Autumn 2019 Featured Practitioner
Dr. Elena Fenske N.D.
Tonume's newest feature online is a fun Question and Answer with one of our practitioners/staff.
This month we feature one of our newest practitioners Dr. Elena Fenske, Naturopathic Doctor.
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Q: What are your favourite recreational activities?
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A: Swimming, gardening, meditation, reading, cooking and baking healthy and delicious recipes, dancing, rewatching Disney classics and reruns of Friends and the Office.
Q: What is your favourite Restaurant on the Drive?
A: Bandidas Taqueria - Hands Down!
Q: What type of music do you like to listen to and why?
A: I really enjoy listening to classics such as Abba, the Beatles, Miles Davis and Bob Marley on my record player because they bring back memories of my brother sharing his love and passion for music with me as we listened and danced to these records together
Q: What are your favourite travel destinations and why?
A: Iran would be my first choice because I get to see my beloved mother, aunt, brother and his little family as well as old school friends. Next on the list would be to visit Scotland and Ireland as I have fallen in love with the rich culture and history as well as breathtaking natural landscapes both of them have to offer
Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I wanted to be a doctor since I was 9 years old (I know so cliche). But in all seriousness, my biggest dream growing up was to serve with the Doctors Without Borders organization. So you can imagine my excitement to be fortunate enough to spend part of my summer volunteering as a student clinician in Natural Doctors International Organization in Nicaragua at the end of my first year of Naturopathic Medical School. I left a piece of my heart in that beautiful country, and I cannot wait to return as an ND to serve this community again in the near future.
Q: What got you interested in becoming a Naturopathic Doctor?
A: I have always been fascinated by the human body, and as a child used to spend a lot of time looking at my older brother's anatomy and physiology textbooks from his occupational therapy program. So, I didn't surprise anyone when I announced at the age of 9 that I was going to be a doctor. But it wasn't until I discovered naturopathic medicine, its 6 principles, and how it allows me to combine my interest in evidence-based scientific quest with passion for art of holistic healing that I knew exactly what type of doctor I wanted to be!
Q: What do you like most about being an Naturopath?
A: I love empowering my patients to feel in charge of their own health and wellness, and it is an absolute honour and privilege to watch them bloom and thrive as they reach their health goals.
Q: Are there any interesting results from treating a patient that stand out to you?
A: One of my favourite moments was finding out one of my patients was happily pregnant with her first child after we had worked together on regulating her hormones and reestablishing her menstrual cycle that were out of balance due to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) since her teen years.
Q: What conditions are you passionate about treating?
A: While I have a general family practice and welcome and see all patients and cases in my practice, I am passionate about helping patients optimize their mental health. My approach to each patient is holistic and individualized as each body is a unique and complex entity made up of interconnected systems that are constantly communicating with each other. As a result, while we work together on improving your mental health, we will also address and optimize gut health, hormonal imbalances, immune system dysfunction etc based on what symptoms and concerns you present with and your specific health goals.
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