Helping people heal with science based natural medicine. Specializing in GI issues and exhaustion. I dove into my learning. It was a whole new world.
When I first graduated from my Nutrition degree out of University, I wasn’t really sure where I was headed. I knew I was passionate about nutrition and health but I wasn’t sure a nutritionist or dietitian was what I wanted to be. I thought they were too restrictive and the regulations stopped them from really being able to fully heal the whole person (nutrition is only one part of health) and although I did now know what was missing, I knew something was. I ended up finding a part time job working at a hospital as a clinical dietetic assistant and at the same time started a job as a nutritionist at a Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) Clinic. At that time, I had no idea what TCM was or knew anything about this whole ‘naturopathic’ world out there but I was a nutritionist and wanted to try my hands somewhere. I was excited to get a chance to see both options, working with a dietitian and as a nutritionist I could assess which avenue I wanted to pursue. Once I started, I was amazed at the difference, not in how different the 2 positions were but how different they were from their patients' health recovery perspectives. At the TCM clinic people were overjoyed with how much they had recovered, how they were arthritis free since for 10 years, 15 years since they were diagnosed as cancer free, cardiovascular diseases had reversed, a wall of pictures of babies from women labeled infertile by western medicine standards and tons of patients telling me just how lucky I was to get to work in such a healing center. I was amazed and baffled at the same time, what was going on here, what was this TCM and how was it healing so many people? I felt like a curtain was lifted and my life would never be the same again. This was it, this was the missing piece I had been searching for! I was finally seeing something that could heal the whole person, not just their symptoms. I started adopting some of the new dietary, herbal and lifestyle changes that I was learning and I started healing myself. Things that I never thought could go away like my dry patches of skin, the psoriasis that was starting to form on my face went away, my constant bloating and my lifelong struggle with constipation started reversing! I could think better, I had more energy and I just felt so much better! I knew I had to learn more and once I heard of at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and that I could learn not only about TCM but also about herbs, functional medicine, nutraceuticals, homeopathy and energy medicine, I knew I had to do it. I knew it would allow me to then be able to complete my learning and give me the ability to teach others what I had learned, to show people that there is another way! We can all fine tune our health and even though I had thought I was healthy before I started working at the TCM clinic, I know now I could have felt so much better, I just needed to add in some naturopathic touches.
10/24/2025
It’s almost the end of October — and believe it or not, my three kids (all in elementary school!) still haven’t been sick this fall.
No runny noses.
No fevers.
No missed school days.
And it’s not because I’ve been wiping everything down with antimicrobial sprays or making them wear masks everywhere.
It’s because we’ve focused on building their immune systems — not just shielding them from every germ out there.
Here’s what’s we've been doing:
🌿 Daily herbs – a few immune-supportive favorites like elderberry and echinacea.
☀️ Vitamin D – especially important as the days get shorter and darker.
🥗 Healthy, whole foods – less sugar, more colorful veggies and probiotic rich foods.
😴 Sleep – it sounds simple, but it’s a superpower for kids’ immune systems.
Supporting your immune system is a lifestyle — not a single product or pill. We buckle down end of Aug until after Halloween.
My kids do get sick, so do I but it's not often and it doesn't tend to linger as long as some. This may be coincidence or sheer luck, but behind the scenes I am focusing on immune support so believe what you want.
If you want to learn more about natural immune support for your family, I have an Immune Boosting Course I made with my colleague and partner in crime Hallie Armstrong. It's a great place to get started.
It’s almost the end of October — and believe it or not, my three kids (all in elementary school!) still haven’t been sick this fall.
No runny noses.
No fevers.
No missed school days.
And it’s not because I’ve been wiping everything down with antimicrobial sprays or making them wear masks everywhere.
It’s because we’ve focused on building their immune systems — not just shielding them from every germ out there.
Here’s what’s we've been doing:
🌿 Daily herbs – a few immune-supportive favorites like elderberry and echinacea.
☀️ Vitamin D – especially important as the days get shorter and darker.
🥗 Healthy, whole foods – less sugar, more colorful veggies and probiotic rich foods.
😴 Sleep – it sounds simple, but it’s a superpower for kids’ immune systems.
Supporting your immune system is a lifestyle — not a single product or pill. We buckle down end of Aug until after Halloween.
My kids do get sick, so do I but it's not often and it doesn't tend to linger as long as some. This may be coincidence or sheer luck, but behind the scenes I am focusing on immune support so believe what you want.
If you want to learn more about natural immune support for your family, I have an Immune Boosting Course I made with my colleague and partner in crime Hallie Armstrong. It's a great place to get started.
Learn the latest in immune boosting natural therapies from 2 Naturopathic Doctors. You will learn effective lifestyle techniques, key foods, herbs and nutrients as well as supplement recommendations that can help keep your immune system in tip-top shape.
09/26/2025
How to decrease your toxic load.
09/04/2025
🌿✨ Ready to Stay Healthy All Season Long? ✨🌿
Cold & flu season is here… but that doesn’t mean you have to spend it tired, run-down, or constantly sick.
My Immune Boosting Course gives you the tools, tips, and natural strategies you need to:
✅ Strengthen your immune system
✅ Recover faster from bugs
✅ Protect your whole family with natural support
💥 And for a limited time, you can grab it for 20% OFF — only until the end of the month! 💥
Don’t wait until sickness strikes — prevention is your best medicine. 🌸
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr. Tanya O'Brien ND posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
When I first graduated from my Nutrition degree out of University, I wasn’t really sure where I was headed. I knew I was passionate about nutrition and health but I wasn’t sure a nutritionist or dietitian was what I wanted to be. I thought they would be too restrictive and the regulations stopped them from really being able to fully heal the whole person (nutrition is only one part of health) and although I did now know what was missing, I knew something was.
I ended up finding a part time job working at a hospital as a clinical dietetic assistant and at the same time started a job as a nutritionist at a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Clinic. At that time, I had no idea what TCM was or knew anything about this whole ‘naturopathic’ world out there, but I was a nutritionist and wanted to try my hands somewhere. I was excited to get a chance to see both options, working with a dietitian and as a nutritionist I could assess which avenue I wanted to pursue.
Once I started, I was amazed at the difference, not in how different the 2 positions were but how different they were from their patients health recovery perspectives. At the TCM clinic people were overjoyed with how much they had recovered, how they were arthritis free for over 10 years, 15 years since they were diagnosed as cancer free, cardiovascular diseases had reversed, a wall of pictures of babies from women labeled ‘infertile’ by western medicine standards and tons of patients telling me just how lucky I was to get to work in such a healing center. I was amazed and baffled at the same time, what was going on here, what was this TCM and how was it healing so many people?
I felt like a curtain was lifted and my life would never be the same again. This was it, this was the missing piece I had been searching for! I dove into my learning. I was finally seeing something that could heal the whole person not just their symptoms. It was a whole new world. I started adopting some of the new dietary, herbal and lifestyle changes that I was learning and I started healing myself. Things that I never thought could go away like my dry patches of skin, the psoriasis that had started to form on my face went away, my constant bloating and my life long struggle with constipation started reversing! I could think better, I had more energy and I just felt so much better! I knew I had to learn more and once I heard of at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and that I could learn not only about TCM but also about herbs, functional medicine, nutraceuticals, homeopathy and energy medicine, I knew I had to do it. I knew it would allow me to then be able to complete my learning and give me the ability to teach others what I had learned, to show people that there is another way!
We can all fine tune our health and even though I had thought I was healthy before I started working at the TCM clinic, I know now I could have felt so much better, I just needed to add in some naturopathic touches.
