Get To Know Us - Dr. Almir Alicelebic
roots
I’m Bosnian, and I came to Toronto after the war in 1996 when I was 10 years old. I grew up in mid-Toronto and really came to love it here - I love all the green space and nature the city has, and I really feel this place is my home now. I also stayed in Toronto for my undergraduate degree and went to UofT, where I studied biology.
background
I did a lot of soul searching in undergrad - I was at UofT for 6 years. I started studying zoology because I love animals, but eventually I realized human connection is where I wanted to be.
I decided to do the fast track nursing program at U of T, and then I worked as a registered nurse for 11 years in emergency medicine. I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with other health care professionals, and learning about chronic disease and their complications. One of my most memorable moments was working up north on a reservation. I was there for almost 2 years, and I met some of the best people in health care who are still to this day my best friends.
I came back to Toronto, and through my kung fu and meditation training I became exposed to Naturopathic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I wanted to be in a position where I could use this skill set of meditation, deep breathing practices, and be able to teach it to patients as part of my primary scope, which naturopathic medicine allows, ahd this is one of the things I really love about it.
inspiration
Deep down I think naturopathic medicine fit for me because of my childhood. My family and I were very connected to nature, and before the war we had the luxury of being in nature every day and it’s really shaped me.
Also back home, it was very common to be exposed to both conventional medicine and traditional medicine. So I would go to my doctor to get my vaccines, maybe some antibiotics, and then I’d go home and my grandmother would give me some elderberry or yarrow tea that she’d get from the farm. For me, this is really the ideal image of a doctor - an individual who wants to connect to people, wants to connect to nature, who understands conventional medicine, but who also draws on traditional knowledge to reinforce that understanding.
There were other reasons I went into naturopathic medicine too - I really enjoyed the naturopathic model of care, it allows for us to spend a lot of time with our patients so we can understand all the possible root causes. I’ve noticed that chronic problems take a lot of time to fully understand, and naturopathic scope of practice is quite large, we have a lot of tools to work with, and we can take that time.
Also what I really enjoy is that naturopathic medicine has a very favorable safety profile, so it gives me peace of mind when I prescribe things that there usually won’t be any serious side effects if its the right remedy for the right diagnosis.
areas of focus
A couple of key themes that I like to address specifically are energy levels, fatigue, and stress because this is something most of us struggle with. My main goal is to help patients find where they’re disconnected from their natural rhythms.
Living in Toronto in particular, stress does impact us psychologically and physiologically, and our mood, energy, and how we feel physically can start to deteriorate. Often, where we start seeing deficits when it comes to stress and energy levels are sleep and digestive disturbances specifically.
This in turn messes with our hormonal and immune imbalance in both men and women. With every patient I like to look at the root cause of the condition, whether it’s a habit, a genetic cause, or a stressor.
unexpected
I am a bit of a dichotomy - even though I feel this pull towards nature and outdoor activities, I also love video games, I love tech. When I’m at home I’m basically on my computer a lot and it can be a struggle. I’ve learned a lot about how electronics and blue light can impact sleep cycles.
I also am a new father, I have a 6 month old daughter named Evie, and she’s hilarious. As a new parent, I’m hoping I can help her develop that same connection with nature that I had, but it’s much tougher for kids now these days because there’s so much information being thrown at them at such a young age. I think about these things all the time and I hope I do a good job!
If you want to learn more about Dr. Almir Alicelebic’s practice, click here.
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In support of your health,
Dr. Hayhlee Clarence & Dr. Alessia Milano