Have you ever wondered what it is like to visit a Naturopathic Doctor? Many of our potential clients often ask us. Now, Meghan Pearson, offers an answer as she describes her personal experience on her path towards self discovery and understanding her health.

Article By: Meghan Pearson  www.meghanpearson.ca

I had been toying with the idea of visiting a Naturopathic Doctor for a couple of years when the opportunity came up for me to take the plunge.  Having always been very proactive when it comes to my health, it was only the next “natural” step, after all.

I have a long history of health complications, thanks to my decade-plus battle with bulimia and all that it did to my body.  My battered endocrine system and imbalanced hormones were just the tip of the iceberg, as appointments with my GP also deduced possible bone density issues and various nutritional deficiencies at different points of my medical past.  The thing is though, with all my concern and yearly check-ups, we never really “solved” a thing.  Nope, my body is still quite out of whack; my monthly cycle is non-existent without the aid of oral contraceptives, I suffer from chronic dry mouth, and my blood pressure is continuously low.  Visit after visit, my doctors of western medicine would listen to my concerns, conduct standard testing procedures, write me a prescription or a requisition for more invasive investigation, and then rush me out the door.

Now, this is not to say that I haven’t been happy with some of the results I‘ve received via standard medicine.  When I was suffering from long-term insomnia after the passing of my father, a sleep aid prescription seemed the only solution to work at the time (I’ve since discovered acupuncture and no longer have the sleep difficulties I once had).  Had it not been for my doc’s early detection of pre-cancerous dysplasia during a routine PAP, than I might not have been able to sidestep that possible threat.  No, overall I have been okay with how standard healthcare has treated me thus far.

But I have decided that I want answers.  Not just Band-aid solutions, or easy fixes.  With all my nutritional background and knowledge, and my keen interest in Eastern medicinal techniques, I now know that there are options, and that it is a lot simpler to work at preventing illness with lifestyle changes, than it is to try and “fix” dis-ease once it is present.

Enter Dr. Erin Wiley, ND.  After weeks of research, I decided to check out Integrative Health Institute, a warm and welcoming centre in down town Toronto, co-owned my Erin and her partner Dr. Meghan Walker, ND.  I booked my “intake” appointment for a sunny Tuesday afternoon, and was told that it would take about an hour and a half to complete.  There were a few forms for me to fill out pre-visit, which I easily printed off from their website and filled in ahead of my inaugural journey in the world of natural medicine.  The questions were thorough and specific, and I found myself patting myself on the back for making this decision.  Already I knew that this was going to be a very different and positive experience.

When it came time for my initial consult, it was nice to be greeted by Dr. Wiley, a glowing and cheerful professional, clad in a cute denim dress, not the standard stark lab coat I was used to seeing at my hospital clinic.  Already I felt at ease.  To get things started, Erin introduced me to her practice by giving a brief, easy to understand overview of what Naturopathic doctors do.   She emphasized the importance of relationship building, explaining that she and I would be developing a doctor-patient link that welcomes open communication and honesty, with a real focus on problem solving.  Through her use of easy to understand metaphors and diagrams (she showed me how my circadian rhythm matched up against ideal sleep-wake cycles with pen and paper!), I got to better understand where our focus would be when it comes to sorting out my health concerns together.  We went through my intake forms from beginning to end, with Dr. Wiley stopping to ask pertinent questions when she needed more information.  I got the opportunity to really speak about my feelings, symptoms, and overall concerns.  Nothing was rushed, everything was considered.

After a lot of great communication, it was time for some tests.  Not your standard blood samples and stethoscopes either!  Nope, Dr. Wiley deduced that what she needed to do was have a look at my blood pressure, and take a check on my body composition.  What was really neat, was that after checking my blood pressure and finding it to be a low (as suspected) 85/50, she proceeded to check it once more while I was laying down, and then did a “gravity” check, having me rise up to standing and immediately checking it then to see any difference.  Never had that happen with my regular GP!  We did my body comp test using a series of electrodes attached to a few points of my body, yet another new experience, but I won’t have those results until my next visit.  Hopefully this can answer, among other things, the question as to whether or not my body is absorbing water into my organs as it should, and then we can figure out if and why I am so bloody thirsty all the time!

So what conclusions did we come to?  Well, I just may have a condition caused “adrenal fatigue” brought on by the high levels of stress I have been under over the course of the past few years.  Apparently, my poor adrenal glands just aren’t functioning as they should, and in turn, a whole slew of other systems in my body are unhappy as well.  This might explain the shortness of breath I have been having recently, my fluctuating energy levels, and dry mouth.  I love that after just this one sit-down with me, Erin was able to recognize the wide array of symptoms I have, and focus them in on one specific possible cause.  Next up: treatment!

I left that day armed with a ton of arsenal to put me on the path to recovery from my tired adrenals, including two recommended botanical supplements.  Dr. Wiley also supplied me with a two-page “action plan” of sorts, to get me moving forward in improving my health in a holistic way.  This print out serves as a guideline for a few very simple changes I can make to improve my digestive health, kidney function, endocrine balance, and general nutrition, all specific to my personal needs.

So how do I feel now that I have taken this first step towards holistic health?  Amazing.  I feel inspired, motivated, and most importantly, supported.  I can tell already that this is going to be a life-changing  experience.  So, Dr. Wiley, I’ll see YOU in 4 weeks!

Dr. Erin Wiley is a Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director and Co-Founder of the Integrative Health Institute. Dr. Wiley has a special interest in digestive health, endocrinology and hormone balance with a clinical focus on fertility, menopause, anxiety, depression, healthy weight loss, detoxification and environmental medicine. Dr. Wiley practices downtown Toronto at the corner of King and Sherbourne St.