WHY DID YOU BECOME A NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR?

My name is Dr. Jatish Kaler and I am a naturopathic doctor in Calgary, Alberta.

I often get asked, why I became a naturopathic doctor… quite simply

 “I became a naturopathic doctor to help people heal naturally”

It was about the time I was attending premedical studies at the University of Calgary with the full intention to purse conventional medical school, when my own mother began to deal with health struggles.  And saw how she she was able to overcome her problems with a combination of conventional medicine and complementary and alternative medicines.

That’s where my interest in natural medicine really grew and I discovered the profession of naturopathic medicine where I attended a 4 year accredited college in British Columbia and have practice medicine in both Winnipeg Manitoba and Calgary, Alberta.

What I like about naturopathic medicine is that it aligns well with my ideals for treating individuals and fighting disease.

  • We see food as medicine and medicine as food. So talking about diet with patients and how that contributes to your overall well-being.
  • And you can use natural supplements with vitamins and herbs to exert positive effects in the body.
  • We Spend a great deal of time with the patient to take a thorough history and discuss the various treatment options
  • I love this career because it encourages me to practice what I preach and to learn everyday. Becoming a naturopathic doctor ascribes you to lifelong learning and personal growth in not only your patients but in yourself. I get to study the human body and medicine for a living and help people to identify and remedy health concerns in a safe and natural way.

WHAT IS YOUR PRACTICE STYLE?

My first visit with a patient involves a 1 hour initial consultation where the individual and I meet for the first time and develop a plan and direction for moving their health goals forward.

I go over their past medical history, their current health concerns, list of medications and supplements and we identify barriers to optimal health including issues with diet, sleep, stress, exercise… and if we need, we may order labs or testing to help identify areas of concern or to support the diagnosis.

 And so to address these issues, I often use a combination of nutritional counseling, dietary modification and professional strength herbs and supplements to achieve balance in the body. I use researched therapies with proven effectiveness to achieve healthier minds and bodies for my patients. And I practice additional therapies such as acupuncture and IV and injections for particular conditions.

WHAT AREAS OF NATUROAPTHIC MEDICINE ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

While I help people with all kinds of health issues, my primary areas of expertise and passion relate to digestive health concerns including IBS, food sensitivities, heartburn, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and intestinal bacterial imbalance.  I also deal regularly with issues of chronic low energy, eczema, insomnia, depression and anxiety.

PATIENT SUCCESS STORIES

I have had so many meaningful patient experiences throughout my career as a naturopathic doctor.

I recall a particular patient who had struggled for years with her irritable bowel symptoms and this affected her personal and professional life to a significant degree.  Her job often involved eating out and being provided with catered meals that she found difficult to tolerate.  After working together for a few visits which included a thorough diet analysis, testing her for suspected food sensitivities, we were able to identity a primary food trigger and it wasn’t any of the foods she may have originally suspected.  So after a only a few weeks of a combination of a few key supplements and the elimination of her food trigger, she came to me grateful because at least now she was in control of her symptoms and could make educated food choices. So that was really a great success for her and for me.

I also have memorable cases of patients with anxiety, chronic low energy, insomnia or chronic pain that I was able to help resolve significantly or completely. helping people use natural herbs, vitamins and minerals and sometimes a combination of acupuncture and intravenous therapies to get them back to doing the things they love and get back their quality of life.