|
By working towards health, Dr. Braun can help address any condition or ailment. To properly go about addressing your concerns, Dr. Braun looks at each one of your symptoms and how they are interconnected. The naturopathic philosophy is to seek and treat the cause of the illness, not just the symptoms. Areas of common health concerns that Dr. Braun addresses includes the following: Hormone
balancing Hormones are the messengers of the body and are responsible for keeping everything in working order. They are responsible for important functions of the body such as the regulation of metabolism, which involves temperature control, hair growth, and weight loss or gain. As well, hormones contribute to our reaction to stress, mood fluctuations, quality of sleep, and energy levels. There are many symptoms that can lead us to suspect a hormonal imbalance: Stress / Anxiety Women’s health is a special interest of Dr. Braun’s. There is no doubt that women are amazing beings with incredible reproductive abilities. With this comes a potential for complex female health issues. As we transition from childhood into adolescence, and then from adulthood into our wise years, women can be bombarded with symptoms that are a result of imbalanced female hormones. Dr. Braun can help address any female complaint, during every stage of life. These many include: Menstrual Pain / PMS PAP Exam & Cervical Cancer Screening Regular PAP screening tests are recommended by the BC Cancer Agency to be performed every 1-2 years, or depending on your medical history. Naturopathic physicians in British Columbia are trained and licensed to perform regular PAP exams as part of the BC Cancer Agency’s cervical cancer screening program.
The standard medical model looks at menopause like any other disease that needs to be “treated”. The reality is that menopause is a natural part in the progression of a woman’s life, just as menarche is, and should be rightfully celebrated. It is the transition into the next stage of life; the ‘Crone’ years are full of strength and wisdom. However, because of the common symptoms of menopause, it can be an uncomfortable phase. Although hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats and vaginal discomfort may be considered normal, the common symptoms of menopause are not necessarily healthy. When a woman enters into menopause in a state of hormonal imbalance, she will most likely experience these uncomfortable symptoms. Dr. Braun’s approach to menopause is aimed to correct the imbalance that will ultimately provide relief from symptoms and prevent potential menopause-related health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. By addressing each woman’s unique medical history, and making an individualized treatment plan that suits their needs and goals, it is possible for every woman to achieve a smooth and comfortable menopause. The process of becoming pregnant and having a baby is one of the most joyous happenings in life. But it can also be a worrisome and trying time, especially when couples are unable to become pregnant easily or when there are unwanted symptoms during the pregnancy. To promote fertility, Dr. Braun focuses on bringing a couple’s health back to balance using non-invasive and natural healing strategies. These may include making changes to your diet, taking specific supplements and herbs, maintaining a healthy weight, detoxifying, or receiving a series of acupuncture or Bowen therapy in aim to restore balance, promote pregnancy and reduce the chance of miscarriage. Dr. Braun strongly suggests that prenatal care starts prior getting pregnant to ensure that the woman’s body is optimally prepared, as well as the man’s. This way, pregnancy can be easily achieved and the process of pregnancy is likely to be symptom free. During pregnancy, Dr. Braun works to ensure that you and your baby are well taken care both nutritionally and physically, during and after birth. When it comes to treating children, I focus on preventative care using the least invasive intervention possible. Kids today face many challenges on a daily basis. These include poor food choices, peer pressure, inactivity, and stress. Dr. Braun offers kids realistic ways to become and stay healthy as they mature, as well as help them juggle school life, extracurricular activities and family life. Dr. Braun offers: Care for pregnant mothers The gastrointestinal system is probably has the biggest job in the body. It is responsible for getting nutrition into the body from the food we eat and where major elimination of toxins takes place. As well, the GI tract holds 70 - 80% of the body’s immune system – that is more than the blood and lymph tissue! Gastrointestinal complaints are one of the most common reasons for doctor office visits…and there is a lot of cause for it. The GI tract is a delicate environment that we tend to overburden with hormones, pesticides, chemicals, nutrition-less food, and stress, which compromises the health of our guts. This can show up as weird and what may seem…unrelated symptoms. These can include: Food sensitivities It is becoming mainstream knowledge that restrictive diets are for the most part, unsuccessful. Most restrictive diets are not practical for our every day life, and can contribute to nutritional deficiencies and emotional and physical stress that causes further weight gain. If you have been struggling with weight gain or have difficulty loosing weight, there can be multiple factors involved. Some include: Hormonal imbalance Stress has become the focus of many health discussions in the past decade and has increasingly become associated with greater susceptibility to various illnesses. Today, we are in a situation where both lifestyle and the effects of stress take their toll. Most people will admit that a stressed-out lifestyle is rarely a healthy one. When under stress, your blood pressure increases, you may over eat, exercise less and you may have a greater tendency to smoke. However, the greatest effects of stress are largely due to hormonal imbalances of the body’s systems. This imbalance can lead to weight gain and thereby increase your risks for diabetes, strokes, and heart disease. The famous “stress-hormone”, cortisol, which is secreted by the adrenal glands, maintains blood pressure as well as the provision of energy for the body. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar levels. During times of physical or psychological stress, the adrenal glands go into overdrive and the secretion of cortisol is elevated in order for the body to respond appropriately to stressors. This increase in cortisol secretion is known to contribute to many health issues including: Poor sleep If you lead a stressful lifestyle and are concerned with the implications of stress, Dr. Braun can help you employ the tools of naturopathic medicine to support you and your body’s systems’ during these times. Dr. Krista Braun is a licensed naturopathic doctor in the province of British Columbia. Her medical training included primary care education in the diagnosis and understanding of illness and use of safe and effective treatments that focuses on prevention. Treatments that may be used in a typical session: Naturopathic
Medicine As well as: Physical exam
Dr. Braun offers a primary care family practice, including:: Routine physical exams Naturopathic medicine treats the person, not the disease – Rather than focusing on the diagnosis a person may have, naturopathic medicine focuses on and treats the person. Although symptoms of an illness are important to address, it is not were treatment stops. Naturopathic medicine searches beyond the surface of your illness to establish and address the cause. By addressing and treating the cause of an illness, future relapses or suppression of disease can be prevented, which makes optimal health attainable. Focuses on health and prevention – An important tool that naturopathic medicine employs to help patients achieve optimal health is education on health and prevention. Employs the healing power of nature
– Naturopathic medicine relies on ancient wisdom and knowledge,
but also applies a scientific and evidence-based approach. Treatments
are safe, effective, and gentle. My role as a naturopathic doctor is to educate and get you actively participating in your swim upstream towards health. I provide individualized treatments that are safe, natural, and tailored to each person’s unique set of needs and goals. Join me in finding your way towards optimal health. |
