Naturopathic Metabolic Health Care in Ontario
Virtual care for blood sugar, diabetes, prediabetes, cholesterol, weight and cardiovascular health
Metabolic health plays an important role in your energy, blood sugar regulation, cholesterol, weight, cardiovascular health, and overall well-being. Changes in one area can often overlap with other aspects of your health.
Whether you're living with diabetes or pre-diabetes, have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, are concerned about your weight or cholesterol, or want to improve your blood sugar and cardiovascular health, individualized support can help you better understand your health and identify practical strategies that fit your needs and goals.
Dr. Camilia Destteffano, ND provides virtual naturopathic metabolic health care for eligible patients across Ontario, with an approach that considers your metabolic health alongside nutrition, digestive health, thyroid function, hormones, sleep, stress, physical activity, and your overall health history.
Together, we can explore your symptoms, health history, nutrition, lifestyle and other relevant factors to develop an individualized approach to your care.
Metabolic health can look different for everyone.
Rather than focusing on a single number—such as your weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, or blood pressure—I take a personalized approach that considers the bigger picture of your health, including your nutrition, metabolism, hormones, thyroid function, digestion, sleep, stress, physical activity, medications, and overall lifestyle.
Together, we'll explore your health history, laboratory results, current concerns, and goals and identify practical strategies that fit your individual needs.
Your care plan may include personalized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations, strategies to support blood sugar regulation, physical activity recommendations, stress and sleep strategies, weight-management support, and targeted nutritional or herbal support when appropriate.
Whether you're navigating prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, changes in weight, high cholesterol, blood sugar concerns, or simply want to improve your cardiovascular and metabolic health, the goal is to help you better understand your health and make sustainable changes that support your long-term well-being.
Your metabolic health is unique. Your care should be too.
A Personalized Approach to Metabolic Health
Metabolic Health Concerns
Metabolic health can be influenced by many different factors, including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, hormones, genetics, medications, and other health conditions.
Naturopathic care can provide individualized support based on your health history, laboratory results, current treatment, and goals.
Diabetes & Prediabetes
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet within the range used to diagnose diabetes. It can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, naturopathic care can provide complementary support around nutrition, physical activity, weight management, sleep, stress, and other lifestyle factors that may support blood sugar management.
If you have diabetes, your care can be coordinated with your existing medical treatment and monitoring.
Blood Sugar Control
Blood sugar regulation is an important part of metabolic health.
If you're experiencing elevated fasting glucose, an elevated A1C, insulin resistance, blood sugar fluctuations, or have concerns about developing diabetes, we can look at your nutrition, activity, sleep, stress, weight, medications, and other factors that may be relevant to your metabolic health.
The goal is to develop practical strategies that are realistic for your lifestyle and appropriate for your individual circumstances.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome refers to a combination of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, which can include elevated blood sugar, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Having multiple risk factors can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Naturopathic care can take a comprehensive approach to these interconnected factors rather than focusing on a single number or symptom.
Weight & Obesity
Weight is influenced by much more than diet and willpower. Nutrition, metabolic health, hormones, sleep, stress, medications, physical activity, genetics, and other factors can all play a role.
If weight loss or weight management is one of your goals, we can explore your individual health picture and develop sustainable strategies that support your overall health rather than relying on restrictive diets or short-term approaches.
High Cholesterol & Triglycerides
Cholesterol and triglycerides are important markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health.
If you've been told that your LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or other lipid markers are elevated, we can consider nutrition, physical activity, weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, family history, medications, and other cardiovascular risk factors as part of your overall health picture.
Naturopathic care can complement medical management when cholesterol-lowering medication or other treatment is indicated. Diabetes Canada emphasizes management of cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, as an important part of diabetes care.
Heart & Cardiovascular Health
Metabolic health and cardiovascular health are closely connected.
Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, weight, physical activity, nutrition, smoking, sleep, and other factors can all contribute to cardiovascular risk.
Naturopathic care can focus on practical lifestyle and nutritional strategies that support cardiovascular health while working alongside your physician or other healthcare providers when medical assessment or treatment is needed.
Who May Benefit From Metabolic-Focused Naturopathic Care?
You may be looking for additional support if:
You've been diagnosed with prediabetes.
You have type 2 diabetes and want complementary nutritional and lifestyle support.
You're concerned about your blood sugar or A1C.
You've been told you have insulin resistance.
You've been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
You're living with overweight or obesity and want individualized support with weight management.
You have high cholesterol or triglycerides.
You have high blood pressure alongside other metabolic concerns.
You have a family history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
You're concerned about your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
You want support improving your blood sugar regulation.
You want to improve your cardiovascular health.
You have metabolic concerns alongside PCOS, thyroid disease, perimenopause, or menopause.
You want an approach that considers your overall health rather than focusing on weight alone.
Metabolic Health & the Bigger Picture
Metabolic health doesn't exist in isolation. Depending on your individual circumstances, we may consider how metabolic health intersects with:
Thyroid Health
Thyroid function can influence energy, metabolism, and weight, while thyroid concerns can occur alongside metabolic health concerns.
Your thyroid history and relevant laboratory results can be considered as part of your overall assessment.
Digestive Health
Nutrition and digestive health are important components of metabolic health.
Digestive symptoms, dietary patterns, food tolerance, bowel habits, and overall nutrition can all be considered when developing an individualized approach.
Hormonal & Reproductive Health
Metabolic health can intersect with menstrual cycles, PCOS, fertility, perimenopause, and menopause.
If you're experiencing metabolic concerns alongside hormonal or reproductive changes, these areas can be considered together.
Sleep & Stress
Sleep and stress can affect energy, eating patterns, physical activity, and overall metabolic health.
Developing realistic strategies to support sleep and manage stress can be an important part of your care.
Nutrition & Physical Activity
Nutrition and movement are foundational aspects of metabolic health.
Rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all diet or exercise plan, recommendations can be tailored to your health history, preferences, lifestyle, goals, and current level of activity.
What to Expect From a Virtual Metabolic Health Consultation
Your first appointment provides an opportunity to look at your metabolic health in the context of your overall health.
Depending on your individual situation, we may discuss:
Your metabolic and cardiovascular health history
Blood sugar and A1C
Cholesterol and triglycerides
Blood pressure
Weight history and goals
Nutrition and dietary patterns
Physical activity
Sleep
Stress
Digestive health
Thyroid health
Menstrual and reproductive health
Medications and supplements
Family history
Other health conditions
Relevant laboratory results
Your current healthcare team
Your goals for care
If you have recent bloodwork, medical reports, or other relevant health information, these may also be useful to review.
From there, we can discuss appropriate next steps and develop an individualized approach to your care.
Understanding Your Metabolic Health
Depending on your individual circumstances, metabolic assessment may include reviewing relevant laboratory results alongside your symptoms, health history, lifestyle, and risk factors.
This may include markers such as:
Fasting blood glucose
A1C
Lipid profile
LDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
Triglycerides
Blood pressure
Liver markers
Kidney function
Thyroid markers
Other testing when clinically appropriate
Laboratory results are only one part of the picture. Looking at patterns across your health history and metabolic markers can provide additional context.
If you have diabetes or another condition requiring ongoing medical monitoring, your existing medical care remains an important part of your overall treatment plan.
Virtual Naturopathic Health Care in Ontario
Virtual appointments allow you to meet with me from the comfort of your own home without travelling to a clinic.
Appointments are conducted online and are available to eligible patients within the jurisdictions where I am authorized to provide care.
If you're unsure whether virtual naturopathic care is appropriate for you, you can contact the practice to learn more.
Working Alongside Your Existing Healthcare Team
Naturopathic care does not need to replace your existing medical care.
You may already be working with a family doctor, endocrinologist, cardiologist, registered dietitian, diabetes educator, or another healthcare professional.
Naturopathic care can be complementary to this care.
Your diagnoses, medications, laboratory results, and existing treatment plans can be taken into consideration when developing your naturopathic care plan.
If you take medication for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, or another medical condition, do not stop or change your medication without discussing this with your prescribing healthcare professional.
When Should You Seek Medical Care?
Naturopathic care can complement medical care, but it does not replace appropriate medical assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other medical conditions.
If you have symptoms of diabetes or significantly elevated blood sugar and have not been assessed, speak with your family doctor or another qualified healthcare professional.
If you have diabetes, regular medical monitoring is important.
If you experience symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, or other potentially serious cardiovascular symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.
If you experience symptoms of severely abnormal blood sugar, including significant confusion, loss of consciousness, severe weakness, or other concerning symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a naturopath help with prediabetes?
Naturopathic care can provide complementary support for people with prediabetes, particularly around nutrition, physical activity, weight management, sleep, stress, and other lifestyle factors. Lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of progressing from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes. DDiabetes Canada+1
Can a naturopath help with type 2 diabetes?
Naturopathic care can provide complementary nutritional and lifestyle support for people with type 2 diabetes. This may include support around nutrition, physical activity, weight management, sleep, stress, and cardiovascular risk factors while working alongside your medical diabetes care.
Can a naturopath help with blood sugar control?
Naturopathic care can help you identify practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies that may support healthy blood sugar regulation. Your A1C, blood glucose, medications, nutrition, activity, sleep, stress, and other relevant factors can be considered as part of your care.
Can a naturopath help with metabolic syndrome?
Yes. Metabolic syndrome involves several interconnected metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. Naturopathic care can take a comprehensive approach to areas such as nutrition, physical activity, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, sleep, and stress.
Can a naturopath help with high cholesterol?
Naturopathic care can provide complementary support around nutrition, physical activity, weight management, and other lifestyle factors relevant to cholesterol and cardiovascular health. If medication is indicated, naturopathic care can be provided alongside your medical treatment.
Can a naturopath help with weight loss?
Naturopathic care can provide individualized support for weight management by considering nutrition, metabolic health, hormones, thyroid function, sleep, stress, physical activity, medications, and other factors that may influence weight.
The focus is on developing sustainable strategies that support your overall health rather than relying on restrictive or short-term approaches.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors that can include elevated blood sugar, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Having several of these factors together can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. DDiabetes Canada
Can metabolic health affect heart health?
Yes. Metabolic risk factors such as elevated blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess abdominal weight are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Addressing these factors is an important part of cardiovascular health. DDiabetes Canada+1
Can thyroid health affect metabolic health?
Thyroid function can influence energy and metabolism and may be relevant when assessing changes in weight or other metabolic concerns. Thyroid health can be considered alongside your broader metabolic health.
Can metabolic health affect fertility?
Metabolic health can intersect with reproductive health and fertility. Conditions such as PCOS can involve both reproductive and metabolic considerations. If you're experiencing fertility concerns alongside metabolic concerns, these areas can be considered together.
Can metabolic health be addressed during perimenopause and menopause?
Yes. Changes in body composition, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, and cardiovascular risk can become important considerations during the menopausal transition. Your metabolic health can be considered alongside your hormonal, digestive, sleep, and lifestyle concerns.
Can you work with my family doctor or other healthcare providers?
Yes. Naturopathic care can be complementary to conventional medical care. With your consent, your diagnoses, medications, laboratory results, and treatment plans can be taken into consideration.
Can metabolic health consultations be done virtually?
Yes. Virtual naturopathic metabolic health consultations are available for eligible patients located in Ontario.
Take the Next Step
Whether you're concerned about blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, diabetes, prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, or your cardiovascular health, you don't have to navigate these concerns on your own.
A virtual consultation provides dedicated time to discuss your health history, laboratory results, concerns, and goals and determine whether naturopathic care may be appropriate for you.
Virtual naturopathic consultations are available for eligible patients in Ontario.
