Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), is a widely-accepted method of measuring the ratio of body fat against lean muscle mass due to its simplicity, speed and noninvasive nature. A BIA test helps to determine a realistic measure relating to your picture of health and well-being, and may help in planning goals for weight management or in achieving a better body balance for health improvement and prevention of illness.

BIA gives valuable information about cellular health, metabolism, toxicity, water balance, acidity and inflammation. The results of the test can be used to help create naturopathic, nutrition, or exercise programs suited to your individual needs.

The following measurements are taken:

• Overall Cell Health (“Phase Angle”): This is a key indicator of your overall health. The higher the number, the healthier you are.
• Body Composition: Indicates the body’s percentage of fat and muscle. The more body fat you have, the more inflammation you have. Inflammation is a significant risk factor for a number of diseases, especially heart disease, because inflammation stresses key parts of your body’s defense including your liver, immune system and adrenal glands.
• Metabolism: Indicates if your body is breaking down healthy or unhealthy tissue for energy. Obviously, the higher your metabolism, the less fat you have.
• Water inside/outside of cells: When your body has a high level of toxicity, there is more water outside your cells than inside them. Having more water outside of your cells dilutes the toxins and helps to make them less harmful to your body. However, this is not a healthy state to be in because the inside of your cells do not have enough water to function properly.
• Hydration: If your body is low on water, your metabolism slows. Problems resulting from dehydration include headaches, fatigue, and sweet cravings. It may surprise you that most people are chronically dehydrated because they do not drink enough water.

Botanical or herbal medicine is a fundamental aspect of healing in most cultures. Different parts of plants can be used for their powerful healing and nutritional qualities and can benefit individuals on not just a physical level, but also a mental and emotional level as well. Herbal medicines can be administered in different forms such as: tinctures (liquid form), teas, solid extracts, capsules, or tablets. They can also be used internally or topically. It is important to note that some herbs can have adverse reactions when used in combination with prescription or over-the-counter medications. A naturopathic doctor can help you determine whether or not certain herbs would be beneficial for you or if they will interact with any medications you are taking.

Bowen therapy is a type of treatment that balances the Autonomic Nervous System. Bowen therapy utilizes simple and gentle moves across muscle and connective tissue to effectively allow the body to heal itself. Bowen therapy is a very balancing technique and can put the body into a state of deep relaxation.

Although Bowen Therapy has been shown to be very effective for musculo-skeletal pain and injuries, it is also helpful for respiratory problems, digestive disorders and gynaecological problems.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture (FRA), also known as “cosmetic acupuncture” or “acupuncture facelift”, is a painless, non-surgical method of reducing the signs of aging, while optimizing a person’s overall health. FRA involves the insertion of very thin, sterile, and disposable needles into particular areas of the face, head, and body, to correct any imbalances in energy or “Qi”, thereby bringing about optimal health and wellness. Specific points are chosen to balance the energy in the body according to the individual’s needs, addressing the underlying causes of why an individual specifically ages the way that they do. Although FRA can sometimes be referred to as an “acupuncture facelift”, it is more than a superficial cosmetic procedure. It is a whole-body treatment that improves a person’s overall health and well-being, while improving their physical appearance.   Read more…

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) uses tapping on specific acupuncture points to stimulate healing from emotional issues or conditions. It is a powerful and effective method which can address the emotional causes that can contribute to pain, disease and physical illnesses.

Contrary to popular belief, the symptoms of allergies do not always manifest as: runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, and hives. In fact, food allergies can contribute to common conditions such as: arthritis, acne, asthma, eczema, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and weakened immunity/chronic infections. Many times, these food reactions are delayed reactions and not immediate. Therefore, performing an IgG Delayed Food Sensitivity blood test may be very beneficial to determine what foods may be contributing to inappropriate inflammation in your body. Read more…

Hair mineral analysis (HMA) is one of the many diagnostic tools and methods that we use to assess a person’s overall health. It involves obtaining a sample of a patient’s hair and analyzing it for mineral status and heavy metal toxicity. Minerals play a vital role in many biochemical reactions in the body. A deficiency or imbalance in any of these vital minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, silicon, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus) can lead to many potential illnesses and symptoms.

As well, increased levels of toxic metals such as aluminum, lead, cadmium, and mercury can lead to neurological, digestive, immune system, and hormonal problems. For example, mercury toxicity can contribute to symptoms such as: fatigue, headache, insomnia, nervousness/anxiety, impaired judgement and co-ordination, poor memory and concentration, and depression. Read more…

Homeopathy is an effective system of healing which was founded in 1796 by a German physician, Samuel Hahnemann. Homeopathic medicine is based on the principle that “like cures like” and focuses on treating the patient – not the disease. Homeopathic remedies are made from plant, animal, or mineral substances, which are diluted to the point where there is no chance of toxicity. Homeopathy helps to rebalance the body back to its natural state and can stimulate the natural ability of the body to heal itself. Homeopathic remedies can be found in the form of granules, tablets, or liquid.

At Optimal Health Naturopathic and Wellness Clinic, we offer a wide variety of laboratory tests to help us determine what may be the cause of your symptoms/conditions. These tests include:

• Bio-Impedance Analysis (BIA) (ratios of body fat, lean body mass, intracellular and extracellular water)
• Blood Testing (fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, white blood cells, red blood cells, blood type, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, liver function, kidney function, thyroid function, etc.)
• Comprehensive Candida Testing
• Food Sensitivity Testing
• Gluten-Sensitivity Testing
• Hair Mineral Analysis (heavy metals and nutritional elements)
• Saliva Hormone Testing (female hormones, male hormones, adrenal gland hormones)
• Hair Mineral Analysis (heavy metals and nutritional elements)
• Urinalysis (pH, specific gravity, glucose, protein, leukocytes, haemoglobin, ketones, etc.)
• Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth (SIBO) Test
• Dutch Test (Advanced Hormone Testing)

Naturopathic doctors are trained to help you determine and address the lifestyle factors that may be contributing to less than optimal health for an individual. Lifestyle counselling, in conjunction with other naturopathic treatments, can be very beneficial for patients dealing with depression, fatigue, excess stress (both physical and mental/emotional), relationship issues and chronic health problems.

Neuromodulation Technique (NMT) is a complete system of energetic medicine developed by Dr. Leslie S. Feinberg of Hermiston, Oregon. NMT is a method which involves identifying errors of information that exist in the body’s control system and then efficiently trains this control system toward physical regulatory behaviors that re-create wellness. NMT recognizes that healing is ultimately a matter of the body recognizing a more efficient way to govern its own function.

NMT combines accepted principles of western science and energetic medicine. Patients suffering from nearly any symptom commonly experience rapid improvement and restoration of health after being treated with NMT. NMT works powerfully to restore health since it addresses the problem of illness at its most basic level. Our bodies can not engage in the physical behaviors that produce disease, unless there are errors in the set of instructions that tell the body how to behave. By correcting those informational errors, NMT restores the body’s innate capacity to heal – the only path the body has to healing and wellness.

Nutrition is not only a basic component of health, but it can also play a great role in the prevention of disease. Many chronic illnesses which afflict people can be attributed either directly or indirectly to improper dietary habits. It is also important to remember that each one of us is an individual and what may be beneficial for one person may be harmful to another. In order to help us determine what our own diet should consist of, we must listen to what our body is telling us and be perceptive of how we react to certain foods. Food sensitivity testing can also give us further insight into what foods may be causing inflammation in our bodies.

What is the Zone Technique?

The Zone Technique is a technique that balances the brain and spinal cord so that the body can restore itself to optimal health. It is based on the fact that every single cell in the body belongs to one of six systems.

The Zone Technique breaks the body up into the following six systems: The Glandular System, the Elimination System, the Nervous System, the Digestive System, the Muscular System, and the Circulatory System. These six brain centers represent the positive pole, while specific points on the spinal cord represent the negative pole. Each zone (system) regulates and influences your overall health. Any symptoms that one experiences can be attributed to an imbalance in one or more of the zones. So if we can determine which of these six systems is out of balance and then balance these systems, then the person can start to heal. In order to determine the zone that is out of balance, there are six points on the back of the head which I palpate with slight pressure.

These points have connections to the six systems, as well as different levels of the spinal cord. Usually, if the zone is out of balance (meaning it is not properly controlling the bodily systems that it is supposed to control), it will feel tender to the patient. Once I’ve identified the zone, I stimulate specific points along the spine to send healing energy up the spinal cord to the brain to create balance. The brain center sends out signals to the imbalanced system to promote healing.