Optimal Health - NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre

NTO Rehab Offers Genuine Care In Your Wellbeing

Welcome to the NTO Rehab and Wellness Centre in the Heart of North York, located on Willowdale and Sheppard close to the Yonge/Sheppard TTC subway station.

At the NTO Wellness & Rehab Centre, our staff and therapists have several years experience in providing professional client services and rehabilitation services in preventive healthcare & illness in Canada. We specialize in providing professional services to patients that require extended healthcare (EHP), as well as to patients whom may have sustained injuries from motor vehicle accident (MVA) and work related injuries (WSIB).

Meet Some of Our Staff…

1. Genuine Care in your Well-being

Our front desk staff and specialists are really friendly and helpful. The specialist allows you to tell them more than one issue; they are attentive, understanding and caring to improving your health.

2. Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Rehab Specialists

Our services are available to anyone who has experienced minor to catastrophic injuries in a motor vehicle collision; Insurance companies, Lawyers/legal representatives, and Health care professionals often refer to our services.

3. Certified Professionals and Accredited Therapists

All of our therapists and staff are accredited and certified with the overriding professional associations.

4. Flexible and Extended Opening Hours

NTO Wellness & Rehab Centre is open on weekends and open late for your convenience on most weekdays so that you can drop in for a treatment on your way back from work.

5. Centrally Located at the Heart of North York in the Greater Toronto Area

North Toronto Wellness & Rehab Centre is located at the heart of North York on Willowdale just one block east of Yonge-Sheppard station. It is accessible by bus, TTC, car and on foot for your convenience. There is complimentary parking available on site for your added convenience.

Simplifying Premium Health Care & MVA Claims

Whether your insurance plan coverage is with Manulife Financial, Great West Life, Standard Life or Sun Life Financial – it is important to know what you are entitled to when it comes to your benefits.

NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre welcomes premium health insured clients and would encourage you to maximize the benefits offered to you from your employer.

Please do not hesitate to let us know how we can accommodate your premium health coverage and tailor a treatment plan that works best for you so that you can find the time to use your benefits.

As a corporate employee you have access to premium health insurance for some of those paramedical professional services that would otherwise be extremely expensive.

Having an extended health benefit plan with a company like Manulife Financial, Sun Life Financial or Desjardins enables the average person to be able to afford these proactive and paramedical health services.

The process for having electronic funds transfer set up directly to the insurance company or even claiming funds back right after the treatment of these proactive and medical services is pretty straight forward as long as you ensure that the paramedical service you are about to receive or received is covered.

What is covered and at what percentage is covered can be found in your corporate benefits handbook – so be sure to review this handbook before you book that appointment with NTO Wellness and Rehab if you plan on claiming back using your premium or extended health coverage plan with any of the companies listed above.

LET US HELP YOU IN DEALING WITH YOUR MVA CLAIM

Now in the case of the insurance plan you may have with your Auto Insurance Company for motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), personal injury as a result of an accident leading to short disability, the process becomes a little bit trickier. Between the MVA claims officer, adjustor and your need for medical help, not to mention the pain and discomfort you may be facing due to the motor vehicle accident (MVA) – we understand that this can be extremely stressful, difficult and frustrating.

NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre can assist you with this otherwise stressful and emotional taxing process so that you may still receive the rehab and recovery treatment your body needs as you need it from NTO Wellness & Rehab, as our Frontdesk Staff bring over 5 years of experience in effectively dealing with MVA cases.

In Ontario, according to The Insurance Act, cost for medical rehabilitation care due to car accident will be covered by insurance company either through Auto Insurance or Extended Health Care Insurance if applicable. At NTO Wellness & Rehab Centre, our experienced administration team will assist patients and offer services in direct billing and handling complicated paper work through insurance company.

Completion of insurance forms:

OCF 1
OCF 3
OCF 18
OCF 23, 24

NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre is also in partnership with group of specialists offer additional services for car accident victims:

Home Site Assessment
Job Site Assessment
Psychological Assessment and Driver re-integration
Functional Capacity Evaluation
Work Conditioning/Hardening Programs

True or false? Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar

A lot of people will be surprised to learn that the above statement is FALSE!

According to Joanne Pun, Registered Dietitian at NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre, most people don’t know that brown sugar is made by simply adding molasses (a type of syrup) to white sugar to give it that nice, golden brown colour. Molasses does not contain any important nutrients for our body therefore brown sugar is not actually healthier for us. Consumers have been taught that usually brown coloured foods such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, whole grain rice etc is healthier.

However, in this case of brown sugar vs white sugar, brown sugar is not the healthier choice.

The only difference between white sugar and brown sugar is the taste. Brown sugar has a slightly richer taste that some people prefer . In terms of nutrition, brown and white sugar are the same.

What about honey? Honey contains very small amounts of some vitamins and minerals such as zinc, selenium and B vitamins but it is in such small amounts that it can be considered negligible.

Keep in mind that honey is still sugar. Our bodies will react to it in a very similar way as white/brown sugar.

When we have too much sugar in our body, it will be stored as excess fat and lead to problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart problems. Honey also has slightly more calories – approximately 20 calories per teaspoon compared to 16 calories per teaspoon of white/brown sugar.

Bottom line: white sugar, brown sugar and honey are all nutritionally very similar. When eaten in excess, it can cause obesity, diabetes and heart problems. The only difference between white sugar, brown sugar and honey is a matter of taste and personal preference.

Still have questions? Speak to our Registered Dietitian on your next visit to NTO Wellness and Rehab.

Should I take a vitamin or mineral supplement?

Joanne Pun, Registered Dietitian at NTO Wellness and Rehab provides her professional advice on whether to take a vitamin or mineral supplement.

When you take a walk down the supplement aisle at your local pharmacy, you may wonder whether you are getting the nutrients you need after seeing rows of supplements available. The simple answer is: if you are eating a well-balanced diet that includes all four food groups (vegetables & fruit, whole grains, milk & alternatives, meat & alternatives), you probably do not need any additional supplementation.

However, there are a few groups of people that may benefit from taking a supplement. Vegetarians may need to consider an iron or vitamin B12 supplement if their diet is not well-planned. Older adults may also benefit from including a calcium, iron or vitamin B12 supplement as the absorption of some of these vitamins and minerals decreases as we age. It is also recommended by Health Canada that anyone over the age of 50 include a vitamin D supplement of 400IU (international units) daily as vitamin D is needed for optimal bone health and is not commonly found in food. People that are very picky eaters and avoid many different foods, may benefit from a daily multivitamin Also, if your family doctor has done blood work on you and determined you are deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral, it may be recommended for you to consider taking certain supplements.

Many people who exercise consider taking protein supplementation such as protein powder. Our body has a maximum limit on how much protein we absorb. Any extra protein supplementation is filtered through the kidney and passed in urine. Excessive protein can also cause strain and damage on the kidneys. Most people have enough protein in their diet already therefore it is much healthier and safer to include food sources of protein such as a cup of milk or yogurt after a workout instead of relying on protein powder.

Bottom line: Vitamin/mineral supplements are usually not needed for most people. Excess supplementation can actually cause harm on our body such as damage to the kidneys or increase the risks of some cancers. A diet that includes all food groups and various colourful vegetables and fruits everyday ensures adequate vitamins and minerals.

If you are concerned your diet is lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, book an appointment to speak to our Registered Dietitian on your next visit to NTO Wellness and Rehab.

What kind of oil should I use in cooking?

Joanne Pun, Registered Dietitian at NTO Wellness and Rehab provides her professional advice on what kind of oil you should use for cooking.

There are many different types of cooking oils popular on the market – coconut, vegetable, olive, avocado, just to name a few. So, which oil is best? When we are choosing which type of oil to use, we mainly have to look at 2 factors.

Factor #1: proportion of unsaturated/saturated fat.

Saturated fat is known as the “bad fat” – it raises your LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides (type of fat in your blood). When we have too much LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides in our blood, it can cause blockages in our hearts and brains, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Unsaturated fat, is a healthier fat because it helps lower “bad cholesterol”.

All cooking oils have varying proportions of unsaturated/saturated fat. Oils that have a high proportion of saturated fat (bad fat) include butter, lard, coconut and palm oil. Try to choose ones with a higher proportion of unsaturated fat (healthy fats). Some popular oils include – avocado, sunflower, canola, grapeseed, olive and vegetable.

Factor #2: smoke point

Smoke point is the temperature that causes the oil to smoke, making toxic fumes and cancer-causing agents. Different oils have different smoking points based on their chemical structure. This means that some oils are more suitable for cooking at higher temperatures (e.g. searing, browning) compared to others.

When using for:

– searing/browning, choose: avocado, sunflower, almond

– baking/stir-frying, choose: canola, grapeseed, extra-virgin olive

– light sautéing, choose: corn, sesame

– dressing/dips/marinades, choose: flaxseed, olive

Keep in mind that oil is still fat and can cause weight gain when eaten in excess. Therefore, even if an oil is a good source of unsaturated (healthy) fat, it should be used in moderation. Having too many different types of oils in your kitchen is not recommended. When oils are in your cupboard for a long time, they can be ruined by heat, light and air. It is best to just choose 1-2 different types.

I heard coconut oil is good for me. Is this true? In recent years, coconut oil has gained tremendous popularity from claims of improving health such as helping to burn fat, prevent infections and lowering risk of Alzheimer’s. However, these claims are based on very small clinical studies which means the benefits may not apply to everyone. Coconut oil is made of almost 90% saturated fat. It has been extensively studied and proven that a diet lower in saturated (bad) fat and higher in unsaturated (good) fat is best for heart health. Therefore, it is not recommended at this time to include large amounts of coconut oil in our diet.

If you have further questions about what oil to cook with, book an appointment to speak to our Registered Dietitian on your next visit to NTO Wellness and Rehab.

Athletic Therapy advice from NTO Rehab

Recognizing Acute Musculoskeletal Injuries

At NTO Wellness and Rehab our very own Registered Massage Therapist and Certified Athletic Therapist, Christine Mo would like to share some advice on recognizing acute musculoskeletal injuries in your daily lives, whether you are an athlete planning to run a marathon this weekend or somebody that has difficulty performing day-to-day tasks such as walking to the bus stop and/or lifting heavy groceries.

Christine Mo -HBSc, CAT(C), RMT, ATC, CSCS, CPT

Musculoskeletal injuries are any damage done to the muscles, bones, joints, tendons and other soft tissue. They can be anything ranging from a “Charley Horse” in the calf to a broken bone in the arm. Acute musculoskeletal injuries usually happen following sudden onset of accidents, for example, a slip and fall, a car accident, a hard blow in hockey or a wrongful landing from a jump.

In acute injuries, symptoms of inflammation are often present. Pain, obviously, is one of the most recognizable one. If the pain is so severe that you cannot move or bear weight, do not force the movement. You might have suffered a broken bone or a severe sprain or strain. In this case, stay where you are, and wait for help from a trained emergency care professional.

If you are able to move, bear weight and even walk, it usually means the injury you sustained is not worth a trip to the hospital. However, it does not mean there is no need for care. Although rare, some serious injuries can be hidden, and can only be found out after a thorough assessment by trained healthcare professionals.

Furthermore, trained healthcare professionals are able to provide appropriate treatment to your injury so it heals faster without any compensatory complications.

If you suspect that you may be experiencing musculoskeletal pain of any kind in your day-to-day activity, please do not hesitate to let one of the healthcare professionals or front desk staff know at NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre.

In my next blog I will be introducing the different types of professionals you can see for an acute musculoskeletal injury and the self treatment can be done while you’re looking for your therapist.

Heat or Ice? The Ongoing Debate

At NTO Wellness and Rehab our very own Registered Physiotherapist Leo Wan would like to share some advice on one of the most common questions he often gets asked at the clinic: Heat or Ice? The Ongoing Debate.

The question I get asked most in at the NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre, ” Should I apply heat or ice when I have pain?”

Honestly, we don’t blame patients for asking this question because this has been an ongoing debate, even in the health community. Heat is generally used to promote more circulation to an
injured area, providing it with more nutrients and oxygen to aide in healing. The warmth can help to alleviate pain, relax muscles, decrease muscle spasms and increase range of motion of the
affected joint. Ice, on the other hand helps to decrease circulation to the area, thereby reducing swelling, inflammation and pain.

So what is the big difference between the two? Simply put, heat will increase circulation and ice will decrease circulation. Both modalities are useful and effective only if used at the right timing in
the course of your injury. Therefore, the biggest question is “when”. Here are some general guidelines on when to use ice or heat.

When to use Ice?

You should use ice within 24 to 48 hours after an injury. It is not recommended to ice after this time frame as it may delay healing of the injured tissues. The main goal of icing at this time is to
help reduce or prevent excess swelling that may occur during your body’s inflammatory response to the injury. You may use ice again if you reaggravated the injured area and caused more
swelling. Ice should be applied for no more than 20 minutes and you should wait an hour before reapplying it again.

When to use Heat?

After the initial 48 hours after an injury, you may start to use heat. The main goal of heating at this point is to bring more blood to the area to stimulate healing of the damaged tissues. You can
also use heat if you are suffering from muscle spasms, chronic injury and joint or muscle stiffness. Heat should be applied for no more than 20 minutes and you should wait an hour before reapplying it again.

If you are unsure about the nature of your injury or have any doubt as to whether to apply heat or ice to an injury, you should contact your health care provider for more information. Feel free to bring up this question of Heat or Ice the next time you see me at the NTO Wellness and Rehab Centre.