Stella Seto, ND

Dr. Stella Seto, ND, is dedicated to providing individualized natural medical treatment to help patients prevent disease and achieve optimal health. Born and raised in Vancouver she obtained a degree in Biology from the University of British Columbia. She completed her four-year naturopathic medical training at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (Toronto) and was part of the Sports and Pain Management Group, receiving extra training in increasing athletic performance and the prevention and management of pain. Acupuncture, myofascial release (IMS), pelvic and spinal alignment, nutrition and exercise were primarily used.

She travelled to India to further her complementary and integrative medicine education, broadening her ability to provide optimal care for her patients. Dr. Seto continued her training at the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China, working at the acupuncture hospital increasing her acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine skills.

Dr. Stella Seto, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician who welcomes all patients of all ages and is currently accepting new patients.

As naturopathic doctors are primary care physicians she is able to address all health concerns but primarily focuses on hormone balance, anti-aging, allergies, digestive disorders, food sensitivities and pain management.

She treats using herbs, bio-identical hormones, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, intramuscular stimulation (IMS), neural prolotherapy, prolozone, pelvic and spinal alignment, exercise, nutrition and orthomolecular medicine [therapeutic doses of nutrients (i.e., intravenous vitamins, Myer’s cocktails, B12/Folic acid and iron injections)].

Digestion, food sensitivities and lifestyle are always addressed.

Symptoms associated with food sensitivities are fatigue, bloating, inability to concentrate, mood issues, head aches, eczema, rash, allergies and immune system disorders. More than 70% of your immune system and the majority of your serotonin (the neurotransmitter associated with the majority of anti-anxiety/depression medications) are found in your digestive tract.

Food sensitivities can be determined through an elimination diet or testing the blood for antibodies IgG4 and IgE.

She is board certified in ozone, intravenous and chelation therapy.

Facilitated through the University of British Columbia Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences she obtained her pharmaceutical prescribing authority.

Dr. Seto received her bio-identical hormone training through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Focusing on balancing men and women’s hormones people can get an understanding on why they have PMS, hot flashes, anxiety, depression, lack of libido, pain with intercourse, vaginal dryness, infertility, insomnia and fatigue. Hormone balance can be achieved by determining what is causing the imbalance and should not just be just be about replacing the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone without consideration on how all these hormones interplay with the HPA axis, thyroid and adrenals glands, along with a myriad of other factors. Hormone balance is not just about preventing symptoms of menopause/andropause; it is a major factor in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, mood, memory and cancer. Often hormone balance can be achieved without the use of bio-identical hormones using diet, herbs, glandular products and removing environmental toxins.

Her special interest in sports and pain management began following an injury that left her in chronic pain, which the pain specialist diagnosed as "reflex sympathetic dystrophy" or "complex regional pain syndrome". In short, they didn't know exactly why the pain was unresolved. When the strong pain medications they gave were ineffective in alleviating the pain, a nerve block was suggested. Unable to accept this solution she explored what naturopathic medicine had to offer and became pain free.

The modalities that Dr. Seto uses for pain management are:

1) Prolozone: The injection of medical ozone, vitamins and other substances to facilitate healing of the injured area, such as the knees, neck, TMJ, low back, plantar fascia and muscles. It not only decreases pain but aids in the healing and regeneration of joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Joints and ligaments have about 1/10 of the oxygen tension of muscles. This in part is why it takes so much longer for these areas to heal and why people tend to have chronic pain in joints verses their muscles.

Aging further decreases both circulation and oxygen utilization.

When there is an injury to the body there is localized swelling and inflammation further decreasing circulation and oxygen to the injured area. This causes the injured area to become acidic and free radical damage to occur, perpetuating the cycle of swelling and pain. Mitochondria are the power factories of every cell, accounting for 40% of each cell in the body. When they get damaged through injury they prevent proper healing, adding to pain and injury.

Ozone is made up of 3 oxygen molecules, when injected into the injured area it immediately becomes oxygen, increasing oxygen levels to the oxygen starved area. The other molecule of oxygen allows the NADH to be oxidized back to NAD, it is the rate-limiting molecule necessary for mitochondria to produce ATP, the energy for the cell which facilitates healing.

Prolozone breaks the injury cycle by:

-Delivering oxygen directly to the injury site

-Adding sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the acidic environment

-Providing mitochondrial nutrients

-Allowing mitochondria to produce energy for the body to heal and carry out proper cell function and metabolism.

Prolozone can be combined with intramuscular stimulation for more affective results of releasing tight muscles and myofascial tissues.

Dr. Seto completed her Ozone Therapy Certification, Prolozone Phase 1, Prolozone Phase 2 with Dr. Frank Shallenberger, MD, and observed with him in his private practice clinic.

2) Neural Prolotherapy (NPT): Used to treat neurogenic pain or chronic nerve pain. NPT is the treatment of pain by injecting dextrose or mannitol around inflamed nerves. [Mannitol is a sugar alcohol used in hospitals to decrease pressure in the head after an injury, to treat acute glaucoma, or for kidney failure.]

Pain is diagnostic tool that tells us there is nerve inflammation or injury. Through injury or overuse, nerves can become inflamed and entrap substances that cause swelling and pain. This causes an immune response that damages cartilage and can cause arthritis. The inflammation can also cause tendinitis, as well as a feeling of burning, pins and needles, or muscle stiffness. 
Neuro prolotherapy immediately blocks the receptor that causes neuropathic pain and inflammation (TRPV-1). By blocking this receptor in the nerve, it allows for healing deep in the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. Hilton’s law states that a nerve that innervates a joint also tends to supply the muscles that move that joint and the skin that surrounds. Even though the pain may be deep, NPT is used to treat the superficial nerves and thus heal and relieve pain of deeper structures. 
The treatment decreases pain and inflammation, allowing entrapped nerves to be released, allowing the nerves to heal, and increasing range of movement.

Dr. Seto completed her Neural Prolotherapy course and Advanced Clinical Skills Workshop with Dr. John Lyftogt, MD.

A regular contributor to the Canadian Diabetes Association: Team Diabetes lectures, she also writes a monthly healthy living article for the city of Vancouver’s (city hall, police, fire and library) newsletter.

She now enjoys a healthy and active lifestyle, with rock climbing, skiing, yoga and biking being some of her favorite activities.

She is currently accepting new patients and can be contacted at:

Dr. Stella Seto, ND 

www.stellarhealth.ca

For more information about Dr. Stella Seto, ND go to www.stellarhealth.ca