Healing Starts with You: Naturopathic Medicine, Mental Health & Leadership with Dr. Romi Raina, ND
In this special episode of Khurram Qureshi’s Podcast, Khurram sits down with Dr. Romi Raina, ND a naturopathic doctor born and raised in Canada, with deep South Asian roots and almost two decades of experience in practice.
What begins as a conversation about men’s mental health quickly grows into something much bigger: how faith and values shape a healer, why gut health and hormones matter so much, what “detox” really means, how social media can confuse people about health and how one doctor’s journey through science, the Canadian Armed Forces, anthropology and humanitarian work led him to naturopathic medicine.
This blog turns that rich, heartfelt conversation into a clear, easy to read story you can return to whenever you need the reminder that health is not just about fixing disease it’s about optimizing life.
Meet Dr. Romi Raina, ND Roots, Values and Calling
Dr. Romi was born in Canada and raised in the Durham Region, mainly Whitby and Ajax. His story, however, starts before he was born, with his parents’ journey. They left India and came to Canada with a simple but powerful intention: work hard, build a better life and give their children opportunities they never had.
Growing up in that environment meant living in a home filled with strong family values, South Asian culture and constant reminders to “give back” to the community that supported them. That sense of responsibility shaped him early.
From a young age, he knew that just making money would never be enough. Yes, bills needed to be paid, but he wanted to wake up in the morning for something more meaningful. As he puts it, he always wanted to be in a helping profession, not just chasing a paycheck. His work had to line up with his faith, his values and his sense of purpose.
Dr. Romi Raina, ND shares honest insights on naturopathic medicine, mental health and compassionate leadership
How Sikh Faith Guides His Work
Dr. Romi practices Sikhism and his approach to life and medicine is built on three core principles he was raised with: tell the truth, earn an honest living and always remember God. For him, these are not abstract spiritual ideas; they are practical instructions for how to live and work every day.
Helping people, being honest in his profession and remembering that there is something bigger than himself all naturally led him into healthcare. Becoming a naturopathic doctor became a way to live his faith in real time in how he treats patients, how he speaks and how he runs his practice.
A Deep Curiosity About People
Alongside his faith and family values, Dr. Romi has always been fascinated by people. He constantly found himself wondering why we are all so different, what shapes our personalities and decisions and what is really going on “behind the eyes” in the mind and heart.
We live among billions of people and yet no two people are exactly the same. He often reflects on how miraculous that is. That curiosity about human nature, combined with his desire to help, naturally pulled him toward healthcare – but he never wanted to reduce people to a label or diagnosis. He wanted a way of practicing medicine that sees the whole person.
Men’s Mental Health and South Asian Taboos
During the podcast, Khurram shares openly from his own experience. He has been in business for nearly 20 years and has seen clients at their best and at their worst. Over time, he has watched people crumble under stress, pressure and unspoken mental health struggles.
One client’s journey affected him deeply and forced him to rethink how serious mental health really is. It also brought forward a reality many South Asian families recognize but rarely talk about: men’s mental health is often pushed aside.
In many South Asian homes, men are taught to be “strong,” to hold everything in and to avoid showing vulnerability. Reaching out for help can feel shameful. The result is that many men suffer quietly, afraid of being judged, misunderstood, or seen as weak.
When Khurram raised this, Dr. Romi agreed completely. He explained that the more taboo a subject becomes, the more people feel like they’re the only one going through it. In reality, many men are wrestling with similar fears, anxieties and emotional pain.
Ignoring mental health does not make it disappear. Speaking up, asking for support and gently pushing back against cultural taboos is often the first real step toward healing. Simply saying “I’m not okay” can open the door to help, connection and hope.
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Social Media vs Real Health Advice
Another big topic in their conversation was the role of social media in health. Today, many people treat TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube as their main “doctor.” That worries Dr. Romi not because social media is all bad, but because it cannot replace real, individualized care.
He explained that a viral reel might reach hundreds of thousands or even millions of people, but your body, your health history, your stress level and your lifestyle are unique. What helps one person might be unhelpful or even harmful to someone else.
He also pointed out that social media is built for attention, not long term health. Most content is designed to grab clicks, entertain, or surprise, not to offer safe, nuanced guidance. Serious issues like depression, gut disease, hormonal imbalances, or chronic pain are often squeezed into a 30 second tip or a trendy sound.
When people rely only on those quick hits, they sometimes delay proper assessment and treatment. His message is clear and grounded: social media can give you ideas, but it cannot replace a qualified healthcare professional who knows your story and can think deeply about your case.
Healthcare vs Wellness vs Health Optimization
One of the most helpful parts of the podcast is when Dr. Romi breaks down the difference between healthcare, wellness and health optimization, three terms people often mix together.
Healthcare is what most of us think about when we say “I’m going to the doctor.” You seek healthcare when something is clearly wrong, you're in pain, you have recurring symptoms, or you’ve received a diagnosis. Migraines, chronic digestive issues, long term pain, insomnia, or extreme fatigue all fall into this category. The goal at this stage is simple: treat the problem and restore basic health.
Wellness is a bit different. A wellness patient is not necessarily “sick.” They might be mostly okay, with minor concerns here and there, but they are smart enough to know that health isn’t guaranteed. They want to protect what they have and avoid future problems. Wellness is about prevention, learning, guidance and long term planning.
In wellness care, Dr. Romi looks closely at things like diet, digestion, sleep quality, stress load, daily habits, nutrient levels and early risk factors for future disease. He often sums it up by saying that healthcare creates good health and wellness maintains and optimizes it.
Health optimization takes it even further. This is where the concept really clicks for people like Khurram. In his late 40s, he began to notice that his energy wasn’t what it used to be. Recovery from long days took longer. Focus dipped. Sleep didn’t always feel restorative. And yet, when he went to his doctor, he often heard that his numbers were “normal.”
This is where naturopathic medicine can make a huge difference. Health optimization is about asking, “If I’m at a 7 out of 10 right now, is it possible to feel like a 9 or 10?” It’s about refusing to settle for “you’re fine” when you don’t feel fine.
The same way businesses talk about search engine optimization or website speed optimization, Dr. Romi talks about optimizing health through science, lifestyle, nutrition, stress management and preventive testing. The goal is not just to avoid illness but to help people feel and function at their best.
Behind the scenes with Dr. Romi Raina, ND real conversations on naturopathic healing, mental health and leadership that remind us healing starts with you
How Naturopathic Medicine Works with Conventional Care
Throughout the conversation, one thing is very clear: Dr. Romi respects the conventional medical system deeply. He has worked in hospitals, alongside physicians and nurses and he understands how demanding that environment is. He gives full credit to family doctors and specialists for how they handle emergencies and serious conditions.
At the same time, he points out that the system is designed to put out “big fires.” Doctors often have only a few minutes with each patient and are forced to focus on what will keep someone out of the hospital.
But what about the “small sparks”? What about the person whose bloodwork is “normal” but who clearly doesn’t feel well? What about the person who isn’t in crisis yet but can feel things slipping?
This is where naturopathic medicine shines. It lives in that space between “you’re fine” and “you’re very sick.” Naturopathic care looks for early patterns, root causes and lifestyle factors. It connects the dots between gut health, hormones, sleep, stress, environment and emotional state.
The most powerful results often come when both systems work together instead of against each other. In practice, that means a naturopathic doctor can support digestion, inflammation, stress and lifestyle while a medical doctor manages medication, imaging, or urgent issues. It’s not about choosing one side; it’s about using the right tool at the right time.
The Winding Road to Naturopathic Medicine
Dr. Romi did not wake up one day and instantly decided to be a naturopathic doctor. His path moved through several stages, each adding another layer to his understanding of health and human beings.
He began by studying Life Sciences at McMaster University, drawn to the world of medicine and research. During this time, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist in the medical branch, training and working as a medic in clinics, ambulances and field settings.
He also joined McMaster’s Emergency First Response Team, responding to medical emergencies on campus. Because McMaster is a walking campus, his team sometimes reached patients before the ambulance did. This meant countless hours in hospitals and emergency rooms.
While he learned a lot, he also saw something that troubled him. Many patients were stuck in cycles of illness. Many healthcare workers looked exhausted and discouraged. One day, sitting in an emergency area, he quietly asked himself if this was the kind of environment he wanted to work in for the rest of his life. His honest answer was no.
After finishing his science degree, he shifted focus and studied Anthropology, the study of human beings, culture and society. Life sciences had taught him about the physical body; anthropology showed him beliefs, traditions and social structures. He loved it so much that he rarely missed a class and often reread material simply because it was fascinating.
Through a group called Global Youth Network, he joined humanitarian trips to Brazil and Guatemala. There, he used his medic skills to offer basic healthcare and wound care, often walking the streets at night to serve people living with very little.
What struck him was how many families had fewer possessions than those in Canada, yet seemed richer in other ways. They had fresh food, community gardens, close family bonds and a sense of shared life. He realized that “standard of living” is not just about income or square footage. Sometimes, people with less money are healthier and happier in other dimensions.
When he returned from Guatemala, a childhood friend called and told him about a naturopathic medicine college. That friend was already enrolled and said, “Romi, this program is made for you. You have to look at it.”
Curious, he read through the principles of naturopathic medicine: treat the whole person, support the body’s natural healing, look for root causes, use natural therapies and lifestyle first when appropriate and remember that “doctor” also means “teacher.” It was like all the pieces of his life science, faith, curiosity about people, humanitarian work suddenly came together. That was the doorway into the career he still loves today.
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Plants, Pharma and a Powerful “Aha”
Early in naturopathic school, he had one day that confirmed his decision. In the morning, he attended a pharmacology lecture, where he learned about medications that have one or two main uses but long lists of possible side effects. He remembers seeing slides with 15 to 30 potential reactions and thinking about how carefully these tools must be used, because a drug might help one problem but trigger several new ones.
Later that same day, he went to a botanical medicine class. The pattern flipped. Many herbs had eight, ten, or more potential benefits with only a small handful of mild or manageable side effects.
He didn’t walk away thinking, “Medicine is bad and herbs are good.” Instead, he understood that each has its place. Sometimes a drug is exactly what a person needs. Sometimes a plant based therapy is safer and more supportive. The key is not blind belief in one side, but intelligent use of all the tools available.
That mindset of respect for both science and nature and a refusal to practice “belief based medicine” still guides him today.
Life as a Canadian Forces Medic and Leader
Many people are surprised to hear that Dr. Romi spent 18 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist in the medical branch. For a university student, it meant one evening a week and one weekend a month during the school year and often full time work from May to August. It was a mix of adventure, discipline and very real medical training.
Even in peace time, soldiers get hurt. Broken bones, concussions, heat stroke, exposure injuries, infections and severe fatigue are all common during training exercises. In field environments, ambulances and medical tents become mobile clinics where medics stabilize injured soldiers and decide who needs to be moved to base hospitals.
In hospitals, he assisted physicians, gathered histories and helped examine patients. This gave him a wide view of real world health problems.
Over time, he rose to the rank of Warrant Officer, a senior non commissioned position that comes with serious leadership and responsibility. He often says that people thank him for his service, but he feels deep gratitude toward the Canadian Forces for the experiences, friendships and leadership skills they gave him. Those skills now show up in how he runs his clinic, guides his team and supports his patients.
Healthcare as a Ripple, Not a One Off
For Dr. Romi, healthcare is not just about one appointment or one person. He sees it as a ripple effect that begins with the individual, then moves to the family, the workplace, the community and ultimately the wider society.
When one person begins to heal, their choices, energy and mindset influence everyone around them. When a family becomes healthier, they can carry more together – emotionally and practically. He and Khurram started working together as practitioner and patient and over the time Khurram’s family also began seeing him. The impact continues to spread from there.
This ripple model is part of the vision behind Aspire Natural Health: small changes, consistently made, transforming lives over time.
A Different Kind of Patient Doctor Relationship
Most people know the standard experience of modern healthcare all too well: waiting rooms that feel endless, short appointments and a lingering sense that there wasn’t enough time to really explain what’s going on.
Patients who see Dr. Romi often describe something very different. He takes his time, listens fully and explains things in language people can actually understand. Established patients have direct email contact and in some cases he will personally pick up the phone when it matters.
In a world where people sometimes wait weeks just to get a short reply, this kind of accessibility feels rare. But for him, it’s part of the job. He believes that when patients feel heard and respected, healing becomes easier.
Dr. Romi Raina, ND engages in honest conversation on naturopathic medicine, mental health and leadership showing how healing and change begin with one courageous dialogue at a time
The Conditions He Sees Most Often
After nearly twenty years in practice, certain areas have become natural focuses in his work. One of the biggest is digestive and gut health. He regularly supports people with bloating, gas, cramps, reflux, IBS, food sensitivities, inflammatory bowel issues, leaky gut and stress triggered digestive symptoms. When needed, he uses advanced stool testing to look at bacterial balance, yeast overgrowth, inflammation markers and overall digestive function.
Another major focus is chronic inflammation, which sits quietly behind countless conditions, autoimmune diseases, aching joints, skin problems, fatigue, digestive disorders and even some hormonal issues. He explains that short term inflammation is the body’s healing response, but when it becomes chronic and uncontrolled, it starts to damage tissues. The gut is often at the centre of this story, especially when the intestinal barrier is compromised and unwanted substances leak into the bloodstream.
He also works extensively with hormonal health. Hormones influence energy, mood, weight, sleep, stress tolerance and immunity. Thyroid issues, cortisol imbalances, testosterone concerns, estrogen and progesterone shifts, PMS, menopausal symptoms and adrenal fatigue style pictures show up often in his clinic.
Cortisol, the main stress hormone, is a particular focus. When it is too high, people feel anxious, wired and restless. When it is too low, they feel exhausted, sore and unmotivated. The goal is not simply to lower or raise hormones, but to bring them back into healthy balance.
Watch Full Podcast of Dr. Romi Raina, ND here:
Detox: Beyond the Hype
“Detox” has become a buzzword, especially on social media. Many people imagine a juice cleanse or supplement kit and call it detox. Dr. Romi takes a very different view.
For him, detoxification is first about reducing exposure. That means looking at the chemicals and irritants a person is encountering every day through things like dryer sheets, cheap plastic shower curtains, old air filters, plastic bottles and canned food linings. If those exposures are not addressed, no supplement in the world can fully fix the problem.
He often reminds patients that you cannot detox in a meaningful way if your daily life is full of unrecognized triggers. For some people, especially those who are very unwell, aggressive detox protocols can actually be overwhelming and need to be approached very slowly or not at all.
His method is simple but powerful: clean up the environment, strengthen basic habits like sleep, hydration and movement and only then consider using targeted supplements when appropriate and safe.
A Remarkable Healing Story
One of the most powerful moments in the podcast is when he shares the story of a woman who came to his clinic after years of suffering. She had severe muscle burning, extremely low energy, colitis and lupus. Everyday tasks had become almost impossible. She would lie on the floor waiting for a kettle to boil because standing was too exhausting. Emotionally, she felt like her life was over.
She had seen multiple specialists and tried various medications but kept declining.
After a deep assessment and specialized stool testing, Dr. Romi found several kinds of yeast overgrowth, missing beneficial bacteria and clear signs of microbiome disruption.
With targeted antimicrobial treatment, carefully chosen probiotics, digestive support and lifestyle changes, her body began to respond. Within a month, she felt small but real improvements. Within six weeks, she started to feel like her old self again. Her energy returned, the burning pain resolved and she began hiking. One day she even beat her husband to the top of a hill, which had seemed impossible just weeks earlier.
Over time, her rheumatologist removed the lupus medication. Years later, she is still active and doing well.
For Dr. Romi, stories like this confirm his belief that healing happens in layers physical, emotional and spiritual and that when you treat the whole person rather than just a label, the results can be life changing.
Three Simple Habits That Change Everything
After seeing thousands of patients, he has noticed three simple habits that often separate those who age well from those who struggle earlier in life.
The first is regular movement. This doesn’t mean extreme workouts or punishing routines. It means consistent walking, light biking, stretching, hiking, or gentle activity. Our bodies were designed to move and when we stop moving, our health declines much faster.
The second is eating mostly whole foods. A healthy diet doesn’t have to be perfect. It simply means building meals around real, minimally processed food, limiting ultra processed items, enjoying treats now and then instead of all the time and paying attention to quality. One of his favourite lines is, “If it comes from a plant, eat it. If it’s made in a plant, don’t.”
The third is a strong social connection. People who live long, healthy lives nearly always have relationships where they feel safe, supported and able to laugh. Health is not just physical; it is mental, emotional and social.
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Boundaries, Screens and Emotional Resilience
We live in a world that can feel heavy: constant news updates, financial pressures, social comparison and the endless scroll of social media. All of this can overload the nervous system.
Dr. Romi often reminds people that we cannot pour from an empty cup. Rest is not laziness; it is maintenance. He encourages patients to limit screens, take breaks from negative news, create quiet pockets of time each day, laugh more and protect their mental space.
He points out that even when you think you’re “doing nothing,” you are often recharging for the next step. This is especially important for high achieving people who feel guilty when they slow down. In reality, rest is part of performance, not the opposite of it.
What Makes a Healer?
Toward the end of the episode, the conversation turns to the idea of a “healer.” Some people are doctors or therapists, but many healers are simply people in our lives who are good at listening, calming and supporting others.
Khurram shares that his brother often becomes that person for friends, the one they call when they need to talk. Dr. Romi agrees and explains that healing is not only about medicine or supplements. It is about connection: being heard, feeling understood and being able to tell your story without fear of judgment.
Human connection creates the emotional ground on which physical healing can take root.
A One Stop, Integrated Approach
One of the things Khurram admires about Dr. Romi is his ability to bridge worlds. He listens deeply to his patients, explains their situation clearly, uses natural therapies where appropriate and also works closely with the conventional medical system.
He helps patients understand their lab results, supports them in getting the right tests and referrals and designs treatment plans that safely combine medication with lifestyle and natural care.
Modern healthcare does not need more division or arguments about which system is “right.” It needs integration, humility and a focus on what truly helps the person in front of us.
How to Connect with Dr. Romi Raina, ND
If you feel a connection to this story and want to explore naturopathic care with Dr. Romi, you can find him at Aspire Natural Health. His clinic offers virtual appointments across Ontario and booking can be done directly through the website at aspirenaturalhealth.ca. The practice line is 647-291-8976 and patients can also join the clinic newsletter to receive regular articles and insights on gut health, hormones, stress and holistic wellness.
Final Thoughts: Healing Starts with You
As the conversation wraps up, Dr. Romi leaves listeners with a simple but powerful message: good health, long term wellness and a happier life are possible. You may need guidance, support and a plan, but you are not stuck.
The vision is much bigger than one podcast episode or one clinic. It is about healing individuals, strengthening families, uplifting communities and, in time, empowering society.
Canada and the world are facing real challenges. But as more people become healthy, resilient and grounded, the future becomes brighter.
If you are ready to feel heard, understood and supported in your health journey, reaching out to Aspire Natural Health might be that first important step forward.
Credits of the Podcast
Host: Khurram Qureshi
Guest: Dr. Romi Raina, ND
Camera: Mukarram
Editing: Mubeen
Finalize Editing: Shazil
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Written By: Khurram Qureshi
Founder & consultant of DigiPix Inc.
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About The Author
In 2006, Khurram Qureshi started DigiPix Inc. which started off as a design agency offering video editing to professional photography, video production & post production, website designs and 3D Animations and has now expanded towards online marketing and business consultancy. Khurram Qureshi also is a motivational figure and participates in local and international platforms. He also play a role in the local community development, helping local young minds get ready to enter the job market.