Women’s Health

White Rock Naturopathic has always had a very large women’s health practice.

While we do not offer women’s health exams such as pap smears or the such, concerns such as PMS, peri-menopause, post-menopause and concerns regarding fertility, relate and respond exceedingly well to the naturopathic and Chinese medicine treatment options available at our clinic. It is fair to say that women’s health is very much under-appreciated and underserved via conventional medicine.

The idea of balancing hormones and supporting one’s own innate hormone metabolism is an option every woman should have offered to her for her consideration. While hormonal therapy and birth control certainly have their place and usefulness, they are certainly not the only option to regain hormonal health or address concerns relating to uterine, ovarian, or cervical health – nor the aspects of mental-emotional health that are so greatly influenced by one’s hormonal balance. In general, one ought to consider that there are three options available in terms of hormonal health: natural balancing, bioidentical hormone replacement and synthetic (which includes birth control and contraception).

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

What is Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy?

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (also known as natural hormone replacement therapy) is the treatment of depleted and imbalanced hormone levels in both women and men through the use of bio-identical hormones (as opposed to synthetic hormones). For women this includes the treatment of symptoms relating to menopause, perimenopause (the stage of gradually falling and fluctuating hormone levels, which often begins in the early 40s) or post-menopause.

Bioidentical hormones have a molecular structure that is exactly the same as that of hormones produced by our bodies, which makes them biologically identical. Because bio-identical hormones are identical to those produced by the human body they offer important therapeutic advantages as well as relief from the symptoms of hormonal imbalance.

For women these symptoms can include: hot flashes, night sweats, depression, moodiness, weight gain, acne, fatigue, insomnia,  loss of libido, memory loss, depression, difficulty concentrating, joint pain and stiffness, bone loss, headaches/migraines, panic attacks and anxiety, heart palpitations, urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, excessive sweating, bloating, and more.

For men these symptoms can include: a diminished sense of well being, loss of libido, depression, bone loss, and more.

Some other advantages of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are;  improves the look and feel of hair and skin, weight loss, improves sex drive, improves mental health, lowers cholesterol levels, decreases the risk of osteoporosis, decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke and so much more!

What makes our approach unique in terms of balancing hormones, is that rather than simply replacing hormones, our goal has always been to not only re-establish optimal hormonal levels, but to go one step further, in supporting your body to re-establish its own ability to maintain a proper balance itself, through the use of chinese and naturopathic medicine. This then offers an alternative for those individuals who may not need BHRT, or who would like to taper off their bioidentical hormones eventually.

If you’re looking for a Surrey naturopath with two decades of experience with HRT, learn more about our Surrey clinic.

Reproductive Health & Fertility

Naturopathic Fertility care is a unique and individual treatment plan that brings balance back to the systems involved in healthy reproduction. Naturopathic therapies can help those with unexplained fertility concerns, endometriosis, PCOS, anovulatory cycles, luteal phase defects, recurring miscarriages, hormonal imbalances, irregular cycles, low sperm counts and / or poor quality (motility, morphology), etc. Research on acupuncture in combination with patients who are undergoing IVF (In Vitro Fertilization), or IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) treatment have shown positive results. Complete pre-conception plans are available for both individuals and couples. Individual plans are broken into two stages: the first being the pre-conception stage, and the second being a ready to conceive stage. This first stage can be considered a fertility boot-camp with the object of re-aligning the body from an imbalanced, depleted state to a healthy, balanced one that is optimized for fertility.

Getting started begins with a proper assessment. As with integrative naturopathic medicine in general, a holistic, mind body approach is taken in the thorough health assessment, which forms the foundation for an individual’s program. Health is mapped out to include variables such as: nutritional status (diet); toxin exposure; presence of autoimmune disease and / or chronic illness; stress management and stress hormone evaluation; lifestyle factors and use of coffee, alcohol,nicotine, medications; energy level; weight and body fat distribution; digestion; among other factors. In addition, specific markers related to fertility are examined: age, hormone balance, presence of conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids, ovulation status, hormone levels, among other variables, relative to an ideal state of fertility.

Treatment programs may include lifestyle or dietary modifications (eating to enhance fertility, or various detox plans), nutritional supplements, herbs, acupuncture, stress reduction, and / or homeopathy. As your follicles go through more than a 90 day maturation process in the ovary, it can take at the very least this long to complete the program, during which, pelvic circulation (blood flow to the follicles) is encouraged, and hormonal levels are balanced or restored.

Once the pre-conception stage is complete, the body will be near or at it’s optimum balance, and ready to conceive. During this stage, which typically lasts three months (or 3 ovulatory cycles), you will be closely monitored for fertility response. Within this time-frame conception is usually achieved. In the more difficult cases, this stage is extended by additional 3 month sections with shifting emphasis on treatment.

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