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The Acacia Integrative Health Clinic
is a team of talented health care professionals
who provide individualized, complementary and alternative health care in a team setting.
The clinic is located in Victoria, BC.
WE ARE:
Dr. Pamela Hutchison, Naturopathic Physician
Clinic Director
Dr. Amy Gilchrist, Naturopathic Physician
Director of The Family Medicine Clinic
Graham Robertson, Registered Massage Therapist
Dr. Jaime de Melo, Naturopathic Physician
Christine Selder,
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Sarah Corrin,
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Victoria Spaurel
Registered Acupuncturist
Laura Warmington
Registered Nurse
IV therapy provider
Shandria Slade
Registered Massage Therapist
Allison Heath Registered Massage Therapist
Joanne Pady
Athletic Therapist and Osteopathic Manual Pracitioner (Student)
Will Bratt
Certified Canadian Counsellor
Staff
Kalee Geurts
Karrilynn Robinson
Natalie Langdon-Wilkins
Melissa Coles
Regan Copeland
WE OFFER:
Naturopathic Medicine,
Massage Therapy,
Acupuncture,
Osteopathic Techniques,
Counselling,
Athletic Therapy,
Allergy and Sensitivity testing,
Salivary Hormone testing,
Pap smears,
HPV testing,
Hair Mineral Analysis and Heavy Metal Analysis,
Detoxification,
Botanical Medicine,
Vitamin B12 injections
B Vitamin Complex injections,
Homeopathic injections,
Screening Physical Exams,
Sublingual Immunotherapy
IV Therapy
Infrared Sauna
And more...
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Are you looking for a hormone-free form of birth control?
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We offer FemCap fitting visits to both new and existing patients. The FemCap is an award winning barrier contraceptive device that is effective, hypoallergenic, easy to use and does not interfere with breastfeeding. A FemCap fitting visit includes education on best use, pelvic exam to rule out any contraindications, fitting, and time to answer any questions you have. To find out more, about the FemCap, click on the link below: www.femcap.comCall the clinic if you have any questions or to book your session: 250-475-1522 |
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Money doesn't grow on trees!
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Did you know that most of our health care services are covered by extended health benefits?
Your employer knows that it saves them money for you to be healthy. Check your benefit booklet to see if you can be doing more, while paying less, for your health
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IV Vitamin C Therapy
For Cancer and Chronic infection.
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At doses only possible when given intravenously, Vitamin C creates hydrogen peroxide radicals in tissues. Our normal cells can handle this just fine, but cancer cells cannot. We are proud to be offering this service to cancer patients and people with chronic infections in Greater Victoria as an option alongside their conventional treatments. To find out more about this remarkable treatment in cancer care, you can review this article on our website. This page has more resources and articles for further reading. IV Vitamin C is safe and found to improve survival times, reduce damage by chemotherapy and enhance some forms of chemotherapy, and improve quality of life. It has been studied and found effective in several cancer types including breast, ovarian and brain cancers. To book a 15 minute free consult to see if this is right for you call us at 250-475-1522.
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Greetings!
 September, for me, feels more like the beginning of a new year than the commonly celebrated one. In part this is because Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year, often falls in this month, but also because it is the beginning of the school year with new opportunities, fresh ideas, and a chance to start again.
I think it is fitting then that we are launching our new Smoking Cessation Program this month. No better time then now to start stopping - again or for the first time. Dr. Jaime's stop smoking program starts the first week of October - read the article below for more information. Please feel free to share this with friends and family. Did you know that quitting smoking is by far the most effective healthcare intervention a smoker will ever make in their lifetime?
In this newsletter, in addition to the Smoking Cessation Program, we have a shout out to local hero Michelle Stilwell who won gold at the London Paralympics and who we are proud to support here at Acacia. Also we have articles on bone broth, the flu program, and our new addition to the bathroom (yes you read that right)!
Clinic News:
Dr. Amy and Dr. Jaime are the proud parents to a second girl! And Melissa Smith gave birth to healthy baby girl after what was a long wait through extended early maternity leave. Congratulations to both families.
We are now offering oral and IV chelation therapy. This treatment removes heavy metals from the body using either oral or intravenous medications. Common uses include: lead toxicity, cardiovascular disease (avoiding bypass surgery), mercury toxicity, and many neurological conditions.
Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.
Yours in Health,
Dr. E. Pamela Hutchison ND
Clinic Director
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Paralympic Gold - Olympian Michelle Stilwell
|  Congratulations to Michelle Stilwell, local hero and athlete, who recently won Gold in the T52 200 metre final at the Paralympics. This was Michelle's 4th Paralympic gold, having won the 100 and 200 metres in Beijing, and a gold in the Sydney Paralympics in women's Basketball. She is the only female Paralympian in history to win gold in two separate sports.
We are proud to have a member of Michelle's support team in our crew here at Acacia. Before she left Victoria for London, she popped in to see our very own Joanne Pady (Athletic Therapist, Osteopathic Manual Practitioner (student)), who gave her one last super tune-up.
 Michelle is a truly remarkable and inspiring individual who regularly gives back to her community. She is an ambassador for The Rick Hansen Foundation and ActNow BC, and a motivational speaker who has worked with a variety of organizations, including NASA.
To find out more about Michelle you can go to her website.
And to read about Joanne's skills, and how she might help up your game - click here.
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NEW at Acacia! Smoking Cessation Program
With Dr. Jaime de Melo ND
|  The benefits of smoking cessation are well documented. Ex-smokers enjoy lower rates of lung cancer (and other types of cancer), heart disease, stroke, and emphysema. They also benefit by having increased rates of fertility, lung and cardiovascular health.
The National Cancer Institute states that immediate benefits of smoking cessation include:
o Heart rate and blood pressure, which are abnormally high while smoking, begin to return to normal within about 20 minutes.
o Within a few hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood begins to decline. (Carbon monoxide reduces the blood's ability to carry oxygen.)
o Within a few weeks, people who quit smoking have improved circulation, produce less phlegm, and don't cough or wheeze as often.
o Within several months of quitting, people can expect substantial improvements in lung function.
Longer term benefits can include a complete reduction in smoking related heart and lung disease if smoking cessation lasts 5-15 years.
While quitting without support can work, a study done in 2000 at the University of California by Zhu S, et al showed that smokers who used one or more types of assistance (for example, counseling, nicotine replacement therapy) to help them quit were more than 2 times more successful in abstaining from cigarettes at 12 months that those who did not use assistance.
We are excited, at Acacia, to be able to help smokers of all ages quit regardless of the number of cigarettes they smoke each day.
Come to Acacia on Monday October 1 at 6:30pm
Dr. Jaime de Melo ND will be speaking on the different methods that have been used successfully to quit smoking. He will discuss the BC Smoking Cessation program that offers free nicotine replacement and/or pharmaceuticals as well as lung assessment, home exercises to improve lung health, and the treatment of smoking related damage to the body.
The 1 hour talk will cover:
o The many smoking cessation methods available (from cold turkey to acupuncture to nicotine replacement and prescription drugs.)
o The naturopathic treatment of smoking-related damage to the body.
o Lung assessment tools
o Home exercises to improve lung health.
o Access to free nicotine replacement therapy products and prescription drugs.
o How to decide which smoking cessation method is right for you.
Smoking cessation program
A talk with Dr. Jaime de Melo ND.
where: At Acacia, 101-391 Tyee Road
when: October 1st, 6:30 pm
cost: free
Call 250-475-1522 to register. Space is Limited!
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Bone Broth: Mineral Source and Digestive Support
Dr Pamela Hutchison, Naturopathic Physician
|  Recent research on calcium supplementation indicates that supplemental calcium is less effective than dietary calcium for supporting bone health. But if you are on a dairy-free or low oxalate diet, good dietary sources of calcium and other bone building minerals are harder to come by. Enter bone broth. Also known as chicken stock, beef stock, and so forth. This IS your grandmother's soup stock, made with the carcass of last night's dinner, or with cheap bones from the butcher. Long cooked bone based broths have been a culinary essential across cultures for ages, and they have distinct nutritional benefits. Bone sourced calcium and other minerals are well absorbed and are ideal for bone health. And the gelatin that is in these stocks supports good dietary health, improving digestion and supporting healthy gut mucosa. AND - it is really simple to make. All you need is some bones, a little bit of acid (apple cider vinegar works great), water, and time! To see all the details on how to make a chicken based bone broth, check out this great video blog. I recommend this to people with adrenal fatigue, IBS, osteoporosis and osteopenia, as well as people recovering from a protracted flu, cold, or other draining illness. Just another way that your grandmother was, indeed, right all along. |
Flu Prevention Program Starts in October
Call now to reserve your spot
|  By far our most popular program at Acacia!
Our natural alternative to the flu shot involves two injections of low dose herbal extracts and minerals and a take home package that continues to boost immunity. This is not a vaccination. Instead it improves white blood cell activity against viral particles, speeding up the rate that they respond to viral invaders.
We have many return clients for this program who find it has reduced the number of colds and flus they get over the season. And since it is a general immune boost - it helps your body fight the common cold as well as the flu.
This is a great option for people who cannot take the flu shot, who do not want to take the flu shot but are recommended to by their employer, and for those with chronic illnesses like asthma and emphysema that respond poorly to the flu.
It is best to call early to get on the waiting list for the program to avoid delays. And if you get the treatment in the month of October, you get $5 off the treatment cost.
Call the reception to reserve your 15 minute flu visit at 250.475.1522
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The "Thoughtful Question Board"
|  If you have been at Acacia the past couple of weeks you may have noticed something unusual in the bathroom!
We have added a Thoughtful Question of The Week board to inspire and provoke introspection and contemplation. You know they say some of your best thinking happens in the bathroom!
The inspiration for this came from a CBC radio piece on healthy workplaces. One thing that people said they appreciated was having this very thing in the bathroom in their workplaces. It made that part of the day more enjoyable and people even reported looking forward to going to the bathroom just to read or contribute to the board.
How does it work? We pose a new question every Monday on the board, and then people answer it anonymously. Questions are always meant to focus people on an inspiring or uplifting concept or event - and then share it with others.
Last week we had this question: "What is one great act of kindness that you have received in your life?" We got some touching responses, one in particular that read:
"I once used the services of a woman's transition home. That Christmas a child I didn't know sent me a card she had made to say "I'm sorry this happened to your family" It's still my most treasured possession."
It is great to have reminders that we are all connected, and that even small acts of kindness can become life changing moments under the right circumstances. I am so grateful that this person shared this, and that now I can with you.
So next time you come to Acacia, make a bee-line for the bathroom. Don't worry, we all will understand.
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