What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 3pm Thursday 11am - 8pm

Janine Buisman Wilcox, Naturopathic Doctor

Home
Canada
Guelph, ON
Janine Buisman Wilcox, Naturopathic Doctor

I want you to get to the root of your health challenges. I want you to have the energy that you need to fulfill the multitude of roles that you have in life.

I want to make things easier for you to take care of yourself and to take care of your kids.

12/18/2025

Every nutrient and herb is going to be slightly different in terms of possible interactions.

The reality, however, is that most nutrients are fine to combine together and most things are quite flexible in terms of how you take them. Herbs have a little bit more potential for interactions with medications (more on that next week!). You should always check with your healthcare provider!

If you’re taking a medication that’s meant to be taken away from anything else (like synthroid), you should also take it away from supplements, but many medications and nutrients can be taken at the same time.

For most nutrients and medications, it's much more important that you can take them consistently than that you worry about the time when you're taking them.

Iron is a classically cited example where we know that calcium can slightly decrease absorption as can dairy products, coffee, tea, and grains; and acidic foods may support absorption. These things are definitely true in terms of dietary iron intake, but in a supplement form you’re still going to get a lot of iron from the product if you’re taking a good dose even if you’re taking it at ‘the wrong time’. For most people finding a time that you can consistently take will be more important than avoiding the things that slightly decrease absorption.

If it’s easy enough to remember, we might consider taking it at dinner time or at bedtime as those are times that are easier to avoid those interactions, but if you’re not going to remember to take it except for with breakfast, I actually just want you to take it!

Most nutrients can be taken at the same time, iron and calcium are the only ones that we might try to separate if possible. And most things don't inherently matter if they're paired with or without food.

Food matters less for absorption typically, and more as a way to decrease the risk of digestive side effects in someone who is sensitive digestively. Most people will find that they need to take zinc and iron with food as they can hurt your stomach on an empty stomach.

DitchTheAllOrNothing ProgressNotPerfec

12/11/2025

When it comes to supplements, the brand matters much less than what the product contains.

What I’m looking more at is the DOSE and the FORM of the nutrient than anything else. Here's what I look for in some more popular supplements:

Vitamin D: For Vitamin D, for example, as long as we are getting the correct dose and taking it in a gel cap or drop form, most products will be quite similar. Tablet forms are not quite as well absorbed.

Vitamin B12: We want the methylcobalamin version in a sublingual form for best absorption.

Magnesium: For magnesium, we may prefer a bisglycinate for one person, or a citrate for another depending on what we’re treating. There are lots of brands that will make options that are good for all of these nutrients

Other Factors To Consider:

Your ability to take something also matters! If you hate swallowing things, we’ll choose a liquid or chewable form to make it easier to take it.

One product we’ll always discuss in more detail is an omega 3 fatty acid. Labels are quite misleading as we’re looking at the dose of EPA and DHA, and not just the total omega 3. We also want to ensure there is no mercury contamination, so choosing a product that does third party testing for this nutrient is important.

These are all things we discuss in a visit. If you’re going to spend time and $ on something we want the best option! I love it when people bring their products in so I can see exactly what they’re taking and advise from there

If you’re looking for support in finding what supplements could work for you, book a visit today using the link in my bio!
--
HealthClarity OverwhelmedToEmpowered GuelphON

12/04/2025

Supplements 101 (Part 1.5 - Check out my previous post for 1st part)

I prefer getting specific with nutrients and using therapeutic doses. If someone is truly low in something, they will usually need much more than what a multivitamin contains. Nutrients like vitamin D, B12, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, and calcium are ones that some people may need.

If you do not need them, adding more is unlikely to provide benefit. It simply gives your body more to process, adds another task to remember, and becomes another expense. But if you do need one of these nutrients, the benefits can be significant. Bloodwork and a dietary recall are great ways to determine if supplementation is necessary.

In Canada, almost everyone becomes vitamin D deficient in the winter if they are not supplementing, since we get vitamin D from the sun. I see this every day in bloodwork.

For most healthy people, eating a whole-food, omnivorous, colorful diet provides the majority of needed nutrients. However, needs increase if you avoid certain food groups (such as dairy, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables, or grains), if you are not eating enough in general, or if you take medication that affects nutrient absorption.

There is also solid research on specific nutrients for certain health concerns. But this gets complicated. Was the research done in humans? In your demographic? What dose was used? For how long? How do we measure benefit? Do you take it indefinitely?

This is not something you should be navigating alone. Supplement decisions depend on your goals, family history, personal history, mental capacity, finances, and nutrition. I work through all of this with patients in our visits.

You can read the rest on my most recent blog post (link in bio)
--

12/02/2025

Supplements 101 (Part 1)

The world of supplements is a confusing one. There are endless claims online about which nutrient helps which concern, which form is best or worst, what you can or cannot take together, and what you supposedly will not absorb without pairing it with something else. It is a lot to sort through.

Some patients come into my office taking twenty different things, while others are taking nothing at all despite having documented nutrient deficiencies.

Interestingly, the most common supplements I see people taking are a multivitamin, vitamin C, and biotin. None of these are my first go-to for most people or most health concerns.

So should you take a supplement, and if so, which one? Over the next couple of weeks, I will break this down.

Supplements are meant to be exactly that: a supplement. You cannot out-do your diet. A greens powder or antioxidant blend is not the same as eating fruits and vegetables. Whole foods offer far more than isolated nutrients, and that is where their benefits come from.

A lot of supplement research begins with observations that certain groups of people eat more of a specific nutrient and experience certain benefits. But when we try to replicate those benefits by giving isolated supplements, the same results often do not show up.

A multivitamin usually contains tiny doses of many nutrients. Certain populations, such as pregnant individuals and older adults, may benefit from those small doses, but for most people, food provides far more than a multi ever will.

Share this with a friend who is always trying out a new supplement!
--

11/27/2025

GET YOUR VITAMIN D TESTED!

Everyone in Canada should be on Vitamin D at this time of year. Everyone seems to need different doses.

Vitamin D is key for mood, hormones, and immune function, all of which are important at this time of year.

Too light and too much Vitamin D can both cause harm which is why we prefer to test your levels. While this test is not OHIP covered, it’s often covered by health insurance plans.

Bonus Tip:

Get Daily Outdoor Light Exposure:

The outdoor light is even more potent than light therapy if it’s clear outside. Even cloudy outdoor light is more potent than your indoor home lighting. IF you LIKE spending time outside in cold weather, and can get out during hours of daylight, this might be one of the best options to consider.

If the seasonal change is something you struggle with, please reach out to me or your other healthcare providers to get support! You can book a visit using the link in my bio.
--
HealthClarity
OverwhelmedToEmpowered GuelphON OntarioHealth NaturopathicDoctor FamilyHealth SustainableWellness DitchTheAllOrNothing ProgressNotPerfection GuelphON WaterlooON KitchenerWaterloo KitchenerON GreaterTorontoArea TorontoWellness TorontoMoms MiltonON SeasonAffectiveDisorder SAD SeasonalDepression

11/26/2025

We had some glimpses of the sun last week, but November has been pretty grey and days are getting short! With this change in season and winter solstice approaching, it can be helpful to reflect on how to support your mood, especially for those who struggle with seasonal affective disorder.

Medication and psychotherapy may be an important part of the management plan. Cognitive behavioral therapy has good research behind it, as SSRIs or wellbutrin for more severe cases especially if light therapy doesn’t work.

Lifestyle measures can also be helpful and is considered first line therapy for mild to moderate cases. Here's 3 things you can start doing to combat SAD this winter:

Light Therapy:
This is considered first line therapy and has GREAT research behind it. Most of the research on light therapy uses a light strength of 10 000 lux for 30 minutes daily. It seems to be more effective when used earlier in the day but can work at any time of day.
Outdoor daylight on a clear day is actually more potent than light therapy, but that’s not realistic for many people. This is a great option to consider if you don’t like to get outside and/or we have lots of grey days.

Movement:
Aerobic exercise is what has been studied for this, but any movement is great. he important thing is to think about what you’ll actually do in the cold/dark winter.
Specifics are helpful for success!

Sleep Consistency:
Consistent bedtimes and wake times with minimal light and screen use before bed. This helps to solidify a predictable circadian rhythm (internal clock) which really seems to support your mood.

Stay tuned for 2 more tips in my next post!
--

11/20/2025

This is Part 2 of my discussion on the black box removal on estrogen products by the FDA. To catch up, please head to my last post!

So, what does this mean for those in Canada?

Nothing yet, the FDA is an American regulatory body. Health Canada will need to make their own decisions and changes, but hopefully this is facilitate and accelerate the process in Canada.

Is this a positive thing?

Yes! Vaginal estrogen is incredibly low risk and the black box is NOT accurate for vaginal use, so this is great!

BUT… topical (non vaginal) estrogen still comes with risks. For many women the benefit outweighs the risks, but we still need to have risk/benefit discussions. And the news report claims of HRT preventing dementia and preventing cardiovascular disease were overblown, as we don’t think that’s true for the average woman. And it some it may increase risks.

The conversation is nuanced and needs to be a conversation! The answer for you will not be the answer for your friend, and your answer may change as other health concerns come and go. It's always important to talk to a trusted health care provider before making any big changes.

If you have any questions, please drop them below or reach out via Instagram or email.
--

11/13/2025

In my mind, the most practical way to consistently track ovulation when we’re trying to differentiate between pre-menstrual symptoms, PCOS, and perimenopause is through temperature tracking.

But how should you properly temperature track?

We only make progesterone after ovulation and progesterone actually causes the body temperature to increase slightly for the second half of the cycle from ovulation until menstruation. To quantify this and track this, you would need to take your temperature first thing in the morning before rolling out of bed, and see the pattern throughout the month.

A regular thermometer can be used to do this, but gives the best information when you sleep well, are not having alcohol the night before, and wake up at a consistent time most days. Alcohol, fever, poor sleep, and sleeping-in can all skew the numbers to some extent.

Are there other options?

Practically speaking, some people find it stressful to remember to take it first thing every morning. This is where a wearable could be an interesting thing.

I got an oura ring for this purpose (and to understand it better for patients), and the temperature rise and falls with the cycle are very clear.

TempDrop is another wearable tool that some people will use to track temperature.

As with any wearable, the question you should always ask yourself is , “Will this change anything?”. If you have a consistent cycle and no symptoms, or the symptoms are clear as to what they are, then it likely isn’t worth it.

The other data isn’t that compelling (I’d rather you focus on how your sleep feels, and the activity tracking is pretty inaccurate).

But if you have a lot of questions about your cycle and that’s frustrating to you; or if you’ve had a hysterectomy but still have o***y hormone production; or you have an IUD without bleeding, it may help you to understand your symptoms better.

And again, you can definitely do it with a normal thermometer as well, it just takes a bit more brainpower to remember!

Save this for later and send me any questions!
--

10/20/2025

My last Baby Food Intro Class of 2025 is coming up! Perfect for new and expecting parents and caregivers.

On October 22nd , I will be offering my last FREE online class of 2025, covering all of the essential pieces to consider on this journey. Click the link in my bio to register!

Even if you can’t make it live, be sure to register, as I will be sending out a replay afterwards. You’ll have access for 1 week after the class.

This is helpful for all caregivers, so please share with family and friends who might benefit!

Link in bio to save your spot :green_heart:
--

Address

264 Elizabeth Street
Guelph, ON
N1E2X7

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	11am - 8pm

Telephone

+12265017250

Website

http://www.ndguelph.ca/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Janine Buisman Wilcox, Naturopathic Doctor posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Janine Buisman Wilcox, Naturopathic Doctor:

Shortcuts

Address
Telephone
Opening Hours
Alerts
Contact The Practice
Claim ownership or report listing

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Guelph?