The average menstruator has >300 menstrual cycles in their life.
And these cycles are going to change from your first period to your last.
Naturopathic Approach
Comprehensive Assessment
Individualized Plan
Your care plan will be tailored specifically to you, your personal history, your family history, your assessment, your lifestyle, and your goals. Your care plan will typically cover the following areas:
Food & Nutrition: Easy-to-implement strategies that incorporate whole foods is the way to go. Say no to restrictive fad diets!
Strategic Supplementation: You don’t need every hormonal supplement to boost energy, feel good, and support your health. Strategy is key.
Herbs & Teas: A great adjunct to support hormonal health.
Movement: There’s no substitute for movement – we’ll start where you are and take it from there!
Lifestyle & Mindset: You can’t achieve your best health if you’re not filling your cup or working on your mindset. We’ll keep it simple and effective to fit your life and lifestyle!
Hormones: Natural desiccated thyroid, estrogen, or progesterone are added in when and if required. Hormone therapy is safe and effective when used appropriately with the proper testing in place!
Injections & more: B12 injections and nebulized glutathione may be added in if needed.
Referrals: You may be referred to other practitioners such as pelvic floor physiotherapists, massage therapists, psychologists, and your medical doctor(s) based on your health concerns and assessment.
Your treatment plan may include acupuncture. Acupuncture is gentle and effective for a variety of different health concerns – it expedites your journey to transforming your hormones.
If you’re afraid of needles, then know that it’s nothing like a blood draw! Acupuncture can be helpful for PCOS, menstrual irregularities, painful periods, endometriosis, infertility, thyroid disorders, perimenopausal symptoms, stress and anxiety, hypertension, and more.
IVF acupuncture (transfer and retrieval) & IUI acupuncture is available. Pre-labour acupuncture is also available.
Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is definitely the way to go for vibrant skin at any adult age. This is wholistic skin support for sure!
Learn more about acupuncture services. Note: all acupuncture treatments are under the umbrella of naturopathy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Naturopathic Care & Naturopathic Medicine
You can work with me if you live in (or are ever visiting!) Ontario. I offer virtual care on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I offer in-person care in Newmarket at Total Health and Wellness Clinic on Fridays.
If you’re looking for info beyond what’s on this website, you’re most welcome to use this Contact Form.
I know it can be daunting to be vulnerable about your health and life. I offer non-judgmental care and a safe space for you to talk about the things that impact your health. I have a video that outlines what you can expect here.
A naturopathic doctor (ND) is a healthcare practitioner who offers assessments, diagnosis, and treatment for health concerns. In Ontario (and most other provinces, US states, and other parts of the world), NDs are regulated and must have completed at least three years of post-secondary education, naturopathic medical education from an accredited school, national and provincial board exams, keep up with continuing education, and maintain a license that is renewed on an annual basis. Some NDs (like me!) also have prescribing authority for certain medications and hormones (like estrogen and progesterone).
Strategic supplementation is part of the job, but only one part of the job. Accurate diagnosis and assessment, stress and sleep, food and nutrition, acupuncture, topicals, medications and hormones, exercise, muscle work, and lifestyle habits all play a role in health. When it comes to supplementation, we only want to do what’s going to be helpful for you (and that can change with age and health shifts).
Of course! Your family/medical doctor is a vital part of your healthcare team. Open communication with your healthcare team is always recommended so that you get the best care possible. There are some aspects of your health that only your MD is able to help with (like antibiotic prescriptions, diagnostic imaging, referrals, etc.), while there are other aspects of your health that require a naturopathic or combination approach. The great thing about having an ND along with your MD is the second set of eyes you get on your health–a set of eyes with slightly different lenses 😊
We always talk about treatment options so that you can make informed decisions about your health.
Diet and nutrition are one of the foundational tools we have that play a big role in our health over our lifetime. My approach is the steady-and-sustainable type, and not the get-rid-of-all-the-things type. There’s a time and place to remove things out of your diet and life, but there should be a reason to do that. So, to answer the question simply: no. Do we talk about what to focus on and what’s not so important? Yes. Do we cut out gluten if you have Celiac disease? Yup. But do we take your current diet, rip it apart, and put a new one in place? Nope. I love chocolate and Pakistani deep-fried chili potato sticks, and they are a part of my life. We need to have a broader perspective when it comes to nutrition.
Yes! I work with a lot of hormone-based concerns, and that includes the changes of perimenopause (and beyond!). My patients are a diverse group with PCOS and PCOS fertility making up the majority of my practice (~60%). The rest of my patient population consists of people with PMS, PMDD, painful periods, endometriosis, adenomyosis, primary ovarian insufficiency, general fertility, unexplained infertility, pregnancy care, post-partum care, and those following a plant-based diet or looking for general health/preventive care. Most of my patients are between puberty and the age of 70!
I loved being a birth doula for 7 years, supporting people as their families expanded. As of 2022, however, I’m officially a retired doula. I’m happy to support you through pregnancy and help you prep for labour and delivery (and beyond!) during your naturopathic visit, though! I can also point you to a doula who can offer you support.
Yup! Health and decision-making in healthcare = complex–it’s mostly not black and white because our health (and lives) are so multifaceted and dynamic. I bust period and hormone myths my patients bring to me ALL. THE. TIME. Seriously, it’s wonderful that we have so much info and great resources at our fingertips. Buuut, it can make for a lot of confusion. Whether it’s for something specific, or for general health (prevention and the day-to-day life are truly very important), I’m happy to help you out!
Listen, my vegan lifestyle is a personal choice that I impose on no one. Do I work with a lot of vegan and vegetarian patients? Yes. Will I tell you to eat more plants if you don’t eat (m)any? Heck yes! More fibre, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are good for health. But will I also support you in the kind of life that you want to live, regardless of whether that’s the life of an omnivore or herbivore? Absolutely!
Acupuncture
I offer acupuncture under the scope of being an ND. NDs in Ontario do four years of Traditional Chinese Medicine training including acupuncture and herbs. I don’t have a separate acupuncture license, so all acupuncture treatments are billed under the scope of naturopathic care.
Yup, I offer general fertility acupuncture, pre- and post-transfer acupuncture, as well as acupuncture for before and after egg retrieval. Acupuncture is an incredible therapy that can be helpful for so many health concerns on its own and as an adjunctive support for painful periods, endometriosis, PCOS, irregular periods, general fertility, PMS, PMDD, perimenopausal changes, adenomyosis, insomnia, stress and anxiety, muscle tension, TMJ, injuries, scar tissue, and healthy skin (read the next FAQ on facial rejuvenation acupuncture!).
Facial acupuncture is a great way to support your skin (and the rest of your body!). It’s basically a series of acupuncture treatments to help with circulation, collagen production, reduction in the visibility of fine lines and tension, and much more! It’s a full body treatment and takes into account your general health and any health concerns as well. It is best done as 4 treatments 7-10 days apart, followed by a spacing out of treatments until a maintenance of once every 4-8 weeks is reached.
Booking, Cancellations, and Billing
Depending on what your concerns are, what your preference/schedule is, and where in Ontario you live, you can choose between virtual and in-person sessions. Many patients do hybrid care. For virtual appointments, we want to make sure that you have a medical doctor monitoring anything that needs to be seen/monitored in person.
Virtual appointments are typically held over video call through my online telemedicine system called Practice Better, which is a secure platform for communicating sensitive health information. Phone appointments are available given that one video or in-person appointment has been conducted previously.
If you are not yet a patient, then an initial consultation is where we get started. If have questions about starting care before you commit that were not answered here, feel free to book a complimentary Discovery Call. For all other session info, check out my booking page through the link on the contact page. It has appointment descriptions and fees listed clearly.
Fees can be found on my booking page. As nice as it would be, naturopathic care is not covered under OHIP (but might be covered under your extended healthcare benefits if you have access to a plan). Payment is always made after your appointment via credit card, debit card, e-transfer, cash, and/or direct billing for certain insurance companies. Please note that all patients are required to have a credit card on file.
Honestly, I’d rather spend time with you during your appointment instead of charging a no-show or cancellation fee; however, I know as much as anyone else that life can throw curveballs. Just like other businesses that sell services, skills, access, and/or time (think: dentists, hair salons, hotels, concerts, etc.), I do have a cancellation policy in place. Last-minute cancellations affect the person cancelling their appointment, someone who could’ve used that appointment slot, and the practitioner (that’s me). My current cancellation policy requires 24-hour notice. If you cancel or reschedule within 24 hours of a scheduled appointment, or don’t show up, then your credit card will be charged a flat fee of $50.00. 25% of that fee will become part of my annual donation fund (which usually comprises of Moon Time Sisters Ontario, Naturopaths Without Borders, Sakeenah Homes, The Period Purse, Tree Canada, and disaster relief efforts on an as-needed basis).
Yes, if you have extended health benefits, certain insurance companies can be billed directly to make your life easier.
Different companies have different policies. Please note that it is the patient’s responsibility to be aware of their coverage.
These companies include: Canada Life, Canadian Construction Workers Union, Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance, ClaimSecure, Desjardins, Equitable Life of Canada, Green Shield Canada, Industrial Alliance, Manulife, People Corporation, Sunlife.
I can definitely requisition most types of blood work (for e.g., iron, hormones, vitamin D, celiac testing, liver function, etc.), but blood tests run by NDs are not covered under OHIP. Some private insurance plans do cover part or all of testing costs. Imaging cannot be requisitioned by NDs in Ontario either.
With the rising cost of living and pressures on our healthcare system, I know it can be challenging to receive care that meets your needs. I started hosting quarterly PWYC Days a few years ago to offer care at an affordable rate to those who need it. There is no application process–I hope that the sentiment of these days will be respected. All PWYC appointment are conducted virtually as 25-minute sessions, with a minimum recommended fee of $40.00 due at the end of the appointment. For anyone interested, please email pwyc@annehussain.com. The 2023 days are: Mar 21, June 28, Sept 30, and Dec 12.