What Patients are Saying about Our Vancouver Naturopathic Doctors
At West Vancouver Wellness Centre, we work to heal the whole patient in a caring, welcoming environment. Since there is no gift better than optimal health, we often receive emails and correspondence from patients expressing their joy, excitement and thankfulness in finally attaining their ideal level of health.
If you are a current or former patient, we invite you to drop us a line and let us know about your experience. We will review your comments and post them during our next site update. To protect your identity, we will only use your first name, first letter of your last name and the city of which you reside.
Thank You for taking the time to let us know how we’re doing!
Taking Very Good Care of Me
“Dr. Justin has, and is currently, taking very good care of me. We completed 13 sessions of prolotherapy on my thoracic spine and did the 6th session of prolotherapy on my sternum and front rib area. Prolotherapy has provided me with much greater range of motion and endurance. I am able to do yoga or Pilates six times a week. This makes me very happy because I am moving and exercising again. Which I love to do! I understand whole body wellness and by caring for my body as a whole that any symptoms I may have will eventually go away. I will forever continue to consult with NDs and continue to detox daily, eat organic, be on the BHRT program and exercise daily. In addition, I am receiving anti-ageing treatments to my skin and West Vancouver Wellness Centre’s anti-aging skin care specialist and holistic nutritionist, Erin, is taking fabulous care of my skin! I am very pleased to have chosen West Vancouver Wellness Centre.”
- Karen S.
Saved from a Near-Death Experience
“I have known Dr. Nigma Talib on a very personal and professional level for close to five years.
Aside from being a fantastic friend, Dr. Talib has seen my family and I throughout the years for medical and health issues. Especially with my aunt, who suffered various forms of cancer for years. In her final 2 or 3 years, her battle with cancer was substantially improved with the expertise and medical supervision of Dr. Talib. Just the appointments with Dr. Talib made my aunt smile from ear to ear, regardless of the extensive pain she was in from chemo and other harsh treatments. Dr. Talib was her only source for ‘easing the pain.’
I also battled with typhoid a few years ago after a trip to Asia. Dr. Talib cut down my recovery time from one year to three months with amazing treatments to help my body reconstruct itself after a devastating and near-death experience.
Dr. Talib and I have also worked on various projects to promote her clinic in West Vancouver. Being a member of the media, Dr. Talib is one of my best sources to go for stories and special features. I have seen her become one of the most highly sought after experts in all media in Canada. Whether she is writing a column herself, being interviewed or doing a special on a television program, Dr. Talib has an amazing presence everywhere she goes.
In front of her patients, staff, media, the public and even on stage as a speaker. She is a natural leader in her industry with an amazing energy and soft touch that helps cure ailments of all magnitudes every day. It is truly an amazing experience to know and be able to watch Dr. Talib in her many roles.
I highly recommend Dr. Talib to all my friends and family on a daily basis and do the same in this nomination.
Please feel free to contact me for further information.”
- Regards, Kuljeet K., Vancouver-Based Television and Radio Broadcaster
Highly Recommend
“I went to see Shannon when it seemed the prescription treatments for my acne rosacea were no longer working. As it turned out, Shannon taught me that the fact that I had been taking such medicine for so long may be part of the problem and put me on a controlled and supervised detox programme as the first step in further understanding what may be causing the rosacea. It is difficult to determine which of Shannon’s methodologies resulted in the most dramatic improvement, but within about 6 months my skin was much clearer and my outbreaks were much less frequent. Shannon’s regimen helped me control the rosacea that I had been battling – and most probably worsening – for years. Her caring, insightful and well-researched approach made me happy to trust whatever she recommended I do. It felt like even when I had almost given up hope, Shannon tackled the problem from every angle and made sure she came up with a solution.
In addition to my rosacea, I had gone to Shannon with concerns about infertility. In every meeting we had she addressed both the rosacea and the fertility issues and as mentioned, after 6 months my rosacea was completely under control without any drugs and within about a year I discovered I was pregnant with my first child at the age of 37. I am very grateful to Shannon and would recommend her highly.”
-Julie, age 37
Helped with Chronic Fatigue & Depression
“I had been suffering from chronic fatigue, depression, digestive difficulties, disturbed sleep, PMS, chronic mouth ulcers and a swollen, discoloured tongue for three weeks. After several fruitless visits to my GP, who persisted in telling me that I was just ‘run down’, I decided that I would seek an alternative solution. I found Shannon’s practice on the national register of qualified naturopaths and was reassured to find that she was properly qualified. After a brief email exchange, I arranged an initial consultation.
At the consultation, Shannon listened carefully and attentively as I described my various ailments. I felt relieved that someone had taken the time to actually listen to what I had to say and look at my health as a whole, rather than just treating individual symptoms. After much discussion and analysis, she diagnosed me with dysbiosis or an imbalanced intestinal environment.
Because my symptoms were quite extreme, I was given a strict diet to adhere to for three months, which included avoidance of all yeasts, sugars and fermented foods. Initially I was sceptical, as the diet included many of the foods that are staples in the Western diet. However, after a few days I noticed a dramatic difference in my energy levels and continued with the diet. After a number of weeks Shannon devised a tailor-made supplement plan to heal my digestive tract. Since then my energy levels have increased tenfold, my PMS is virtually non-existent, my digestion has dramatically improved and my tongue is thankfully no longer discoloured. Shannon also recognised the emotional component to my state of health and recommended that I see a counsellor. Previously, I would not have been open to such a suggestion, but the effectiveness of her treatment plan was such that I felt compelled to follow her advice.
Three months on I can say that I have never felt healthier, both mentally and physically, and I’d like to thank Shannon opening my eyes to a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.”
- Chloë, age 29
Started Doing Activities I hadn’t been Doing in Years... Very Happy
“I saw Shannon for severe colitis that required years of high-dose medication. After only 3 days of following Shannon’s nutritional and supplement recommendations I was able to cut my medication by half and start doing activities I hadn’t been able to do in years because of the colitis. I am very happy with Shannon’s help and would highly recommend her.”
- Linda, age 62
Doctor is a Star
“Her name means star – and that’s what she is.
Dr. Nigma Talib brightens the lives of thousands. Just ask the patients she treats, the people who listen to her natural healing advice over the radio, and those who attend her many free community health education events. With a radiant personality to match the glow of her physical beauty and intelligence, Dr. Talib has what it takes to be both a healer and a teacher.
Early Lessons
It began when she was a little girl. ‘Even when I was very young, I wanted to help others; I would always see to the needs of the elders in the mosque. My friends came to me with their problems and I would counsel them. Caring for people came very naturally to me.’
Nigma, who is 34 (but looks 22), recalls her East Indian grandmother treating her childhood illnesses with traditional medicines. A bright yellow concoction of turmeric mixed with honey was her grandmother’s remedy for coughs. ‘Even with the honey, you could taste the bitterness of the turmeric,’ laughs Nigma. ‘But it worked! And now we know why. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory that soothes the bronchial tract.’
East Meets West
After graduating from Simon Fraser University, Nigma traveled to India. Her life-changing experiences with traditional Indian healers helped set her on her life’s path. Combined with her desire to care for others, she realized she was also dedicated to teaching people to care for themselves.
‘I considered training to become a medical doctor, but naturopathic medicine held far more appeal for me. The biggest difference is that, as an ND, I am trained to get to the root cause of a problem. I think of myself as a biochemical detective.’
Treatments as Unique as Us
Dr. Nigma, as she prefers to be called, has been practicing her specialized form of healing for five years. Her clinic, the West Vancouver Wellness Centre in West Vancouver, British Columbia, is a bustling practice with two other naturopathic doctors. Using a variety of diagnostic tools and techniques, the clinic has created a personalized approach to individual health care.
‘No two people are the same, yet Western medicine treats them as if they are. With a specialized blood test that reads genetic differences, called single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP [pronounced snip] for short, we are able to custom design treatment programs based on the unique genetic makeup of that individual.’
Dr. Nigma explains more about this revolutionary approach. ‘Individual gene variations determine so much about our health, how we develop diseases, and how we will respond to treatment. Empowered with this information, we can better understand the problem. And that means we can better design the solution.’
Makeover Magic
As part of the Alive Magazine makeover project, Dr. Nigma generously volunteered her professional medical services to participants Rob Klettke and Toni Hadgraft.”
Listen to Dr. Nigma on “The Good Life” radio show at tglshow.com, or read more about her clinic at healthydoc.com
Lucretia Schanfarber is a writer living in British Columbia. This piece was published as an Alive Magazine web exclusive in February of 2007.
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