Frequently Asked Questions

Please note, if this is your first time seeing a naturopathic doctor, you will be treated with the utmost integrity. Your comprehensive treatment and care will be tailored to your specific health needs.

IN-PERSON CONSULTATION

New patient online intake forms will be sent to you by e-mail to be completed. Please complete these forms prior to your initial consultation with as much detail as possible. This information will be reviewed by the naturopathic doctor prior to your initial consultation. 

If you have booked an initial in-person appointment you will be sent Covid screening questions by e-mail in advance on the day of your scheduled appointment. Please reply to the e-mail questions prior to coming to the clinic. 

Please bring any supplements and medications you are currently taking (including the bottle with the substance inside to be verified) along with any previous blood or laboratory work if you have this on hand. 

The more information provided will help with the overall health assessment. If you do not have a copy of your blood work or laboratory results on hand, this will not impact the visit, health assessment and subsequent treatment.

VIRTUAL CONSULTATION

New patient online intake forms will be sent to you by e-mail to be completed. Please complete these forms prior to your initial consultation with as much detail as possible. This information will be reviewed by the naturopathic doctor prior to your initial consultation. 

A link to access your consultation has been provided to you by e-mail. This video conferencing link is sent through the Janeapp booking system, a secure PHIPA/PIPEDA compliant platform. Please access this link 5 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. If you have any technical difficulties, please e-mail info@drsaraip.com or call the clinic at 437-370-9123.

Please be prepared to discuss any previous blood or laboratory work results if you have this on hand. If you do not have a copy of your blood work or laboratory results on hand, this will not impact the visit, health assessment and subsequent treatment.

On the first visit, a comprehensive overview of your health will take place. This will include a thorough naturopathic medical intake, physical examination (for in-person consultations only), review of laboratory work and overall health assessment. A treatment will then be prescribed at the end of each visit.

The treatment may include, but is not limited to the following modalities: physical medicine, integrative medicine, herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, lifestyle counselling, nutritional changes, vitamin, mineral, probiotic or herbal, supplementation, and mental-emotional support.

The number of treatments vary and depend on the severity of the condition. The healing process also requires patients to have the belief, determination and commitment to implement treatment recommendations. This can be the most important aspect of the healing journey.

Treatment:

Upon the first visit, the frequency of recommended consultations will be discussed. 

Each disease is different, and every person will require a different treatment approach based on their state of health and lifestyle factors i.e.  dietary preferences, health risks, disease progression, chronicity of the condition, adherence to treatment, alcohol and recreational drug use, lifestyle preferences, supplement preferences, and concurrent medication use. 

For some patients, this first treatment may be all that is needed to complete the healing process for that specific concern. However, for other patients and health conditions, additional sessions may be recommended to ensure health progression. 

Follow-up consultations may be recommended anywhere from days-weeks, 1 month, 3 months or in 6 month's time after the first consultation. 

Please keep in mind that healing process may not be linear and though some patients have instant results, not all 'patients' will experience this, we ask for 'patience' with the healing process as the changes take effect.

Symptom presentation will be assessed at each consultation and any progress and/or potential regressions will be evaluated at that time. Every assessment will provide additional information to help us understand more about your body and its associated health factors.

Maintenance:

Patients who would like to schedule maintenance check-ins often do so every 3-6 months, annually, or on an as needed basis once they are in a maintenance state of health.

If you have any questions about this please book a complimentary 15-minute consultation meet & greet to learn more.

Both beneficial and non-beneficial side effects are possible with any treatment. Though adverse side effects are typically infrequent, if in the event you are experiencing any symptoms and have concerns, please contact info@drsaraip.com. 

There may be many factors contributing to unexpected symptoms with treatment, and this may vary depending on the patient's current state of health, the physiological reactions taking place in the body, the medications and supplements being taken, the dietary choices, the stress factors, the environmental or infectious exposures, etc. 

If you are on an existing treatment and have questions, please e-mail info@drsaraip.com for more information and next steps. If this is a medical emergency, please visit your nearest walk-in clinic or hospital.

As always, if you are uncomfortable with any prescribed treatment, you may discontinue the treatment at any time. 

This depends, and is unique for each patient. Some patients only require dietary and lifestyle changes. Others require further treatments i.e. laboratory testing, supplementation, herbal support, physical adjustments, nutrition plans, exercise plans etc. 

The many factors are considered in each case: chronicity of the disease, lifestyle factors such as recreational drug use, alcohol intake, concurrent medication intake, exercise regimens, dietary intake, previous health conditions, concurrent treatments etc. are all factored in to the naturopathic treatment plan. 

Sometimes dietary and lifestyle changes are enough for healing to take place, provided the immune system is optimal, and sometimes this is not the case. As a medical doctor may prescribe a medication, requisition blood work, and refer out for further imaging, a naturopathic medical visit may include a recommended supplement, treatment or additional lab work. 

As this is case dependent, if your disease is chronic and advanced, there may be additional costs and you may need to budget accordingly. When the body has moved into a maintenance state, often times a healthy diet and lifestyle are enough to support overall health.

Phone calls and e-mails are reserved for treatment clarification and treatment modification. For any new concerns please compile any inquiries you have to be discussed in person or virtual appointment. Please allow for 1-3 business days for a response to your e-mail or voicemail.

If you have sent an e-mail and have not heard back after 1-3 business days please check your spam or junk mail. If you are having issues with e-mail, you are welcome to call the clinic at 437-370-9123.

There is a lot of information on the internet (true and false) it can take time to explain all of the factors that are considered, and which go into an individualized treatment protocol. Each treatment is individualized andmay warrant further discussion in an in-person/virtual visit. To make an appointment or change an appointment please visit our online booking site.

For any medical emergencies please do not wait for a reply and go to your nearest walk-in clinic or hospital for treatment. 

Most internet sites contain information for the general public. With naturopathic medicine, treatment is individualized to: your age, gender, weight, overall health condition, blood work, vitamin or mineral deficiencies or excesses, hormonal deficiencies or excesses, neurotransmitter deficiencies or excesses, organ function, metabolic function, laboratory results, maintenance dosing, immune function and finally, based on the patient's overall health status.

In Canada, naturopathic medicine is not covered by the existing health care system. In the province of Ontario, the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), does not cover naturopathic medicine. 

However, a majority of insurance providers do provide partial or full coverage for naturopathic medical services up to a certain amount or percentage. This can vary with each insurance provider and your existing employment benefit plan. Please confirm with your insurance provider if you have naturopathic medical coverage and the specific conditions around reimbursement. 

At present, there is a large burden on the health care system: wait times have increased, visit times are 5-7 minutes on average with a limit of 2 symptoms per visit, medical laboratory and imaging tests are increasingly limited, and specialist referrals may warrant long wait times. This is because conventional health care in Canada is free. 

If you would like to consider: comprehensive care (versus general care), disease treatment (versus symptom management), natural approaches (versus conventional approaches), specific laboratory testing (versus limited testing) and/or focus on healing the root cause of disease (versus living with a disease), it may be worth considering naturopathic medical care.

In an ideal world, naturopathic medicine would be available to all patients at no cost. 

Please decide based on your individual needs, priorities and requirements. It is advised to budget accordingly for your health as this would be done for other health services including: aesthetic treatments, gym memberships, personal training, hair cuts, hair treatments, dining-out, shopping and travel.

Health is not all-or-nothing, and can be budgeted for, as you seek professional advice and options. 

The day-to-day healthy choices made around diet, lifestyle and stress reduction will also help to maintain any progress you have made with treatments.

There are other complimentary health services available in the province of Ontario including: tele-health, mental health crisis services, community services and conventional medical care.

Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are doctors in Ontario, Canada in the respective field of naturopathy.

NDs in Ontario are regulated under the Registered Health Professions Act (RHPA), and have the protected title of Naturopathic Doctor. In Ontario, Naturopathic doctors have passed provincial board government-regulated exams to have this distinction and ability to provide care to patients. 

Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are not medical doctors (MDs). Though there are similar areas of education and training that overlap including: pharmacology, minor surgery, phlebotomy, biomedical sciences, clinical medicine, anatomy, chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, physical medicine, health psychology, etc. 

Being a regulated health professional enables Naturopathic Doctors to provide health information, oversee adequate care, and prescribe natural health supplements + other treatments safely in consideration of the health risks involved.

These risks may include: 

• The interaction of pharmaceutical medications with other treatments such as vitamins & supplements, herbal medications, acupuncture, exercise, and foods
• The proper dosing + duration of any recommended supplement or treatment
• Laboratory testing (restricted act) may be done with your Naturopathic Doctor to monitor treatment efficacy and the health of blood levels

Naturopathic Doctors are professionally qualified in the health modalities they are trained in, and have the competence to prescribe as per their respective scope of practice.

In addition, NDs are required to complete continuing education to maintain an active license and current scope of practice. This helps to inform the public and distinguish between individuals with formal education and training and those without.