Case Studies of Our Practice: Naturopathic Success Stories
We help people, every single day, with concerns just like yours to feel better. Our practice, as you will see, focuses on getting to know you, proper physical examination, comprehensive testing to determine the cause of your health issues and creating straight-ahead, practical treatment plans to meet your goals.
Read through some of our success stories below.
*All names have been changed to protect the identity of our clients. Any pictures have been given with permission. Please note that as a registered health provider collecting patient testimonials are prohibited. These case studies are real clients and are provided for educational purposes to show case the variety of conditions that we have treated.
Read through some of our success stories below.
*All names have been changed to protect the identity of our clients. Any pictures have been given with permission. Please note that as a registered health provider collecting patient testimonials are prohibited. These case studies are real clients and are provided for educational purposes to show case the variety of conditions that we have treated.
Hormonal Havoc: PMS, bloating, carb cravings and burnout out.
*Terry is a 47 year old self employed graphic designer. She was feeling burnt out: tired, irritable and at the mercy of her periods. She was able to eat healthily most of the time but 10 days before her period would have insatiable cravings for sugar, bread and chocolate. It was hard not to feel frustrated when the numbers on the scale started climbing each cycle and her face broke out like a teenager!
Being an entrepreneur Terry recognized that in order to do her work successfully, balance client meetings, projects and continue to be civil with her family she needed help. We began regular acupuncture sessions during her busiest time of year (my sanity she says!), taught her how to combine foods to keep her full and not craving junk all the time and created a customized supplementation program to stabilize her energy.
Within a few months Terry has noticed less facial hair growth pre-menstrually, and her skin has improved dramatically, with finer pores and less redness. Her bloating has decreased and she is less moody the week before her periods.
Being an entrepreneur Terry recognized that in order to do her work successfully, balance client meetings, projects and continue to be civil with her family she needed help. We began regular acupuncture sessions during her busiest time of year (my sanity she says!), taught her how to combine foods to keep her full and not craving junk all the time and created a customized supplementation program to stabilize her energy.
Within a few months Terry has noticed less facial hair growth pre-menstrually, and her skin has improved dramatically, with finer pores and less redness. Her bloating has decreased and she is less moody the week before her periods.
Adult acne.
*Jean is a 24 year old female who came to my office, looking for help with acne, premenstrual breast tenderness, moodiness and menstrual cramps. As a professional artist, her appearance was extremely crucial to her branding. She exercised semi-regularly and ate a fairly clean diet, however working late nights at her part-time job and full days building her business was taking its toll. Jean was tired of covering her face up in heavy, expensive foundation and popping ibuprofen to help her get through her period.
We identified several food sensitivities via testing, began a basic hormone supporting protocol and created a customized skin care regimen for Jean. We emphasized practical, take-anywhere stress management techniques and encouraged her to ditch the chronic cardio and opt for regular walks outdoors instead. Jean loved learning which foods, even though they are "healthy", contributed to her acne, and found a clear connection between stress, diet and hormonal symptoms.
Five months later, Jean is down 5 lbs, no longer feels bloated after eating or around her period. She experiences almost no PMS symptoms, can confidently go makeup free and is happy to flaunt her beautiful natural skin.
We identified several food sensitivities via testing, began a basic hormone supporting protocol and created a customized skin care regimen for Jean. We emphasized practical, take-anywhere stress management techniques and encouraged her to ditch the chronic cardio and opt for regular walks outdoors instead. Jean loved learning which foods, even though they are "healthy", contributed to her acne, and found a clear connection between stress, diet and hormonal symptoms.
Five months later, Jean is down 5 lbs, no longer feels bloated after eating or around her period. She experiences almost no PMS symptoms, can confidently go makeup free and is happy to flaunt her beautiful natural skin.
Hoarse voice, weight gain, constipation and low libido.
*Janet came to my office in December 2015, a trim, well-dressed woman in her late 50's. She was feeling extremely frustrated over the past few months because her voice keeps cracking and by the end of the day, she can barely manage to whisper. She works as an office manager for an accounting firm and spends a large portion of her day sitting and answering phones. Lately she had to train another colleague to take over the customer service because her voice became so thin, reedy and raspy sounding. Janet's croaking voice absolutely did not fit with her positive mental attitude and joie de vivre!
While she had suffered from constipation much of her life, Janet was feeling more lethargic than ever. In an attempt to get more energy she had been faithfully going to a local gym every morning before work. Unfortunately, during that time she had also gained almost 20 pounds and her energy was getting worse. Because her energy continued to decline, her interest in sex also waned much to her dismay.
Janet was referred to me by another client of mine whom I had also treated successfully vocal hoarseness. Like her friend, she had been referred to an ear nose and throat specialist and told that everything was "normal". Thyroid tests were "normal" according to her family doctor.
At our first visit we reviewed Janet's goals, completed a physical exam and decided to order some follow up blood work. We initiated a trial of high potency vitamin injections, a gentle detox and cleaned up her diet. At our second visit we reviewed her test results: Janet had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition affecting her thyroid. She was relieved to find that there was an explanation for her fatigue, and that the hoarseness might be due to her thyroid swelling. Because Janet was open-minded and not willing to settle, we were able to order the right blood work to gain a complete picture of Janet's health, and then create a customized lifestyle, diet and supplement plan. At her 3 month check up, Janet was glowing. Her energy had improved, she had lost 15 lbs, her skin was clearing up and her voice sounded strong and clear. She was grinning that now for the first time in her life she was able to have a daily bowel movement. Her husband also sent his regards... because her libido had also improved.
While she had suffered from constipation much of her life, Janet was feeling more lethargic than ever. In an attempt to get more energy she had been faithfully going to a local gym every morning before work. Unfortunately, during that time she had also gained almost 20 pounds and her energy was getting worse. Because her energy continued to decline, her interest in sex also waned much to her dismay.
Janet was referred to me by another client of mine whom I had also treated successfully vocal hoarseness. Like her friend, she had been referred to an ear nose and throat specialist and told that everything was "normal". Thyroid tests were "normal" according to her family doctor.
At our first visit we reviewed Janet's goals, completed a physical exam and decided to order some follow up blood work. We initiated a trial of high potency vitamin injections, a gentle detox and cleaned up her diet. At our second visit we reviewed her test results: Janet had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition affecting her thyroid. She was relieved to find that there was an explanation for her fatigue, and that the hoarseness might be due to her thyroid swelling. Because Janet was open-minded and not willing to settle, we were able to order the right blood work to gain a complete picture of Janet's health, and then create a customized lifestyle, diet and supplement plan. At her 3 month check up, Janet was glowing. Her energy had improved, she had lost 15 lbs, her skin was clearing up and her voice sounded strong and clear. She was grinning that now for the first time in her life she was able to have a daily bowel movement. Her husband also sent his regards... because her libido had also improved.
Asthma, allergies and severe eczema.
*Heather is active and very bright 8 year old girl. She suffers from very severe allergies from spring until fall, and then asthma requiring two puffers several times a day from frost until spring. Heather also had puffy eyes, red itchy cheeks and rashes covering her legs that often bled and multiple food sensitivities. Her father's side of the family had many similar issues, as did Heather's older sister. Her mother brought her in on the recommendation of another patient looking for some natural alternatives to topical steroid creams for her eczema and pediatric anti-histamines for her allergies.
Heather's family ate a very healthy diet, low in wheat and dairy, prior to coming to see me. They spent a lot of time together as a family, often camping during the summers, and she was very active outside and had good energy.
At our first visit we took a thorough health history with Heather and her mother. Heather had the classic "atopic triad": asthma, allergies, and eczema and they were keen to start healing rather than suppressing with medication. We started Heather on a basic pediatric plan of great tasting, high quality supplements, began our allergy reducing protocol, recommended continuing their health diet.
4 weeks later, the eczema rashes on Heather's face had completely healed, the leg rashes were greatly decreased and she had hardly sneezed in the past 2 weeks. Even more interesting, the family had taken a camping trip and spent some time in a barn, traditionally a trigger for Heather's asthma, did not even flare up. Two sneezes were the only sign of discomfort. They were able to reduce to one puffer at bedtime only, although they are keeping current prescriptions on hand just in case, and were able to discontinue the anti-histamine.
Heather's family ate a very healthy diet, low in wheat and dairy, prior to coming to see me. They spent a lot of time together as a family, often camping during the summers, and she was very active outside and had good energy.
At our first visit we took a thorough health history with Heather and her mother. Heather had the classic "atopic triad": asthma, allergies, and eczema and they were keen to start healing rather than suppressing with medication. We started Heather on a basic pediatric plan of great tasting, high quality supplements, began our allergy reducing protocol, recommended continuing their health diet.
4 weeks later, the eczema rashes on Heather's face had completely healed, the leg rashes were greatly decreased and she had hardly sneezed in the past 2 weeks. Even more interesting, the family had taken a camping trip and spent some time in a barn, traditionally a trigger for Heather's asthma, did not even flare up. Two sneezes were the only sign of discomfort. They were able to reduce to one puffer at bedtime only, although they are keeping current prescriptions on hand just in case, and were able to discontinue the anti-histamine.
Chronic heartburn, bloating and chest pain.
*David is a 58 year old contractor that first came into my office in March 2016. His main concerns were chronic chest and back pain, with onset in the morning soon after sitting in the work truck on the way to a work site. He had been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia many years ago and was taking Pantoloc to suppress heartburn for over 10 years. He was unable to tolerate any alcohol in the evening and would have terrible bloating the next day, even after one beer. David was also seeing his chiropractor every 2 weeks for the past 2 years without much improvement to the back pain. He also noticed trouble remembering names and that his brain wasn't as sharp as it used to be.
We evaluated his previous lab work, reviewed David's diet and put him on a customized supplement plan. At home testing revealed that he had very low stomach acid after many years of taking Pantoloc. We discussed food hygiene and taught him some simple stress management techniques as well. We also referred him for osteopathic care to address the hiatal hernia.
By April he was able to discontinue the Pantoloc completely with very mild heartburn that responded very well to naturopathic support. By July 2016 he was having no heartburn whatsoever, his pants are fitting looser, energy is improving and he is able to enjoy one or two beers with friends and feel fine in the morning. David came to our office knowing very little about Naturopathic Medicine, yet he kept an open mind, opted for the right testing and feels much better as of his 4 month check up.
We evaluated his previous lab work, reviewed David's diet and put him on a customized supplement plan. At home testing revealed that he had very low stomach acid after many years of taking Pantoloc. We discussed food hygiene and taught him some simple stress management techniques as well. We also referred him for osteopathic care to address the hiatal hernia.
By April he was able to discontinue the Pantoloc completely with very mild heartburn that responded very well to naturopathic support. By July 2016 he was having no heartburn whatsoever, his pants are fitting looser, energy is improving and he is able to enjoy one or two beers with friends and feel fine in the morning. David came to our office knowing very little about Naturopathic Medicine, yet he kept an open mind, opted for the right testing and feels much better as of his 4 month check up.
Menopause, The Rollercoaster: Recurrent bladder infections, hot flashes and fatigue.
*Maria is a 53 year old professional artist who makes her living performing. Her work requires her to travel frequently and she actively works at fostering a positive outlook on life. She eats well and gets lots of exercise via walking, dance and yoga.
Her last period was 3 years ago, but since then the hot flashes had become almost unbearable. Furthermore, she became unable to have intercourse with her husband after a severe bladder prolapse and issues with discomfort. She had been on multiple rounds of antibiotics in the previous year for urinary tract infections, which seemed to come on during any extended travelling time. She had had >5 infections in the previous year and they were severely impacting her health, energy and ability to perform. Her energy and voice were suffering.
We ordered a salivary hormone test to look at Maria's female hormones and stress function, and ordered a full thyroid panel. In the mean time, Maria wanted to try acupuncture to help treat a current bladder infection in addition to antibiotics. After her interview and reviewing the testing we determined that Maria had very low progesterone and hypothyroidism. We made some dietary changes to improve her energy, initiated some sleep support and recommended bioidentical progesterone replacement therapy, as well as supplements to help her thyroid and adrenals function more effectively. We also prescribed a low dose bioidentical estrogen to decrease pain with intercourse.
As of her 2 month follow up visit, Maria has definitely noticed an improvement in her energy. After three weeks of air plane and car travel Maria did not have any symptoms of another bladder infection. Night sweats have decreased by 50%, hot flashes are much milder and less frequent and she has been able to be intimate with her husband for the first time in two years without any pain.
Her last period was 3 years ago, but since then the hot flashes had become almost unbearable. Furthermore, she became unable to have intercourse with her husband after a severe bladder prolapse and issues with discomfort. She had been on multiple rounds of antibiotics in the previous year for urinary tract infections, which seemed to come on during any extended travelling time. She had had >5 infections in the previous year and they were severely impacting her health, energy and ability to perform. Her energy and voice were suffering.
We ordered a salivary hormone test to look at Maria's female hormones and stress function, and ordered a full thyroid panel. In the mean time, Maria wanted to try acupuncture to help treat a current bladder infection in addition to antibiotics. After her interview and reviewing the testing we determined that Maria had very low progesterone and hypothyroidism. We made some dietary changes to improve her energy, initiated some sleep support and recommended bioidentical progesterone replacement therapy, as well as supplements to help her thyroid and adrenals function more effectively. We also prescribed a low dose bioidentical estrogen to decrease pain with intercourse.
As of her 2 month follow up visit, Maria has definitely noticed an improvement in her energy. After three weeks of air plane and car travel Maria did not have any symptoms of another bladder infection. Night sweats have decreased by 50%, hot flashes are much milder and less frequent and she has been able to be intimate with her husband for the first time in two years without any pain.
Low energy, diarrhea and insomnia.
*Pamela is a 43 year-old wife and mother of three. She owns and operates a large farm business. She is very physically active, conscious of making healthy meals for her family.
Despite a high degree of satisfaction with her life, Pamela was experiencing persistent fatigue and rated her energy level at a 3/10. She had difficulty losing weight, slept poorly and suffered from severe diarrhea, a major impairment to the quality of her life.
We ruled out serious pathology before determining that she had several food sensitivities causing her Irritable Bowel Syndrome. She also had adrenal fatigue.
Together we created a customized plan, including dietary changes, nutritional supplements, and deep breathing exercises. As of her eight week follow-up, Pamela has not had a single "bowel attack", her sleep is improving and she no longer feels that 3:00 pm energy crash.
Despite a high degree of satisfaction with her life, Pamela was experiencing persistent fatigue and rated her energy level at a 3/10. She had difficulty losing weight, slept poorly and suffered from severe diarrhea, a major impairment to the quality of her life.
We ruled out serious pathology before determining that she had several food sensitivities causing her Irritable Bowel Syndrome. She also had adrenal fatigue.
Together we created a customized plan, including dietary changes, nutritional supplements, and deep breathing exercises. As of her eight week follow-up, Pamela has not had a single "bowel attack", her sleep is improving and she no longer feels that 3:00 pm energy crash.
Migraines.
*Candice is a recently widowed 49 year old, and she was referred by her company HR department after missing a concerning amount of time from work with terrible migraines. While she had gotten used to having the occasional migraine since her 30s, in the last 4 months ago they had become unbearable. She described her migraines as feeling "like my head was going to pop like a zit!", with intense pressure, often first thing in the morning and left her feeling nauseous, weak and helpless. They typically came every 2 weeks and would last 2-3 days even when she wasn't working.
She had tried several different pain medications, with unsatisfying results and she hated how they made her feel groggy.
We started Candice on plan of regular acupuncture, supplements to take at the first sign of a headache and a maintenance plan to help prevent her headaches. We also eliminated some foods in her diet that are common migraine triggers and taught her some helpful acupressure points to use.
After 1 month, her migraines became less severe. After 5 weeks she began reintroducing foods and it became VERY obvious that her migraines were triggered by wheat. By July 2016, three months after strictly avoiding gluten, taking her supplements and using the tools we taught her, Candice is thrilled to report that she has only had one migraine.
She had tried several different pain medications, with unsatisfying results and she hated how they made her feel groggy.
We started Candice on plan of regular acupuncture, supplements to take at the first sign of a headache and a maintenance plan to help prevent her headaches. We also eliminated some foods in her diet that are common migraine triggers and taught her some helpful acupressure points to use.
After 1 month, her migraines became less severe. After 5 weeks she began reintroducing foods and it became VERY obvious that her migraines were triggered by wheat. By July 2016, three months after strictly avoiding gluten, taking her supplements and using the tools we taught her, Candice is thrilled to report that she has only had one migraine.
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