilized on a case-case basis, to create an effective treatment plan.

Natural Treatments

The use of natural therapies facilitates the body’s self-healing capabilities. Treatments are focused on improving both a patient’s physical and mental wellbeing. Treatment modalities range from: clinical nutrition, nutraceutical/supplement prescriptions, botanical/herbal medicine, acupuncture, injection and IV therapies. Lifestyle medicine is at the core of naturopathic medicine, as what we put into our bodies highly impacts our health and ability to heal.  

Works in Conjunction with Conventional Medicine

Many prospective patients are surprised to hear that Naturopathic Doctors work alongside conventional medical doctors. Despite what some may think, naturopathic medicine does not exclusively follow traditional/natural healing techniques but rather blends the two with modern conventional medicine. This approach is an integrated medical approach for patients, that allows for optimal, well rounded, personalized treatment plans, that support the patient in all domains. A collaborative, integrative team of medical professionals, is what gives the results we are all looking for: true health.

Anyone can benefit from naturopathic medicine however, if you’re unsure if it’s right for you or the medical condition you’re currently facing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Calgary Integrative Medicine. Our team of passionate healthcare providers is on-hand to ensure that you receive the best treatment possible so you can continue living life to the fullest.