Du (pronounced “Yo”) La is co-owner and co-founder of Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine.
Du is a licensed naturopathic doctor, registered Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and acupuncturist, and one of the most experienced naturopathic birth doulas (professional birth assistant) in Canada.
Du has been practicing naturopathic medicine for over 15 years, and has a particular expertise in treatment of:
- Children’s health and paediatrics
- Women’s health and hormonal health
- Infertility, natural fertility and pregnancy optimization
- High-risk pregnancy care
Du bridges evidence-based medicine with time-tested traditional approaches to health care.
As a working mother of two, she knows first hand the challenges parents face fostering healthy habits, in their own lives, as well as the lives of their children. She offers naturopathic care to families, helping parents establish strong foundations, and implement effective long-term frameworks for improving and supporting whole family health.
Du is an extensive experience helping women establish hormonal balance at every age and stage of the lifecycle.
She has devoted her career to helping women and couples achieve optimal pregnancy health, and has assisted many women and men in the resolution of their fertility challenges.
As a birth doula, Du has helped over 250 women and their families birth calmly and with confidence, at home, the Toronto Birth Centre, and hospitals throughout Ontario. She has experience collaborating with midwives, obstetricians and family physicians to ensure a positive birth experience. Du has extensive experience guiding families through the process of natural childbirth, and in cases of high-risk pregnancies. She is a founding member of the Association of Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors and continues to mentor naturopathic doulas.
Du is a graduate of the University of Toronto (Human Biology and Physiology, 1998), the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (2002) and the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2006). She is certified in Bowen Therapy from Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia, mind/body medicine from the Mind/Body Medical Institute (an affiliate of the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education) and has completed training in medical herbalism. In 2000, she completed an acupuncture internship at the pediatric neurology clinic at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan.
Du enjoys experimenting in the kitchen with her two young daughters, Esmé and Anja, keeping active and spending time in nature. She makes time every day for mindfulness and to laugh, play and cook with her family. To get to know Du a bit better (and for healthy recipes), follow her in Instagram.
Naturopathic medicine and acupuncture treatments, and naturopathic birth doula services provided at Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine are covered by most extended healthcare plans.
Meet Du
- Du walks new parents through the process of introducing solids foods into their infant’s diet
- Mother-of two, Du offers three tips for keeping school lunches healthy
- Du explains what you can do in the early months of your newborn’s life to build lifelong bonds
- Du La explains why she loves being a dou-la
- Du offers advice on preventing mosquito bites, without toxic chemicals
