Phone 902-915-4435 Fax 833-313-7708
Phone 902-915-4435 Fax 833-313-7708
Dr. Melanie MacNeil is a family physician practicing in the Annapolis Valley. She has been living and practicing in Nova Scotia with her husband and 4 children since 2016. She graduated from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) in 2011 and completed her residency training in Family Medicine in 2013.
Dr. MacNeil decided to pursue further education in Obesity Medicine in order to treat the root cause of many chronic medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, polycystic ovarian syndrome/infertility and sleep apnea.
Dr. MacNeil has undergone extensive training in the evaluation and treatment of Obesity. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine which is the highest certification offered in Obesity Medicine. She is also a certified bariatric educator.
Obesity is a chronic relapsing, multi-factorial, neurobehavioral disease, wherein an increase in body fat promotes adipose tissue dysfunction and abnormal fat mass physical forces, resulting in adverse metabolic, biomechanical and psychosocial health consequences. (Obesity Medicine Association)
The complexity of obesity management as only recently been explored. In order to have a successful journey it is important to focus on several factors. These include nutrition, activity, sleep, stress, mood behavioural changes and possibly medication.
There is a rising tide of type 2 diabetes and complications of obesity in Nova Scotia. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are not due to problems with will power or moral failings. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are caused by changes in our food environment and social circumstances. They effect those who are genetically predisposed. They are not due to an individual’s fault. If we are offered the proper support and guidance, we can shift toward a healthy pattern of eating, improve sleep, increase fitness, and improve our metabolic health and quality of life. Our health care system needs to be reoriented in order to support patients in their journey toward wellness. This is the reason Valley Metabolic Health was born.
DIRECTOR – VALLEY METABOLIC HEALTH
Dr. Mindrum practices general internal medicine. He has in depth experience managing acute complications of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. He also has experience seeing first hand the profound impact a shift in lifestyle can have in improving these metabolic illnesses. He wishes to focus the next part of his career in prevention and enhancing patient well being. His interests are in metabolism, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and therapeutic nutrition. He is passionate about helping patients optimize their metabolic health with a “lifestyle first” approach, reducing medications when possible, and optimizing others in order to help patients achieve their goals. He graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed his residency training at the University of Hawaii, The University of Vermont, and Dalhousie University. He married Dr. Christa Mindrum, a family physician and Newfoundlander, which led to his migration north to Nova Scotia. He is a proud father of three beautiful children.