Meet Natalia D'Abramo
Registered Nurse Health Consultant
RN Psychotherapist
Who are we?
Natalia is a Registered Nurse Diabetes Health Consultant and RN Psychotherapist. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Nursing and is a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario.
Through nutrition, lifestyle and psychotherapy education, we have made it our mission to help those who are suffering from a largely preventable disease. As a whole, our society is at its sickest— there is a major focus on disease management rather than addressing the root cause of disease, which is what we strive to do.
What we do!
Our health services cater to individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (including Gestational Diabetes). Our primary focus is to provide comprehensive education on diet, lifestyle, and informed decision making, aiming to promote optimal health. Our ultimate goal is to help you understand the underlying causes of diabetes, lower fasting blood sugar and A1c levels, reduce insulin resistance, achieve weight loss, and potentially eliminate the need for medication. By optimizing dietary habits and addressing lifestyle factors, many people can improve and even reverse their type 2 diabetes.
Our services commence with an initial health assessment and questionnaire, allowing us to understand your unique health needs and objectives. Based on this assessment, we will develop a tailored plan that includes education on diet and lifestyle, as well as addressing any specific barriers to health that you are facing. Together, we will work on enhancing practical skills such as meal planning, making healthier choices while shopping and dining out, and more. Additionally, you will receive informative articles directly related to your personal health goals and diabetes. We also offer follow-up appointments as necessary to monitor your progress and provide ongoing support.
Why Health Consulting?
It can help with
Nutrition Counselling for Diabetes
We will initially review a typical 5-day food journal, which you have completed in your intake form. Our recommended dietary pattern is grounded in decades of medical research, demonstrating its efficacy in improving key biomarkers—such as blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure—in as little as three weeks.
This dietary approach is drawn from populations where the prevalence of diabetes is notably lower compared to Westernized nations.
Lifestyle Counselling for Diabetes
We will assess the lifestyle factors that may have played a role in the onset of your diabetes and current health status.
This might look like assessing sleep quality, gut health, your fitness regime, mental health, and lifestyle habits.
Weight loss
Weight loss isn't about eating less and restriction. It is about consuming nutritionally dense foods that are naturally lower in calories and living a more active lifestyle. Losing weight can have a powerful effect on improving your insulin sensitivity.
We can also work with you to develop a more compassionate relationship with your body, where we can reframe the why behind diet and exercise.
Medications
As a part of your intake, we will be reviewing all current and prior medications and supplements you have been taking.
By adopting an optimal dietary pattern alone studies show that type 2 diabetics may be able to reduce or entirely eliminate medications by 12 weeks.
We strongly emphasize the importance of being closely monitored by your healthcare provider while implementing an optimal diet and lifestyle. This is particularly crucial due to the potential need for medication adjustments or titration as you make progress in improving your health. Your doctor's supervision ensures a comprehensive approach to your care and allows for necessary adjustments to your treatment plan. Individuals who are compliant on the diet may experience rapid drops in glucose levels and must monitor their blood sugar levels regularly.
Anderson JW. “Dietary fiber in nutrition management of diabetes.” In: G. Vahouny, V and D Kritchevsky (eds), Dietary Fiber: Basic and Clinical Aspects.” Pp.343-360. New York: Plenum Press,1986.
Barnard N, Scialli A, Turner-McGrievy G, Lanou A, Glass J. “The effects of a low-fat, plant-based dietary intervention on body weight, metabolism and insulin sensitivity.” Am J Med Sept 2005;118(9):991-997
Addressing and Preventing Co-morbidities
If you're currently experiencing diabetic complications or aiming to prevent issues like heart disease, eye problems, nerve complications, and kidney diseases, the recommended diet holds the potential to address these concerns too!
Psychotherapy
Navigating the path to improving your diabetes can present additional challenges for those struggling with anxiety, low mood, perfectionism (yep, that's right), and patterns of binge or emotional eating.
If your mental well-being requires attention and falls within our scope, we will address your needs, so that you can effectively utilize and implement the diet and lifestyle knowledge you acquire.
Not Just Diabetes
Although we specialize in diabetes, we also address other health concerns and diseases, including:
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Heart Disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol)
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Skin Issues (eczema, acne)
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Gut Health (IBS, constipation, leaky gut)
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Women's Health (reproductive, hormonal, and perimenopausal/menopausal health)
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Autoimmune Diseases
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Arthritis
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Cancer
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
If you’d simply like to consult with us about cleaning up your diet, we can help with that too!