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Weight Loss & Metabolic Health Support in Ottawa
NutriChem’s clinic on Carling Avenue provides naturopathic weight loss and metabolic health care to patients across Ottawa. A naturopath for weight loss looks beyond calories and effort to the underlying physiology, including blood sugar and insulin, thyroid function, cortisol, sleep, digestion, and sex hormones. When one of those is off, weight resists diet and exercise no matter how consistently either is applied. Care here starts by finding which one applies to you.
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Why Weight Resists Diet and Exercise
Insulin resistance is the most common driver and often runs for years before anyone uses the word prediabetes. It makes fat storage easier and fat release harder, and it tends to arrive with cravings, afternoon energy crashes, and weight that settles around the midsection.
Thyroid function sets metabolic rate. A thyroid test can fall within the normal range and still leave a patient cold, tired, and heavier than before, which is why we assess a full panel rather than TSH alone.
Cortisol, the main stress hormone, remains elevated during stress and with short sleep. That changes appetite, drives cravings for fast energy, and shifts where the body stores fat.
Digestion matters more than most people expect. SIBO and long-running gut problems affect the gut microbiome, which in turn influences metabolism, immune function and hormonal health. Our digestive health page covers this in detail.
Perimenopause changes body composition even when diet and activity have not changed. Weight that arrives in the midsection in the forties is frequently hormonal rather than behavioral, and our menopause and perimenopause support explains why.
More than one of these is usually present at once. Single-fix advice fails for that reason, and it is why care here begins with assessment rather than a diet sheet.
How Our Naturopathic Approach Works
There is no set program and no packaged plan. Care is arranged as individual consultations with a naturopathic doctor, and what happens next depends on the findings.
The first appointment is a comprehensive assessment. Your naturopathic doctor reviews your health goals, medical history, family history, medications and supplements, and lifestyle patterns such as sleep, energy, stress and exercise, along with a review of your diet, digestion and cravings. For women, a thorough hormonal assessment is included, covering the menstrual cycle and any associated symptoms.
The point is to treat what is driving the weight rather than the symptom on its own.
Naturopathic doctors in Ontario are regulated health professionals. Care runs alongside your family doctor rather than in place of them, which matters if you already take medication for blood pressure, blood sugar, or thyroid.
Testing We Use
Testing is ordered where it will change the plan, not by routine.
We begin with a deep and meaningful conversation. From your first period to your current symptoms, no topic is off limits. We look at your full health story, listen closely to your experiences, and create space for your goals—whether they’re physical, emotional, or both.
A full thyroid panel includes TSH, free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies.
Patterns that a TSH-only test misses are common in patients whose weight will not move.
Where bloating, inflammation or energy crashes are part of the picture, inflammatory markers such as hsCRP, along with breath or stool testing, help identify what is going on in the gut.
Results direct the plan. No single number decides your care.
What Treatment Can Look Like
Nutrition is usually the foundation. The aim is stable blood sugar rather than restriction, which in practice starts with a thorough look at your diet, with attention to protein, fiber, gut health and meal timing, so the day does not end in a crash and the overcorrection that follows. Severe restriction tends to lower metabolic rate over time, so it is n,ot what we advise. Dietary guidance is part of the naturopathic consultation itself rather than a separate service.
Supplementation is prescribed based on results rather than guesswork. That may mean vitamin D through an Ottawa winter, magnesium, omega-3s, or nutrients that support insulin sensitivity and thyroid function where testing shows they are needed. Formulas can be made to your bloodwork instead of being bought off a shelf, which is what our custom vitamins service does.
Thyroid, cortisol, and sex hormone imbalances are addressed directly when testing confirms them, and when a prescription is involved, your practitioner coordinates with the prescriber.
Stress and sleep are treated as clinical factors rather than lifestyle advice. Cortisol and sleep affect appetite hormones, and patients often tell us that fixing sleep did more for their cravings than anything they changed on the plate.
Markers, not the scale alone, track progress. Waist measurement, energy, sleep quality, cravings, digestion, and repeat bloodwork all indicate whether metabolism is moving, and those usually shift before the number does. Outcomes vary between patients and depend on what is driving your case.
The Nutrichem Difference
At NutriChem, your practitioner and pharmacist work under one roof. Custom-compounded prescriptions and made-for-you vitamin formulas, not off-the-shelf supplements.
If your plan calls for a strength that is not manufactured, a formulation without a filler you react to, or a vitamin blend matched to your results, it is prepared in our own compounding lab.
Meet your Practitioner
Dr. Emma Pollon-MacLeod, B.Sc., N.D.
CEO, Naturopathic Doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Emma Pollon-MacLeod, ND, is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) specializing in perimenopause and menopause care. She addresses both symptoms and long-term health risks like osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive decline. Her treatment plans combine hormone therapy, nutraceuticals, and lifestyle strategies, grounded in a whole-body, personalized approach. With a background in biochemistry and naturopathic medicine, Dr. Emma empowers women with evidence-based care tailored to their needs and values.
Dr. Sophie Pollon-MacLeod, B.Sc., N.D.
Naturopathic Doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Sophie Pollon-MacLeod, ND, takes the time to explain the “why” behind your symptoms, helping you feel informed and empowered in your care. With a background in kinesiology and certification as a personal trainer, she offers a unique perspective on how hormonal changes impact metabolism, body composition, and overall health. She specializes in supporting women through perimenopause, menopause, and thyroid conditions, addressing shifts in energy, weight, cardiovascular health, and bone density. Her care is holistic, personalized, and grounded in the belief that women deserve to feel strong, vibrant, and well at every stage of life.
Dr. Laeticia Domagalski, N.D.
Naturopathic Doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Laeticia Domagalski, ND, is known for offering a clear, evidence-based approach to care. With a B.Sc. in Nutrition and culinary training from Le Cordon Bleu, she brings a unique blend of science and food expertise to her naturopathic practice—particularly valuable for women navigating hormonal transitions like perimenopause and menopause. She focuses on supporting metabolic health, digestive function, and skin integrity during these shifts, addressing concerns like bloating, constipation, and skin conditions such as eczema and acne. Certified in facial rejuvenation acupuncture, Dr. Laeticia also offers a holistic approach to skin health that supports both internal balance and external radiance
Dr. Holly Paraschuk, N.D.
Naturopathic Doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner
Dr. Holly Paraschuk’s practice focuses on integrative care for women through key life transitions, including perinatal and postnatal care. She has a special interest in hormonal and menstrual health, supporting women with conditions like PCOS, irregular cycles, painful periods, and PMS. Her goal is to help patients understand their cycle as a vital sign and use it as a tool for deeper health insight. With additional focus on digestive health, Dr. Holly blends clinical expertise with personalized strategies to help women feel balanced, informed, and empowered in their care.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A naturopathic doctor identifies why weight is not responding, whether that is insulin resistance, thyroid function, cortisol, sleep, digestion, or hormonal change, and then treats what is found. Results vary between patients and depend on what is driving the case. Many patients tell us the value was in finally understanding the cause.
No. You can book directly. The free 15-minute discovery call is a chance to ask questions first.
No. Guidance is shaped around blood sugar stability and eating enough. Severe restriction is hard to sustain and can work against metabolic rate.
Yes. Care is delivered within the naturopathic scope of practice and, where appropriate, coordinated with your other providers. Tell your practitioner about every medication and supplement you take so the plan accounts for them.
Not always. Testing is ordered when it will change what happens next, and your practitioner will say so plainly when it will not.
No. Care is delivered through individual consultations rather than a fixed program because what works depends on what testing reveals.
Book A Free 15-Minute Discovery Call
The discovery call is free, takes fifteen minutes, and is the fastest way to find out whether naturopathic care suits your situation before you book a full appointment. You can ask what testing would likely be involved and what a plan might look like for you.
NutriChem Clinic, 2599 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2B 7H7. We see patients from Carlingwood, Westboro, Nepean, Kanata, and across Ottawa. Explore the rest of our naturopathic clinic services.
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