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King native provides naturopathic health care

December 6, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons

Naturopathic medicine continues to reach new heights in popularity as home-grown practitioner opens doors locally. This form of holistic alternative medicine focuses on the root cause of illness, while providing patient-centered care.

Dr. Mallory Reinthaler, ND, has returned home to King Township to join the team at Nobleton Physiotherapy Clinic as a Naturopathic Doctor.

Reinthaler grew up in King City and was drawn to Nobleton because of the similar small town atmosphere. “Once I met the owners Giacomo and Mike, I felt confident that an ND would be a great addition to their team working alongside physiotherapists and massage therapists. They seemed very professional, proactive and preventive in their approach,” she said. For the past eight summers, Dr. Reinthaler returned to King to teach swimming lessons. “The families have all been wonderful to work with, and extremely supportive of my goal to be a health care provider in the area. This made me excited to provide a service in such a welcoming community.”

When asked what drew her to this profession she mentioned, “Throughout my previous experiences as a swim instructor, skating coach, and camp counsellor, I knew I wanted a job interacting with people. Seeing the sense of accomplishment when someone gains a new life skill, or tackles a challenge they didn’t think was possible, is an incomparable feeling that I wanted to replicate in my career. This led me to a profession where I am able to support and guide patients on a daily basis”. Although she runs a general family practice, Reinthaler has a passion for digestive health, as well as working with the paediatric population.

She pointed out that in general, society is becoming much more health conscious and looking into more natural forms of medicine, including physical therapies such as acupuncture, or herbal remedies like CBD olie products. There is an increasing trend for promoting a healthier lifestyle including organic products, less processed foods, and innovative fitness classes.

Naturopathic doctors are key in helping our bodies help themselves, and are now a vital part of our current health care options. It integrates modern and traditional healthcare, including the use of both clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques. Naturopathic doctors work with patients to develop and achieve health goals, leading to long lasting outcomes. The treatments consist of nutritional counselling, acupuncture and Asian medicine, herbal supplementation, hydrotherapy and homeopathy. Spending over an hour with an ND helps them to understand the patients on a deeper level and allows patients to develop a trusting relationship with their practitioner. The body is a “giant web” and the holistic approach of an ND views the entire web when treating a patient. “I love any challenge placed in front of me and often patients seek an ND’s care when frustrated by the lack of results from a mainstream approach.” There is definitely a place for both streams of medicine to coexist and work in collaboration with each other, she said, to create the best possible care for the patient.

“I work with patients to uncover the cause of their complaints, and focus treatment on addressing this to prevent symptoms from returning in the future. Let’s take migraines for example: this can be due to hormonal imbalances, food intolerances, stress, lack of sleep, or even environmental toxins. A conventional doctor may prescribe a medication to help with pain relief, whereas a naturopathic doctor would spend time with the patient to seek out the reason for these migraines to prevent future occurrences. If you were my patient, of course the choice of route to take is up to you, as I simply have another option people could take. I also work with patients on the maintenance of chronic conditions, as well as prevention of illness and progression of disease. One core principle of naturopathic medicine is ‘doctor as teacher.’ I have a passion for educating patients on what is going on in their body and how the prescribed treatments are meant to act.”

Dr. Reinthaler pointed out the list of conditions that can be treated through an ND are endless. Eczema, heartburn, ADHD, menstrual irregularities, bloating, infertility, and migraines are some of the most common reasons a patient may seek naturopathic care.”I also work with patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle including nutritional counselling, weight loss, stress management, and sleep hygiene.”

“Over the past few years, there have been some major advancements in the profession with regards to regulations, prescribing, the naturopathy act being passed. As NDs increase in popularity, it is being covered through more health benefit plans now then ever before. In the past five years, there has also been more integration with MDs, including a clinic within the Brampton Civic Hospital.”

The treatments prescribed by an ND are usually less invasive than synthetic drugs, therefore producing fewer side effects. Some of these natural substances stimulate the body to work more efficiently or help the biochemical and physiological processes regain balance. Although they are over the counter, Dr. Reinthaler said it’s important to consult a health care practitioner before self-prescribing natural substances. They can still be dangerous if not taken at the proper dosages, and have the potential to interact with prescription medications.

Reinthaler spent four years at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, obtaining her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree after a previous Bachelor of Science from UWO. Her clinical experience includes the aforementioned Brampton Clinic, as well as the Parkdale Community Health Center. She’s an active member of both the Canadian and Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors.

If anyone wants to gain a greater understanding of what naturopathic medicine is and how it can be used to approach your specific concerns, a complimentary 15-minute meet and greet can be arranged.

Dr. Reinthaler is available at Nobleton Physiotherapy, Monday and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon. Call 905-859-6708 or visit www.drmalloryreinthaler.ca

         

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