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What Is Naturopathic Medicine?

Whole Body, Root-Cause Care

Naturopathic medicine is a form of health care that blends the best of conventional diagnostics with natural therapies. It is rooted in the belief that your body has a capacity to heal when given the right support.

A naturopathic doctor (ND) does more than manage symptoms. We work to uncover and address the underlying causes of whatever’s going on in your body, whether it’s chronic digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, pain, inflammation, or persistent unclear symptoms.

What Makes Naturopathic Care Different

  • We consider the whole person, including physical symptoms, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle factors, environment, and health history, not just isolated symptoms.

  • We combine conventional lab diagnostics (blood work) with advanced functional medicine testing (comprehensive hormone panels, urine testing, stool testing, etc.) to determine what the underlying causes of your symptoms are and what's not working correctly within your body.

  • Treatments recommended may include nutritional supplements, individualized dietary plans, lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, bioidentical hormones, natural desiccated thyroid, and other natural supports, combined to create personalized plan tailored to you.

  • Our goal is prevention, restoration of your health, and long-term relief of your symptoms, not quick fixes or endless masking of symptoms with pills.

What does a visit with a Naturopathic Doctor look like

What Working With Me Looks Like

Initial Appointment: We Start With You & Your Story

Your initial consultation is a deep dive into your health history. We spend 60 to 75 minutes together, discussing the following:

  • Your full health history, including past and current concerns, family history, stress, lifestyle, sleep, digestion, hormones, mood, and how symptoms affect your daily life.

  • What you’ve already tried, such as diets, supplements, medications, physical therapies, and mental health strategies. We cover what helped and what didn’t.

  • A careful physical review and discussion about whether further testing is warranted. Lab testing is often requested to gain clearer insight.

At the end of this session, we’ll begin mapping out a personalized plan focused on what your body truly needs to heal. Not a generic symptom-relieving template, but a plan built specifically for you.

Flexible appointment options include in-person clinic visits, virtual sessions, and phone consultations to support your needs anywhere in Ontario.

Ready to learn more about what Naturopathic Medicine can do for you?

Schedule your Complementary Discovery Call to get started.

Comprehensive Lab & Functional Medicine Testing

Comprehensive Lab & Functional Medicine Testing

Because so many digestive, hormone, inflammatory, autoimmune, and gut microbiome-related conditions are subtle and overlap with other conditions, lab and functional testing can provide for clarity on the root cause of your health concerns.

This may include:

  • Blood testing to check nutrient levels, metabolic markers, hormone balance, immune function, and inflammation.

  • Specialized testing, including:

    • Comprehensive stool analysis (called the GI MAP) to assess gut bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites living in the gut.

    • Breath tests for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

    • Urine Organic Acid Testing (OAT) to assess metabolic health, detox pathways, neurotransmitter pathways, mitochondrial health, and nutrient metabolism.

    • Comprehensive hormone testing via saliva, blood, or urine depending on your needs and goals.

    • Food sensitivity investigations, which can be accomplished either through an elimination diet or IgG–based blood testing, depending on what makes sense for you.

 

These tests often reveal imbalances, gut microbiome dysbiosis, nutrient deficiencies, or other hidden root causes that traditional medicine may overlook.

Personalized Treatment Plans

Based on everything we discover together, you will receive a care plan designed specifically for your body, goals, and lifestyle. All instructions are clearly written out for you, so you're never left feeling confused, unsure, or worried you've forgotten an important part of your plan.

This may include:

  • Individualized nutrition plan and gentle diet adjustments (no drastic, unsustainable dieting here).

  • Gut-healing strategies, including supporting gut bacteria balance, improving digestion, encouraging nutrient absorption, and reducing inflammation.

  • Lifestyle modifications, including optimizing sleep, building stress resiliency, incorporating movement, and practicing self-care.

  • Supplementation, including vitamins, minerals, and targeted nutrients, always carefully chosen and monitored.

  • Herbal medicine, including herbal teas, tinctures, and extracts in capsule or tablet form.

  • Bioidentical Hormones (Estrogen & Progesterone) or Natural Desiccated Thyroid prescriptions, as needed.

  • Recommendations for follow-up testing (as needed) and periodic re-evaluation to fine-tune your plan for best results.

Unlike many one-size-fits-all “wellness fixes,” this plan respects that healing takes time and provides you with step-by-step guidance to work towards long-term health and symptom relief.

Follow-Up Appointments & Progress Tracking

After your initial appointment, follow-up appointments typically last 30 to 60 minutes, scheduled every 6 to 8 weeks. Whether you prefer in-person, virtual online video, or telephone appointments, I offer flexible, accessible care options throughout Ontario.

 

During these visits, we:

  • Review how you’re feeling, what’s improved or flared.

  • Adjust your plan based on your progress.

  • Work through any challenges you encounter while incorporating the plan.

  • Discuss lab results and next steps (if additional testing is done).

 

Over time, as your health improves, we shift to less frequent appointments and a simpler maintenance plan to keep you on feeling great and prevent symptoms from recurring.

My Commitment To You

I believe in giving patients the time, respect, and curiosity they deserve. I believe in blending scientific lab diagnostics with gentle, evidence-informed naturopathic care to achieve long-lasting improvements in your health. I believe in creating plans that fit your life, not forcing your life to fit a plan.

I’m dedicated to helping you rebuild your health from the ground up, from your gut microbiome, digestion, energy, and hormones to your whole being.

If you’re ready for thoughtful, compassionate, patient-focused care that gets to the root of your symptoms, let’s work together to get you feeling the best you've ever felt.

Book your Complementary Discovery Call or Initial Appointment to get started.

Dr. Melyssa Hoitink,

Naturopathic Doctor

Schedule An Appointment

Location: 

560 Bryne Dr #1a, Barrie, ON L4N 9J6

(inside Peak Wellness Osteopathy)

 

Accepting patients across Ontario, Canada

Contact Me By Email

(best way to contact me)


Phone: (647) 497-6355

(please leave a voicemail)


Fax: (647) 480-6284

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