Dr. Katie Schiavon, ND

✨Are you looking for support with your hormones, fertility, energy, skin, or digestion?✨

I’m passionate about supporting women through these challenges because I’ve gone through many of them myself. 

〰️Debilitating menstrual cramps and mood changes associated with my cycle
〰️A thyroid condition that was undiagnosed, causing rapid weight gain and fatigue 
〰️Abdominal pain and bloating that would leave me in the fetal position after eating
〰️Losing my menstrual cycle after discontinuing hormonal birth control (likely due to hypothalamic amenorrhea)

Most importantly - I didn’t know where to go to get information or how to make a plan towards healing.

But my experiences are not unique. Concerns like this are very common and have significant impacts on quality of life. This makes me extremely passionate about helping women navigate their health as it changes, from first periods to the years surrounding menopause. 

You don’t have to do it alone 🤎. You deserve to feel good, understand your body, and be supported in your health goals!

My areas of focus include: 
▫️Preconception & fertility
▫️Infertility
▫️Menstrual pain, PMS/PMDD
▫️Endometriosis 
▫️PCOS
▫️Perimenopause & Menopause
▫️Digestion (bloating, IBS, SIBO, IBD, celiac, food sensitivities, etc.)
▫️Acne
▫️Chronic UTIS, yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis
▫️Thyroid health 
▫️Stress & burnout 
▫️Fatigue
▫️Weight management 
▫️Insomnia

Link in bio to book in for a complimentary discovery call to learn more about how I can support you 🤎.

I spend a lot of time talking about the gastrointestinal microbiome, but the vaginal microbiome is just as important!

The dominant species in the vaginal canal, lactobacillus, keeps the pH low making it protective against infection.

A change in the mix of bacteria in the vaginal canal (dysbiosis) can contribute to UTI develop and may be a missing piece in the treatment of recurrent UTIs.

This dysbiosis can also make the environment more condusive to vaginal yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, or other vaginal infections.

The vaginal microbiome also plays a role in fertility, pregnancy complications, and menstrual disorders 🤯.

If you’ve been dealing with persistent urinary or vaginal infections, let’s chat. Booking link in bio 💫

✨6 factors to consider in recurrent UTIs✨

UTIs are an extremely common women’s health concern, ~50-60% of women experience one in their lifetime. Additionally, up to 25% of these will result in recurrent UTIs!

Luckily there are many factors we can influence to change the terrain and prevent future infections.

◽️Bacteria
- Conditions like interstitial cystitis may feel similar to recurrent UTIs but are a different condition requiring a different treatment approach
- Urine culture helps identify what bacteria is causing your symptoms and helps us differentiate from interstitial cystitis
◽️Biofilm
- Bacteria is smart and develops a protective biofilm, or “house”, to hide in, which makes it more resilient to antibiotics
- Biofilm production is thought to be a key factor in recurrent UTIs
◽️Dysbiosis
- Dysbiosis in your gastrointestinal tract AND in the vaginal canal may contribute to recurrent UTIs
◽️Immune health
- Addressing underlying immune function that may leave you predisposed to recurrent UTIs (& other infections!)
◽️Hormones
- Low estrogen contributes to recurrent UTIs, especially common in my menopausal patients

If you’ve been struggling with recurrent UTIs, book a discovery call to discuss a comprehensive approach to alleviating your discomfort 💫!

I’m starting this year feeling incredibly grateful to be able to play a role in my patients’ health. From the time in visits where I get to hear your stories, to all the time I spend outside of visits - charting, learning, researching, reviewing and developing treatment plans, I love it all (okay maybe not the charting bit 🙃). Overtime hours really feel different when you love what you do (and you get to do it alongside this team 👆🏼).

Whether you’re looking for support with a specific condition, looking to optimize an already solid health foundation, or you’re just getting started - I would love to be part of that. I am passionate about elevating women’s healthcare and providing space for healing and clarity on how to work towards your health goals. I’m here to support your health concerns as they change - ranging from painful periods and PMS to the shifts that begin to occur in peri-menopause and menopause.

Booking link in my bio for a complimentary 15 minute call to learn more about what it would look like to have me on your health care team 💫!

Some of the concerns I treat most commonly include:
▫️Digestive concerns of all types - bloating, IBS, SIBO, IBD, celiac, food sensitivities
▫️PMS/PMDD
▫️Endometriosis
▫️PCOS
▫️Fertility
▫️Stress & burnout
▫️Insomnia
▫️Fatigue
▫️Acne
▫️Thyroid conditions
▫️Chronic UTIs, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis
▫️Weight management

Thank you to all who have trusted me thus far with their health, and for the rest of you, I can’t wait to meet you 🤎.

✨what can we do to treat your acne?✨

Acne is best treated with an inside out approach, using a combination of therapies to address the root cause of your skin issues 💆🏼‍♀️.

Our main goal is to treat your acne in a way that is sustainable and targeted to the root cause(s) of why you’re experiencing it. Acne is typically a *symptom* and if we understand why it’s there, we can more effectively treat it. This means step 1 is assessment and often times, lab work to understand where you’re at.

When it comes to treatment, there is no one size fits all approach. You’re unique, your skin is unique, and your acne triggers are unique as well!

Treating your acne may include a combination of:
▫️nutrition
▫️lifestyle
▫️topical therapies
▫️nutraceuticals
▫️herbal medicine
▫️Gua Sha facials with acupuncture
▫️IV therapy
▫️LED light therapy

Booking link in bio to get started on a sustainable and effective path towards clearing your acne✨

✨are you struggling with acne?✨

Whenever I’m doing an assessment, I consider:

▫️Bacteria
▫️Inflammation
▫️Hormones
▫️Lifestyle

These categories are broad! Factors such as dietary choices, insulin resistance, digestive health and stress (& more!) are all a part of this and fall under one or more of these categories. Assessment and personalized treatment are key 🔑. It’s not surprising that I’m seeing a lot of acne in the clinic lately - it’s a commonly experienced symptom when we look at the intersection of hormones and digestion!

Booking link in bio for a complimentary 15 minute discovery call if you’d like to learn more about what it would look like to work together on treating your acne, from the inside out 💫.

✨Are you struggling with your hormones, digestion, mood, energy or weight?✨

Whatever your concern is, you don’t have to do it alone!

My passion as a Naturopathic Doctor is to elevate your care through a thoughtful, evidence-based, and sustainable path towards healing.

I feel beyond privileged to be in a profession that allows me to care for women through all life stages. I love supporting your health concerns as they change, ranging from painful periods and PMS to the shifts that begin to occur in perimenopause and menopause.

Booking link is in my bio for a complimentary 15 minute call to learn more, for residents of BC💫!

Some of the concerns I treat most commonly include:
▫️Digestive concerns of all types - bloating, IBS, SIBO, IBD, celiac, food sensitivities
▫️Menstrual irregularities and painful periods
▫️PMS/PMDD
▫️Peri/menopause
▫️Endometriosis
▫️PCOS
▫️Fertility
▫️Stress & burnout
▫️Insomnia
▫️Fatigue
▫️Acne
▫️Thyroid conditions
▫️Chronic UTIs, yeast infections, and bacterial vaginosis
▫️Weight management

I’m so glad you’re here and would love to chat more about how we can work together✨.

✨Did you know that perimenopause can last up to 10 years? For some women this means they’re in perimenopause at 40 years old.

✨Did you know that perimenopause is often accompanied by more symptoms than menopause itself?

Perimenopause is characterized by ~fluctuating~ estrogen levels so you may experience symptoms of high AND low estrogen 🤯. Meanwhile, you’re still cycling, so it’s possible that you could be experiencing symptoms of PMS and of perimenopause.

Some of the earliest symptoms of perimenopause include:

▫️fatigue
▫️changes in mood
▫️difficulty sleeping
▫️hot flashes/night sweats

Sound familiar? Luckily there are many ways to support your body and optimize your health through this (potentially long) period of transition!

If you want to learn more about this stage of life and how we can work together, booking link is in my bio 💫. I’d love to be on your perimenopause care team 🤎.

✨Are you exhausted, worn-out, and finding it difficult to thrive in all aspects of your life?✨

Some of the most common causes of fatigue I see include:

▫️nutrient deficiencies
- testing for and ~optimizing~ your ferritin, b12 and vitamin d (your lab values may not be flagged but it may still be contributing to fatigue!)
- focusing on why your nutrients are deficient and the best way to replenish them
▫️thyroid disease
- running thyroid labs that look at your thyroid function (tsh + hormones and antibodies)
▫️stress & burnout
- giving your nervous system a hug and supporting your mitochondria!
▫️blood sugar dysregulation
- establishing lifestyle and diet tweaks that help keep blood sugar balanced
- assessing for insulin resistance
▫️poor sleep quality and duration

Let’s work together to give you the energy to:
▫️show up for yourself
▫️show up for your loved ones
▫️bring fun and spontaneity back into your life
▫️practice routines that make you feel good

*this is an abbreviated list. There are many causes of fatigue, unique person to person and I would love to work together to find yours!

Booking link in bio for residents of BC 💫

✨have you thought about your care during menopause?✨

A survey done by the British Menopause Society in 2016 found that:

▫️50% of woman said their s*x life was impacted
▫️50% of woman said their menopause experience impacted their home life
▫️42% of woman said their symptoms were worse than expected
▫️More than 1/3 of woman said it impacted their work life

Changes range from the more obvious hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and changes in body composition, to the less obvious changes to cardiovascular health, bone health, and cognitive function. It’s a stage of life where there’s many opportunities and options for support. You don’t have to do it alone 🤎!

Booking link in bio for a complimentary 15 minute call if you’d like to learn more 💫.

✨In-clinic services✨

In addition to strategic consultations, did you know I offer these services in the clinic?

〰️Pap exams
〰️Acupuncture
〰️IV nutrient therapy
〰️Nutrient injections
〰️Gua Sha facial + acupuncture *coming soon

So many options for us to spend time together in the clinic working on your health goals! Stay tuned in upcoming weeks as I talk about how these can be a key component of your care plan.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or are wondering if any of these are suited to you - book a complimentary 15 minute consultation through the link in my bio 💫!

There’s a reason why I’m always talking about the gut. It’s a powerhouse of trillions of bacteria working every day to keep you healthy 🙌🏼!

And it’s not just all about bowel movements 💩. Our digestive systems are also involved in:

▫️Absorption of nutrients
▫️Hormone metabolism
▫️Neurotransmitter production
▫️Management of inflammation
▫️Immune health
▫️Blood sugar regulation
▫️Weight management
▫️Elimination of toxins

Long story short, that means the quality of our digestion impacts our mood, energy, sleep, cognition, weight, hormones, and even our hair, skin and nails!

If you’ve been struggling with any of the above, booking link is in my bio to start working towards a solution 💫!

✨let's talk about balanced blood sugar✨

You know the feeling, you’re bopping along living your life, and BAM, you need sugar, and you need it now.

I’ve been talking a lot about blood sugar management lately, it’s at the core of so many commonly experienced symptoms. So what exactly is it that leads to cravings?

◽️When we eat simple sugars, they are digested very quickly and cause blood sugar to spike
◽️Shortly after, insulin is released to bring the levels back down
◽️The body now recognizes that low blood sugar (craving trigger!) and releases cortisol to bring it back up
◽️Cortisol releases sugar into the blood & can also lead to more cravings
◽️On & on we go...

Imagine what a day looks like if this starts first thing in the morning with cereal, bread or baked goods (without fat or protein to balance them out). And this can all happen while your blood sugar levels are well within range on lab testing!

This fluctuation, besides causing a desire to hit the 🍭/ 🍩/🧁/🍫, causes a variety of other common symptoms:
◽️Anxiety
◽️Mood swings (have you ever been hangry?)
◽️Fatigue (especially mid-day, a few hours after you eat)
◽️Issues with sleep (waking up in the night is most common)
◽️Hormonal imbalance
◽️Difficulty losing weight
◽️Acne

If this sounds familiar - booking link is in my bio! Let's work together to kick the cravings and start balancing your blood sugar!

✨lab tests for fatigue✨

When your sleep is dialed in and you’re still fatigued - what might we explore next?

▫️ b12
▫️ cbc & iron studies
▫️ crp
▫️ fasting insulin/glucose
▫️ metabolic panel
▫️ thyroid panel
▫️ vitamin D

~ This list may expand or change depending on the individual ~

👉🏼 if you've been feeling tired, worn out and depleted, ✨save this post✨ and check if your latest lab work contained these labs
👉🏼 are your lab values off? Let's explore why and get you on a treatment plan to get your energy back
👉🏼 do your values look good? Book a complementary discovery call to see what’s next

*the above is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Speak to myself or another licensed care provider to have a workup done

Anyone else feeling this these days 🥱😴💤? As we give summer a sweet kiss goodbye and settle back into routine, it may be more noticeable now than ever. The most obvious factor is sleep - but what if you’re sleeping 8 hours, are mindful about sleep hygiene and you’re still dealing with fatigue?

✨I encourage you to dive deeper✨

Fatigue can stem from many causes:

▫️ Blood sugar imbalance
▫️ Chronic infections
▫️ Digestive issues
▫️ Inflammation
▫️ Low thyroid function
▫️ Nutrient deficiencies
▫️ Stress

Although there is something inherently satisfying about a list (does anyone else get thrilled at the sight 😆?!), it's not always that cut and dry. Let’s investigate your root cause(s).

Booking link in bio.

If any of these conditions or symptoms look familiar then you’re in the right place!

✨ Endometriosis
✨ Gas & bloating
✨ Infertility
✨ Insomnia
✨ Painful/irregular periods
✨ PCOS
✨ PMS
✨ Stress & burnout
✨ Thyroid disorders
✨ UTIs

Do you want to know more about what treatment would look like? Send me a message or click the link in my bio to book a free discovery call!

*This is not an exhaustive list. If you have symptoms or health concerns and would like to know if it’s something I treat - please reach out*

✨Hello, it’s me - Dr. Katrina Schiavon✨

I thought I’d reintroduce myself seeing as it’s September already 🤯. Thanks to those of you that have been following along, and to those of you that are new - welcome 👋🏼!

I feel beyond privileged to be in a profession that allows me to support women through all life stages. I love treating women’s health concerns as they change, ranging from painful periods and PMS to the shifts that begin to occur leading up to menopause.

Health is a journey and being invited to partake in yours is something I don’t take lightly. I hope every patient walks away with a deeper understanding of their health and the relationship between our different systems, and our systems and our environment.

A few tidbits about me:
🤓In my past life, before Naturopathic Medical School, I was in accounting and thought that would be my career (anyone who has witnessed me trying to do mental math may find this comical)
🐶I have a long distance pup who lives his days blissfully in Calgary with my family (if you request dog content, I know that’s something I can confidently deliver on)
🍷I believe in balance whenever possible - so natural wine, dark chocolate and a cheeky indulgence of cheese remain mainstays in my life
🚲I love an activity - biking, hiking, kayaking, golf - I dabble in all and excel in none

I’m glad you’re here! If you’re curious about what it would look like to work together - book a free discovery call via the link in my bio.

✨In person and virtual appointments available✨

Image:

Tracking your cycle provides a wealth of knowledge about your hormones, which in turn says a lot about the overall health of your body.

Reasons to track:
✔️You’ll become more in tune with the messages your body is sending you
✔️You’ll more easily be able to identify differences in your premenstrual symptoms month to month
✔️If you’re trying to conceive, you’ll be able to identify if and when you’re ovulating
✔️You can gather data to use natural family planning as a contraceptive method
✔️It’s valuable information that you can provide to your doctor to receive higher quality care

But how do I track? Well, I thought you might ask. The same method doesn’t work for everyone and depending on your goals I may recommend using more than one. Here are some options for at-home tracking:
- Use an app (there are many on the market: Clue, Kindara and Natural Cycles are a few you can look into)
- Track your basal body temperature
- Track your cervical mucus

Have you found a way to track your cycle that works best for you?

If not:
- Do you want more information on how to track?
- Have you been tracking and you’re ready to use that information to optimize your hormones, your cycle or your fertility?
- Do you need help getting started?

👉🏼 That’s what I’m here for - book in for your free 15 minute discovery call today!

Here it is - the ebb and flow of your cycle. It’s amazing that a few simple wavy lines dictate so much of how we feel isn’t it? Our hormones are no joke and the delicate balance between these lines regulates a lot of our mood, our fertility, the quality of our menstrual cycles and so much more.

Let’s understand this cycle a bit more shall we?

✨Menstruation Day 1 to ~ Day 7
- Your cycle starts on day 1, the first day of bleeding
- Your hormones estrogen & progesterone are both low
- Days of bleeding can range anywhere from 3-7 days

✨Follicular phase Day 1 to ~ Day 13
- During this phase, estrogen is in charge
- In your body, estrogen is facilitating proliferation of the endometrial tissue to prepare for implantation (pregnancy!)
- Towards the end of this phase we see what’s called the LH surge (the peak of that green line in the image above)
- This leads us to our next phase:

✨Ovulation ~ Day 14
- The LH surge triggers ovulation - the release of an egg into the fallopian tube
- The date of ovulation differs depending on the length of your cycle (see my next post on how to track your cycle!)
- This is the time of the month where you are most fertile

✨Luteal phase ~ Day 15 to menstruation
- Progesterone is highest in this phase of the cycle and is the star of the show
- Estrogen also sees it’s smaller second peak in this phase
- If there was fertilization - progesterone helps maintain a healthy pregnancy
- If not - progesterone and estrogen both decrease and we shed our endometrial tissue - starting the cycle over again

✨Did you know about the 4 phases of your cycle?

✨Do you want to get more in tune with your own cycle?

Book today!

Did you know that depending on the length of your cycle, it equates to 5-10 years of your life spent menstruating 🤯?

Admittedly, my math might not be the best, but I feel confident it adds up to a whole lot of misery for those suffering from monthly discomfort associated with their cycle.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way! There are many underlying reasons why you might experience some of the less desirable symptoms of your monthly flow. The following can all be contributing factors:

- Inflammation
- Gut dysbiosis
- Hormone imbalances
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Chronic stress
- Exposure to environmental toxins
- Underlying conditions: PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it definitely provides an idea of how complex the factors involved in PMS can be.

Stay tuned next week if you want to chat a bit more about PMS. Or, book in today and we can work together to identify and treat the cause and have you, dare I say ~ loving ~, your flow.

PMID: 18274909

Imagine building a house without a foundation, or a bridge without a base. It seems nuts right 🙆🏼‍♀️? Well, the same goes for building a healthy body! Establishing core foundational pillars is essential to obtaining and MAINTAINING health.

👉🏼 Hydration
👉🏼 Sleep
👉🏼 Nutrition
👉🏼 Movement
👉🏼 Relationships
👉🏼 Mental-emotional health

These are all key in establishing a healthy baseline for us to begin treatment and ensures you get the most out of the plan that we implement.

It’s worth noting that these pillars can ebb and flow over time. If you don't feel like you have them locked in right now, I'm here to help you get started!

Curious about what to expect?

✨Our first visit together is a chance for me to get to know you and get a thorough understanding of your health concerns, goals and how I can help. Come ready to chat - it’s an hour in length and we go through your full medical history, main concerns and any health goals you’d like to work on.

✨From there, I like to use comprehensive laboratory testing to better understand the root of your concerns and to obtain a solid baseline to guide my treatment.

✨We will review your results together and I will use them to develop a personalized treatment plan for you. Depending on your concern my recommendations may include the following:
- Acupuncture
- Botanical medicine
- Diet and lifestyle recommendations
- Supplement support
- Pharmaceuticals
- Injection therapy

✨You are UNIQUE. We will check in and tweak your treatment plan along the way because what your body needs is specific to you and only you.

✨Naturopathic medicine places a heavy emphasis on prevention. As you start to feel better we will still check in at regular intervals to keep your health optimized! The health you’re after is attainable and sustainable.

I’m truly thrilled at the opportunity to work together - I look forward to seeing you in the clinic soon!

Hi! I’m Dr. Schiavon - a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Vancouver, BC. I am here to break down walls around women’s health and provide the opportunity for women to feel heard, empowered & educated through the treatment process.

Why is this important?

🙅🏼‍♀️Irregular, painful periods
🙅🏼‍♀️Fatigue
🙅🏼‍♀️Hair thinning or loss
🙅🏼‍♀️Digestive problems
🙅🏼‍♀️Difficulty conceiving
🙅🏼‍♀️Pain with s*x
🙅🏼‍♀️Low libido
🙅🏼‍♀️Stress and burn out

👉🏼This doesn’t need to be your reality. You deserve high quality, comprehensive and ~ personalized ~ treatment to address your concerns.

👉🏼I hear you, I’m with you and there is SO MUCH we can do as a team to bring you back to your best!

👉🏼I offer a FREE 15 minute consultation that you can do from the comfort of your own home to learn more.

👉🏼Click the link in my bio or copy and paste the link below to book now👇🏼

https://www.kenziewellnesscentre.com/book-appointment/

Kenzie Wellness Centre