You Deserve A Trusted Second Opinion
When it comes to your health, you deserve the best!
Our Eastern Shore Clinic is now open! Click the button below to schedule a free 15 minute consultation.
“Almost half, 45% of Canadians live with major chronic disease and 1 in 12 have three or more chronic conditions.”
- Stats Can
You’ve been told it’s all in your head?
Can feel invalidating, overwhelming and helpless when you are not given all the information and all the options that should be available to you.
Result Based Solutions
We work together to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique individual needs.
Detailed Blood Work & Lab Testing
Comprehensive Assessments
Evidenced-Based Natural Approach
Detailed Gut Microbiome Testing
Detailed Hormone Testing
Uncertainty about timely access to healthcare can cause uneccesary stress and anxiety for you and your family.
“The total wait time for medically necessary care in Nova Scotia is 56.7 weeks, the longest in Canada.
Wait for medical care in Nova Scotia cost patients $416 million in lost wages.”
“These waits cost the average patient in several different ways, be it through taxes, the pain and anxiety of waiting for health care, lost time with family and friends, and forgone wages from not being able to work.”
- Fraser Institute
Unrealistically long wait times.
You deserve to be treated with respect
We believe that health is a fundamental human right. You deserve to be seen in a timely matter, be heard and be given options so you can make the best decisions for your health.
One Complaint per visit at a time?
Is frustrating when like most Canadians, you have more than one chronic health issue at the same time. Especially when those health concerns are interconnected.
Take Control of Your Health
Holistic and individualized care means we spend more time with you to listen and understand your unique needs. Our sessions typically lasts from a convenient 15 minute check up to a 90 minute deep investigation of your health. We see you as a whole individual and not a sum of parts.
I hear patients tell me these everyday which is why I created the highly effective Mind, Body and Soul (MBS) technique to integrate the many complex aspects of the human experience of health in a hollistic way.
-
Mind
Our approach takes into consideration the importance of your mental and emotional health. The impact your chronic illness have on you and your loved ones.
We ensure that our care is trauma informed, inclusive and informed on the intersection of challenges certain groups of people face based on their race, culture, gender, religion and ability.
-
Body
Treat your body as a temple is our motto. Here is how we approach our care:
Personalized Care-plans
Detailed Lab Testing
Comprehensive Assessments
Evidenced-Based Natural Approach
Nutrition
Sleep Health
Exercise
-
Soul
Healing the body and mind starts with healing the spirit. When we are faced with adversity, such as a recent diagnosis of chronic illness, we are often required to grieve our old self and reshape who we are and what gives life meaning. It is possible to live a healthy and meaningful life no matter where you are in your health journey.
Evidence based 3 steps approach
makes personalized health care simple and easy
Here is a step by step guide on our signature 3 phase approach
Step 1
Initial Assessment
On your first visit, we will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your health
Detailed review of systems
In-depth head to toe physical exam
Review of labs and blood work. Please bring any current labs you have to your visit.
Review of medications, supplements, current treatment
Approximate Time: 2hrs
What to expect?
You will be sent home with more assessment forms such as diet diaries, diagnostic questionnaires, blood work that you require and any tests that you need, for example hormone testing, gut microbiome test kit, etc.
Step 2
Collaborative
Care Plan
Based on the information collected on the assessment phase, we will work together on a personalized care plan specific to your health needs.
This care plan is a collaboration and will include modiication in lifestyle, diet, exercise, supplements and even medications.
What to expect?
The implementation and integration of your care plan to your daily routine will take some time and active participation on your part.
The results you get will depend on the work you put in.
Expect to work closely with your practitioner for the first 6-8 months. About 8-10 follow up visits within the 6 months in order to establish long lasting results.
Step 3
Evaluation
After 6 - 8 months of implementing the careplan, we will re-measure some of the baseline data points we collected in the begining to evaluate the efficacy of our treatment.
Remember that your care plan adapts and changes to your needs.
The data collected will guide us on how to move forward with treatment, weather that means discontinuing treatment that is is no longer needed because your symptoms have subsided, or changing treatment to something more appropriate the the changes of your needs.
What to Expect:
After one year of working towards your health goals, we will periodically check in to ensure you are on track and/or work on new health goals you’ve established.
Dr. Castasus, ND has over 18 years of experience in Complex Chronic Illness and Mental Health. Prior to becoming a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Castasus worked as a Registered Nurse in Canada’s largest hospital for chronic diseases for over 10 years and have helped countless people heal through their chronic illness. Now as a Naturopathic Doctor, using the “Mind, Body and Soul (MBS) Technique”, Hiraya uses functional and integrative evidenced based personalized hollistic medicine in helping people with rare complex chronic illness regain their lives and live the life they truly deserve.
Peri-Menopause/Menopause
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
Autoimmune Disease
Digestive Health
Thyroid Health
Anxiety and depression
Chronic Pain
Cardiovascular Health
Weight Loss
Health optimization/bio hacking
Hiraya is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community and is informed on the intersectionality of BIPOC concerns.
Hiraya lives and practices in an idyllic seaside town in the Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia. On her free time, Hiraya loves to surf, volunteer helping animals and pole dance.
Hiraya is an active member of the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors (NSAND) and is the host, producer and editor of the Nova Scotia Naturopathic Podcast and newsletter for the association.
Dr. Castasus sits on the board of directors for the Deanery Project, a grassroots organization in the Eastern Shore a dynamic education and demonstration site for environmental sustainability, skills development, the arts, and community building
My Story
Nova Scotia Naturopathic Podcast
In collaboration with the Nova Scotia Association of Naturopathic Doctors, I host, edit and produce the Nova Scotia Naturopathic Podcast and write the newsletter segments. You can sign up at: https://www.nsand.ca/
Hiraya Health on YouTube
> 15000 Hours Watched
350 K Views
> 3K Subscribers
Research Based ASMR to help you re-connect your Body and Mind
If You’re Still Reading This, You Might be Saying:
Will it work for me?
Ask yourself, what hasn’t worked for you? If you are still asking then I encourage you to have an open mind to new approaches that you have never tried before.
I heard that Naturopathy is not scientific or evidenced based.
Naturopathic Doctors complete a minimum of 8 years of studies in post secondary education studying sciences such as biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, pathology immunology and pharmacology. They are then trained in diagnostics and conventional pharmaceutical and holistic natural integrative treatments for conditions commonly seen in primary care. In addition, Naturopathic Doctors are trained in holistic practices such as acupuncture, spinal adjustments, herbal medicine and holistic nutrition. Naturopathic Doctors are an integral part of primary care. They are trained to diagnose and treat most health conditions and in certain provinces can prescribe medications and perform minor surgeries.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)
-
Licensed Naturopathic Doctors in Canada and the U.S train for at least 4 years in a Naturopathic Medical College only after completing a 4 year baccalaureate degree and completing mandatory pre-medical sciences such as math, physics, biology and chemistry. After their studies, they acquire a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree. They then complete a series of board examinations both written and practical which could take up to a year to complete before they can apply for a license and practice as a Naturopathic Doctor.
In my case I completed a 5 year Bachelor’s of Science Nursing Degree, 1 year of pre-medical sciences not included in my nursing program such as chemistry and 6 years of studies in Naturopathic Medicine at an accredited Naturopathic College in Canada.
Similar to medical doctors, Accredited Naturopathic Medical programs cover 4 years of basic sciences such as biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, pathology, immunology, embryology, diagnostics and pharmacology in addition to alternative medical practices such as acupuncture, massage, hydrotherapy, naturopathic manipulation, physical medicine, homeopathy, botanical medicine, nutrition and lifestyle counselling. (We have about 10-12 courses per semester in the first 2 years which is more than any other medical program).
As a result Naturopathic Doctors are highly trained primary care providers that are able to diagnose, prescribe and treat medical conditions with respect to their legislation of their state or province in North America.
-
Like medical doctors, Naturopathic Doctors treat a wide array of medical conditions. Some prefer to be generalists, others prefer to focus on specific conditions.
I personally focus on hormone health and complex chronic diseases and health optimization.
I enjoy working with complex conditions which don’t have clear answers from conventional medicine such as sarcoidosis and other auto-immune conditions.
Conditions I often treat include but not limited to:
peri-menopause/menopause
fibromyalgia
chronic fatigue
anxiety
depression
chronic pain
digestive concerns
auto-immune conditions
weight management
-
Every individual is different. I work with patients intentionally for at least a year (10-12 visits) and see them after periodically to, maintain their health and work with their new health goals or Health is a journey and long term success cannot be rushed.
Visits typically are structured as such:
20 minute “Meet and Greet” - Here we see if we’re a good fit.
120 minute “Inital Assessment” - We go thoroughly over your health history, labs, current concerns and gather as much information we need to create a solid plan.
60-90 minute “Collaborative Health Strategy” (building your care plan) - We sit together and craft a specifically tailored plan and goals for your health and what are strategies we will utilize to achieve them.
60 minute “Evaluation” - Check in and evaluate if we are on track and make adjustments to the health strategy if need be.
30 minute “Maintenance Call” (make sure you are still on track and adjust the plan as needed)
30- 60 minute evaluation of “Key Performance Indicators” (lab work, assessment scores, quantifiable data such as blood pressure, imaging, blood work) and compare them with initial values.
30-60 minute “Strategic Refinement” - Taking care of other secondary or tertiary concerns that were not yet addressed after addressing the initial concern.
-
Sessions can last anywhere from 15 - 90 minutes as per our treatment strategy. I designed the Hiraya Health Care program with your schedule in mind. I want it to be as convenient yet thorough as possible to meet your demanding schedule.
-
Most private insurance cover Naturopathic Medical visits. However they are often not sufficient to cover the entire 10-12 visits required for us to work together in the first year to ensure we meet our long lasting health goals and maintain them. I tell my patients to be prepared to spend money out of pocket to cover the cost outside insurance coverage as well as lab testing and prescriptions. Your health is one of your greatest assets so looking at health as an investment is a great mindset to have.
-
Yes! Both options are available to residents of Nova Scotia, Canada.
-
YES!
I am currently only working in person with patients who reside in Nova Scotia and virtually with patients in Alberta Canada.
-
I am currently only working with patients who reside in Nova Scotia and Alberta Canada.
-
I am currently only working with patients who reside in Nova Scotia and Alberta Canada
-
No.
The models in my ASMR videos are not my patients. It is in my professional obligation to maintain privacy and confidentiality of all my patients. The models in the videos are actors and the videos are meant to be informational and be consumed for entertainment and relaxation purposes. It is not a substitute for medical advice or medical care. Having said that, yes you may contact me to be in the videos as a model but not as a patient.
Kick Start Your New You Today!
What are you waiting for?
This is your chance of a lifetime to finally create the life you truly want and deserve.
Let’s do it together!
Visit Our Clinic
6060 Highway 207, Seaforth, Nova Scotia