This I believe . . .
I believe health care solutions should be individualized
I believe that when time is taken to listen, solutions to any health challenge can be found.
I believe that when ‘i’ is replaced by ‘we’ even ‘illness’ becomes ‘wellness’
I believe there is hope, there are options and health can be restored.
I believe all of this is possible when we follow the principles of Naturopathic Medicine.
The Naturopathic Difference
Naturopathic doctors have a lot in common with conventional medical doctors when it comes to our training. So what makes me, a Naturopathic doctor, different? You may think I am different because I use natural substances like vitamins & herbs rather than pharmaceutical drugs, but anyone can use these substances. MDs are now prescribing fish oil & probiotics. You can now go to the drug store & purchase over-the-counter medications that once were only available with a prescription. No, it’s not about the tools. It’s about how they are applied. It is the philosophy that guides the treatment and it is the Naturopathic philosophy that makes Naturopathic doctors unique.
The practice of Naturopathic medicine is guided by 6 principles:
- DO NO HARM. This principle reminds me to use protocols that minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
- THE HEALING POWER OF NATURE. This principle reminds me that we all possess the unique ability to heal ourselves & my role as the doctor is to simply assist in the healing process.
- IDENTIFY & TREAT THE CAUSE. This principle reminds me to ask “why?” Why are you suffering with these symptoms? Signs and symptoms are how the body communicates with us that something is wrong or out of balance. If we simply manage the symptoms by suppressing them with medication then we are driving the problem elsewhere and sooner or later there will be consequences.
- TREAT THE WHOLE PERSON. You are not just a gall bladder or a kidney stone or an arthritic hip. You are not just a diabetic. You have a unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, sexual, & spiritual makeup. All of these factors contribute to your health and therefore must be considered when creating a wellness plan for you. So, this principle reminds me that the goal is individualized care rather than one-size-fits-all medicine.
- PREVENT DISEASE. This principle reminds me that my focus is on maintaining health. I believe health is a state of balance. It is a basic and dynamic force in our daily lives influenced by our nutrition, hormones, genetics, environment, our beliefs and our experiences.
- DOCTOR AS TEACHER. I think Kofi Annan phrased it so well when he said, “knowledge is power, information is liberating, and education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family and in every individual. I educate my patients on how to eat, how to relax, & how to nurture themselves physically and emotionally. I find that this approach is very empowering and encouraging to those who have been suffering.
Naturopathic medicine is a practice of medicine which emphasizes
- Prevention of disease
- Natural medicines
- Patient education
- Partnership with patients
- Long-lasting wellness
Naturopathic medicine utilizes the following:
- Clinical nutrition
- Botanical medicine
- Homeopathic medicine
- Diet & lifestyle counseling
- Hydrotherapy
- Biotherapeutic drainage & detoxification
- Mind/body medicine
- Biofeedback
- Home remedies
You are likely here right now because, you are also guided by the 6 principles of Naturopathic medicine as they relate to your health care. You are looking for treatments without side effects, treatments that are individualized, treatments that are natural, treatments that address the cause and not just the symptoms, treatments that will sustain health and prevent disease, and knowledge of those treatments so that you will feel empowered and motivated to make healthier choices in your life.
I have helped people with many issues including, but not limited to:
- Fatigue
- Adrenal dysfunctions
- GERD (reflux/heartburn), constipation, diarrhea
- IBS/IBD
- Anxiety/depression
- PMS
- Menopause
- PCOS
- Chronic yeast infections
- Fibroids
- Thyroid disease
- Insomnia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Headaches, Migraines
- Memory loss
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Skin issues like eczema & psoriasis
- Autoimmune diseases
- Pain
This is by no means a complete list of conditions that can be helped by Naturopathic medicine. Anyone can be helped with Naturopathic care. You don’t have to be sick to want to feel better.
