Dr. Sabrina Giustra, B.Sc., ND
Board-certified, registered and licensed Naturopathic Doctor/Owner
UPDATE: We are pleased to announce that Dr. Giustra, ND has successfully passed the Ontario Prescribing and Therapeutics examination administered by the College of Naturopaths Of Ontario on November 22, 2015. This means that Dr. Giustra, ND is now able to prescribe prescription medication such as Bioidentical Hormones and many other drugs and high dose vitamins.
After completing an undergraduate degree in Science with a minor in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in BC, Dr. Sabrina Giustra, ND attended The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, to complete the four-year Naturopathic Medical Program.
After graduating in 2006 Dr. Giustra, ND took over the Derganc Naturopathic Clinic and shortly renamed it the North Bay Naturopathic Clinic where she has been practicing ever since. Dr. Giustra, ND is a native of North Bay and was very excited at the opportunity to practice in her home town surrounded by family and friends.
Dr. Giustra, ND has completed Internships at the Robert Shad Naturopathic Clinic (Toronto, ON), NaturMed (Vancouver, BC), and Anishnawbe Health (Toronto, ON). At Anishnawbe Health she worked with a multidisciplinary team of Health Care Providers. The team consisted of naturopathic doctors, medical doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, and psychologists. Dr. Giustra, ND works in partnership with other regulated healthcare providers in North Bay to ensure that patients receive the most comprehensive and effective care possible.
In addition to her naturopathic training, Dr. Giustra, ND has additional training in intravenous therapy, acupuncture, sports medicine, cosmetic acupuncture, facial rejuvenation and the healthy and active metabolism weight loss program.
Dr. Giustra, ND has a special interest in orthomolecular medicine, women’s health, fertility, and perinatal care, she is a member of the association of peadiatric naturopathic doctors (APND) and the international society for orthomolecular medicine (ISOM), to learn more visit our Links page
Dr. Sabrina Giustra, ND is also fluent in English, French and Italian!
Kristen Cullin
Office Assistant/Reception
Kristen has many years of experience in welcoming patients into the clinic and will ensure that all client needs and questions are handled professionally and compassionately. Kristen will assist Dr.Giustra, ND in several in house testing procedures including urinalysis testing, BIA testing and measurements.
Kristen brings to her position a love of natural living and understanding of the benefits of making healthy choices on a daily basis through nutrition, fitness and a positive outlook. Outside the clinic Kristen enjoys participating in a variety of fitness classes at the YMCA, spending time with her family and volunteering in the community.
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. Symptoms of disease are seen as warning signals of improper functioning of the body, and unfavourable lifestyle habits. Naturopathic Doctors are highly educated primary care providers who integrate standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies. We work in partnership with other regulated health care providers to ensure that patients receive the most comprehensive and effective care possible.
The following principles guide Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) and govern the practice of Naturopathic Medicine:
- First Do No Harm
- Identify and Treat the Cause
- Doctor as Teacher
- Treat the Whole Person
- Emphasize Prevention
- Support the Healing Power of the Body
To read more about these principles see CAND on our Links page
What to expect
A Naturopathic medical appointment is much different than a regular medical appointment. Your first visit will be 60-75 minutes long and will involve discussing all aspects of your physical and emotional health as well as family and work history. In order to discover the root cause of your health concerns, it is necessary to gather as much information as possible. It is recommended that you bring in a copy of previous blood work from the last couple years as this helps to speed the process and give additional information about your health status.
Your doctor may recommend other testing such as allergy or hormone testing as well as traditional blood labs to aid in the research of your case.
Follow up appointments will vary depending on the complexity of the case but the average person is likely to be seen for the second appointment within 1-2 weeks with follow ups being monthly, bi-monthly or even annually. Follow up appointments average 30 minutes long but may be as short as 15 minutes. Phone consultations and/or skype are also a possibilities for those cases where physical assessment is not necessary.
We have compiled a list of FAQ’s that will be helpful for you
Accreditation and Education
In Canada, the naturopathic medical profession’s infrastructure includes accredited educational institutions, professional licensing, national standards of practice, participation in many federal health committee initiatives, and a commitment to state-of-the-art scientific research.
Naturopathic doctors go through extensive medical training and examination similar to medical doctors before they are legally allowed to practice. They require a Bachelor of Science degree or a minimum of three years of university education in pre-medical sciences to enter one of the five naturopathic medical schools in North America. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine is Canada’s leading accredited school for the naturopathic program. The program is four years long and includes an intensive clinical rotation. Midway through the program, and upon graduation from any of the colleges, two sets of NPLEX licensing exams (coordinated by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE)) must be successfully completed before naturopathic doctors are allowed to practice.
For more information about naturopathic licensure, examination, or provincial and national associations, please visit our Links page.
