Cancer Support in Winnipeg: What Supportive Care Means and Questions to Ask a Naturopathic Doctor

Written By Marco Bouchard

Key takeaways

  • Supportive care focuses on comfort, nutrition, energy, sleep and wellbeing during and after treatment.

  • It is used alongside the treatment you have chosen or been prescribed, never in place of it.

  • A first visit is a naturopathic assessment that looks at your whole picture, including what you already take.

  • Good questions at a first visit help you shape a plan that fits your life.

A diagnosis can turn a calm week upside down. Between appointments, scan results and well-meaning advice, many people simply want to feel a little more like themselves. That is where supportive care fits.

Ready to talk it through? Book a naturopathic assessment at Nature Doctors or call 204-943-6079.

What is supportive and complementary care alongside cancer treatment?

Supportive and complementary care is a set of approaches used alongside standard treatment to support comfort, nutrition, energy, sleep and emotional wellbeing. It does not aim to treat the cancer itself. The Canadian Cancer Society describes complementary therapies in the same way: used together with conventional treatment, to support overall wellbeing and help people cope with side effects.

What does oncology support look like at Nature Doctors?

Nature Doctors describes its oncology support as integrative care built around individualized plans with a focus on quality of life during and after treatment. Dr. Aminder Singh, ND and Dr. Sara Korsunsky, ND both list oncology support among their areas of focus, and either can be booked directly through their names.

According to the clinic's oncology support page, a plan can include diet and nutritional guidance, supplementation, laboratory testing and functional testing, IV therapy and lifestyle changes. Your naturopathic doctor reviews every supplement, IV therapy and other therapy as part of your personalized plan, with possible interactions with your treatment in mind. Some herbs and high-dose nutrients can interact with cancer drugs, which is why a full list of what you take matters so much.

What happens in a first naturopathic assessment?

A first visit is mostly conversation, and nothing in it is a test of whether you are doing enough. Expect your naturopathic doctor to ask about:

  • Your current treatment and what is coming up

  • What you would most like support with, such as eating, energy, sleep or mood

  • What you eat in a typical day and what is hard right now

  • Supplements, teas and other products you already use

  • What matters most to you and what feels realistic

Laboratory testing, including functional lab testing offered through the clinic's testing page, can add background where it is useful. Your naturopathic doctor will talk through which tests, if any, make sense now, and results are reviewed together at a follow-up visit.

What should I prepare for a first visit?

A little preparation takes pressure off:

  • A simple written list of what you take, including anything prescribed

  • Your treatment dates, if you have them, so the plan can be built around them

  • Any recent laboratory results you already have

  • A short list of questions (see below)

  • A second set of ears, if that would help. Many people bring a family member or friend.

Nature Doctors offers virtual appointments to people anywhere in Manitoba, and its naturopathic medicine page says virtual appointments are available for most patients. Ask when you book which parts of your visit can be done virtually.

What questions should I ask a naturopathic doctor about a supportive care plan?

Bring a short list so you do not have to hold everything in your head:

  1. What are the main goals of this plan, and which parts are about nutrition, comfort or emotional wellbeing?

  2. How will you review any supplement, IV therapy or other therapy for possible interactions with my treatment?

  3. What does the research say about each suggestion you make?

  4. Which laboratory tests, if any, would be useful now, and what would the results change?

  5. How should we plan around treatment days, when energy dips?

  6. How often will we check in, and can some visits be virtual?

  7. What would a lighter version of this plan look like on a hard week?

What does the research say about supportive care?

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) reports that acupuncture can help manage treatment-related nausea and vomiting in people with cancer, and has been associated with reductions in cancer pain. It also reports that people who took part in mindfulness-based interventions had less anxiety, depression, fatigue and stress and a better quality of life, and that yoga provides small-to-moderate improvements in cancer-related fatigue and quality of life. The Canadian Cancer Society gives examples of how complementary therapies can be used alongside standard treatment to help people feel more comfortable.

These are comfort-focused supports, and they say nothing about the cancer itself. Your naturopathic doctor will talk through which of them, if any, suit you.

Frequently asked questions

Is supportive care a replacement for my cancer treatment?

No. It is used alongside the treatment you have chosen or been prescribed, and never in place of it.

Who offers oncology support at Nature Doctors?

Dr. Aminder Singh, ND and Dr. Sara Korsunsky, ND both list oncology support among their areas of focus, with the wider team of naturopathic doctors at the clinic.

Will you review supplements I already take?

Yes. A simple written list of what you take, including anything prescribed, is all you need. Possible interactions with your treatment are noted as part of your plan.

Can I bring someone with me?

Yes. Many people find a second set of ears helpful.

Can I have a virtual visit?

The clinic offers virtual appointments across Manitoba; ask what suits your situation when you book.

If you have a fever during cancer treatment, trouble breathing, chest pain or any other emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away.

Book your naturopathic assessment

Start with a conversation and leave with a plan built around you. Book with Dr. Aminder Singh, ND or Dr. Sara Korsunsky, ND directly: Book online with Nature Doctors, call 204-943-6079, or visit us at 7-1200 Waverley Street, Winnipeg.

Sources

Deep Healing Clinics

Suggested internal links

Marco Bouchard
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