What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability, and very much like Traditional Chinese Medicine, naturopathic doctors (NDs) teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies’ ability to ward off and combat disease. One thing that naturopathic and Chinese medicine have in common – they believe that treating the whole person, as a unique individual, is essential for successful care.

Around the mid-twentieth century, naturopathic medicine all but disappeared, because of the popularity of surgery and drug treatments. However, today naturopathic medicine offers safe and effective natural therapies as a vital part of the health care systems of North America.

Basically, naturopathic physicians are trained in the art and science of natural healthcare at accredited medical colleges, and there are also integrative partnerships between conventional medical doctors and licensed NDs. A Naturopathic physician combines the wisdom of nature, like the Chinese, with modern science, by using traditional healing practices. Naturopathic medicine focuses on holistic, proactive prevention and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. and naturopathic physicians try to facilitate the body’s inherent ability to restore and maintain optimal health. Naturopaths identify and remove barriers to good health, and create a healing environment. Naturopathic physicians work in private practices, hospitals, clinics and community health centers. NDs practice throughout the United States and Canada. Qualified naturopathic physicians undergo rigorous training before they become licensed healthcare practitioners.

NDs treat all medical conditions and can provide both individual and family healthcare. Among the most common ailments they treat are allergies, chronic pain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, obesity, respiratory conditions, heart disease, fertility problems, menopause, adrenal fatigue, cancer, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. NDs can perform minor surgeries, such as removing cysts or stitching up superficial wounds. However, they do not practice major surgery. NDs are trained to utilize prescription drugs, although the emphasis of naturopathic medicine is the use of natural healing agents.

Naturopathic physicians pride themselves on treating the person, not their condition. They will often create comprehensive treatment plans blending modern medical science and traditional natural approaches to not only treat disease, but to also restore health in the person They typically believe that whatever your disease or condition may be, it is a manifestation of underlying imbalances in the biochemistry of your body. Once they help determine these underlying imbalances, then they can help correct them.

Naturopaths will do a thorough consultation, review conventional test like blood work, pathology reports, and imaging, then conduct a physical/nutritional exam. Sometimes further testing is needed that might include salivary, fecal or urine analysis. Many physicians are even treating pre-diabetes using naturopathic medicine and herbs.

Naturopaths view symptoms as the language of the body, and it is their role to interpret your symptoms, and often times they note it is possible that several symptoms are unrelated, but it is also possible for themes to emerge from once single symptom complex. They look at the body as a whole but also examine its parts. While the conventional medical profession has divided the body neatly into areas of expertise, naturopaths see the body ultimately working as one functioning unit, and they believe that there is not a single process in the human body that takes place in isolation.

Today, healthcare is globally of primary concern, and more and more people are recovering their health by adding both naturopathic medicine and Chinese medicine to their health care options. Multicultural health and complementary medicine are taking hold, and care givers are treating illnesses preventatively, proactively assisting their patients achieve better health. The healing powers of Eastern medicine are now being used in conjunction with Western techniques, and there’s proof that it can help patients live healthier lives, with less pain and disease.