See Our Reviews:What is Holistic Nutrition?
Holistic nutrition at Pillars of Wellness is delivered by Dr. Jane Shou, ND, a licensed naturopathic doctor. Dr. Shou doesn’t hand you a meal plan at the end of a single appointment. She takes time to understand what’s driving your symptoms — through a detailed intake, lab work where needed, and a plan that gets updated as you progress.
The focus is on root causes, not just symptoms. That means looking at how your digestion, hormones, stress levels, sleep, and food choices all connect. Most patients find this approach covers ground that a standard GP referral doesn’t reach.
ND services are covered by most extended health plans in Ontario. If you’re in Burlington or the Halton Region, book an appointment with Dr. Shou to get started.
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What goals can holistic nutrition help achieve?
Identify the root cause of ongoing digestive symptoms
Stabilise energy and mood through better blood sugar regulation
Support hormonal balance — PCOS, perimenopause, thyroid health
Reduce bloating, food sensitivities, and gut inflammation
Build a realistic eating plan that fits your life, not a generic template
Improve sleep quality through nutrition and lifestyle adjustments
What conditions can holistic nutrition help treat?
Dr. Jane Shou, ND commonly supports patients dealing with:
- 5Acne/skin conditions
- 5Cravings
- 5Depression/mood/happiness
- 5Detoxification
- 5Dietary changes/food allergies
- 5Hormone issues
- 5Low energy / fatigue
- 5Sleep problems
- 5Weight loss
How Dr. Jane Shou, ND Approaches Nutrition
A GP nutrition referral usually means one appointment and a handout. That’s a starting point — but it doesn’t go far enough for most people dealing with chronic symptoms, digestive issues, or hormonal concerns.
Dr. Shou’s first visit with you is different. She does a full intake: your health history, how you sleep, how you digest, what stress looks like in your day-to-day, and what you’re currently eating. From there, she may order lab work directly. Licensed NDs in Ontario can order tests — including nutrient levels, inflammation markers, hormone panels, and food sensitivity responses. That means your plan is built on your actual results, not general advice.
You’ll often be asked to keep a food journal early in your care. What you eat matters — but so does when you eat and how you feel afterward. The timing of your first meal, the gap between meals, and what you eat in the evening can all affect your blood sugar, energy, and sleep. These details shape the plan.
Your plan isn’t static. Dr. Shou builds in follow-up appointments to review how things are going and adjust as needed. Where it makes sense, she may also bring in other parts of her naturopathic training — herbal medicine, acupuncture, or lifestyle support — so nutrition isn’t treated in isolation.
Most extended health plans in Ontario cover ND visits, including nutrition-focused appointments. Coverage varies by plan — check our Direct Billing page or call us before booking if you’re unsure.
Gut Health and Nutrition — Where Many Symptoms Begin
Bloating, irregular bowel movements, and ongoing digestive discomfort are some of the most common reasons people book a nutrition appointment. But gut health affects more than digestion.
Your gut and brain are in constant communication — which means what’s happening in your digestive system can show up as low mood, brain fog, low energy, or frequent illness.
Dr. Shou looks at the gut microbiome — the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that help you digest food, manage inflammation, and stay resilient.
Chronic stress, antibiotics, processed food, and unidentified food sensitivities can all throw this balance off. The goal isn’t to mask the symptoms. It’s to find out what disrupted the balance in the first place.
Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut, and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) respond well to nutritional intervention when it’s guided by proper assessment.
Leaky gut means the gut lining has become more permeable than it should be — allowing particles to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout the body. Dr. Shou’s approach addresses this with a targeted plan specific to your presentation, not a generic elimination diet.
Nutrition for Hormonal Health
Hormonal issues don’t always feel hormonal. They often show up as exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix, weight that won’t shift, irregular periods, skin flare-ups, or just a general sense that something is off. These patterns are common in PCOS, perimenopause and menopause, hypothyroidism, and adrenal fatigue. All of them have a strong connection to what you eat.
With PCOS, insulin resistance is often at the root. When blood sugar spikes and crashes repeatedly through the day, it drives the hormonal disruption that causes many PCOS symptoms. A diet built around steady blood sugar — enough protein, fibre, and healthy fat, fewer refined carbs — can make a real difference.
During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen drops. That affects mood, sleep, bone density, and heart health. Dr. Shou looks at how food choices can help buffer those changes — including phytoestrogens, anti-inflammatory foods, and specific nutrients based on your lab results.
Thyroid and adrenal function are often missed in conventional settings. Low levels of iodine, selenium, zinc, or B vitamins can impair how your thyroid produces hormones and how your body regulates cortisol. Dr. Shou assesses these connections directly — and builds a plan around your results, not a general protocol.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
Your first visit with Dr. Shou is a full intake appointment — typically 60 to 75 minutes. She’ll review your health history, current symptoms, digestion, sleep, stress, and eating habits. If lab work would help clarify the picture, she can order it directly. You leave with a clear sense of what’s driving your symptoms and what the plan looks like going forward.
Why choose Pillars of Wellness?
Holistic nutrition at Pillars of Wellness is delivered by Dr. Jane Shou, ND — not a registered holistic nutritionist. That distinction matters. As a licensed naturopathic doctor, Dr. Shou can order lab work directly, integrate nutrition with hormonal or digestive treatment, and bill through most extended health plans in Ontario.
It also means your nutrition care doesn’t exist in isolation. If your symptoms cross into pelvic health, mental wellness, or physical rehabilitation, those practitioners are here too — and they communicate. That’s what integrated care actually looks like in practice.
Flexibility and accommodation to make your appointment viable and fit to your schedule
Highly recommended for everyone who is looking for friendly, warm and very professional help in physiotherapy. Flexibility and accommodation to make your appointment viable and fit to your schedule. Warm, new and clean environment going very well together with informative and friendly, professional personnel. My therapy clinical notes, invoices and appointment reminders were also available on line and on time. Khizar, Nancy, Thank you.
Feeling better by the day. Thank you so much!
This is the first time I give a review. I cannot say enough about this clinic. They are really amazing. Friendly, great customer service and helped me with a condition I have for years. Feeling better by the day. Thank you so much!
I was very impressed by their customer service and professionalism
I recently used Pillars of Wellness services for my injuries. I was very impressed by their customer service and professionalism. The first time I came to do my assessment, the owner, the physiotherapist and the chiropractor sat with me to help me figure out the best way to feel better and faster. I spent 6 weeks with on-going treatment using different modalities. The end result was no more pain and I was able to move again!! Thank you so much for your help. I highly recommend this clinic to anyone.
Summing it up Pillars of Wellness is a well run top notch health clinic!
Lori and Laurent Pinci who run Pillars of Wellness along with their team are very professional and efficient. They make you feel welcome with a smile and kind words every time you walk through their doors. They truly care. We have not yet had the need to experience the many other services that Pillars of Wellness offers, but if we ever did, we definitely would not hesitate to use them.
I’m feeling very supported during my recovery….
On the advice of a friend, I reached out and booked a series of appointments with their occupational therapist, Lori; physiotherapist, Abida; and their naturopath, Dr. Galantai to help with recovering from a concussion. It has been an excellent experience! They are all incredible practitioners.
This is the first time I’ve ever experienced a longer term injury and their genuine, individualized care has really lessened my stress. I’m feeling very supported during my recovery and highly recommend their clinic. I credit my continual improvement to the holistic way I’m getting treatment for my symptoms and am very grateful.
I went to different clinics I finally found one worth going to.
Friendly, caring and professionals like nothing I have seen around Aldershot//Burlington. Attentive to the needs of their patients. They take the time to listen. Beautiful and well designed clinic that is extremely well maintained. I have had two car accidents in the last year and I went to different clinics I finally found one worth going to.
Before Your Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Is holistic nutrition at Pillars of Wellness covered by insurance?
Yes — nutrition visits with Dr. Jane Shou are billed as naturopathic care, which most extended health plans in Ontario cover. How much you’re covered for depends on your plan. We recommend checking your ND coverage before booking. We offer direct billing through Telus Health — see our Direct Billing page for details.
What’s the difference between a holistic nutritionist and a naturopathic doctor for nutrition?
A registered holistic nutritionist (RHN) focuses on food and lifestyle guidance. A naturopathic doctor has a broader clinical scope. In Ontario, NDs can order lab tests directly, prescribe supplements, and connect nutrition to a wider treatment plan — including herbal medicine, hormonal support, or acupuncture. At Pillars of Wellness, Dr. Jane Shou delivers nutrition care as part of her full ND practice. That means your plan is informed by lab results and integrated with the rest of your health picture.
How many sessions will I need?
Most patients start with an initial assessment, then two to four follow-up appointments over the first few months. The pace depends on what you’re dealing with and how your body responds. Dr. Shou builds check-ins into the process from the start — the plan adjusts as your results change, rather than being set once and left alone.
What happens during a first visit?
Your holistic nutritionist will review your diet, lifestyle, goals, and health history to create a customized plan with food, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations.
Is holistic nutrition right for everyone?
Yes — it’s suitable for anyone interested in improving overall wellness, addressing specific health concerns, or preventing future health issues with natural dietary strategies.
Can holistic nutrition be combined with other care?
Absolutely — it can work alongside other therapies like naturopathy, physiotherapy, counselling, and acupuncture as part of an integrated care plan.
