Just What is a Naturopath?
After 15 years of practice as a registered nurse and certified nurse midwife, I chose the path of naturopathy as the means that would lead to the greater good when assisting others in health. Ten years later, I am happy to say, I have no regrets in this chosen path as it has helped so many achieve a higher level of wellness, which has been rewarding on so many levels.
Naturopathic medicine stems form the principle that the human body has an incredible healing ability that can be tapped from within. Naturopathic doctor’s (NDs) help guide the individual through the healing process by teaching their patients to use diet and lifestyle changes to maximize health and prevent disease.
Naturopaths differ from medical doctors (MDs) in that their approach is whole body and preventative. Medical doctors tend to be system and organ specific. An example of this would be in the treatment of heartburn. When a patient goes to his or her doctor with complaints of heartburn, he or she is likely to be placed on antacids. The naturopathic approach would be to eliminate aggravating foods, replenish the body’s digestive abilities with enzymes and supplements that will promote healing. Most often, the aggravating factor is a diet gone wrong, not the lack of a pill. This is true for many medical conditions.
Naturopaths base their practice on six fundamental principles.
Let nature heal. By removing toxic foods and unhealthy practices, we can remove the barriers that prevent natural healing.
Identify and treat causes. Excellent results can be achieved by addressing the root cause and not the symptoms of illness.
Do no harm. Along with diet, most naturopaths use low risk procedures and healing modalities such as herbs and homeopathy, which have very few side effects. This is very important to note when commonly used medications are responsible for 106,000 deaths per year in America.
Educate. In my opinion, this is the most important role of the naturopath. If you can teach your patients how to avoid illness, the benefits will last a lifetime.
Treat the whole person. We are all made up of a variety of physical, mental, genetic, environmental, social, sexual and spiritual attributes. The combinations are infinite and no two individuals should be treated the same.
Prevent illness. Eight out of the top 10 causes of death in this country are preventable and even reversible—mostly through nutrition. A proactive, preventative approach to health would save billions of dollars as we would likely age gracefully, rather than succumb to a host of painful and crippling illnesses.
Naturopaths may incorporate a wide variety of modalities as tools to help accommodate the diversity of the human species.
Therapies such as acupuncture, applied kinesiology, herbalism, homeopathy, colon hydrotherapy, iridology and reflexology are often accompaniments to a naturopath’s practice. Sunshine, fresh air, pure water, heat and cold are often important prescriptions in natural healing. Psychological counseling is often necessary and modalities such as meditation, relaxation techniques and other forms of stress management are incorporated. Whole food nutrition is of the utmost importance in prevention and healing.
Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover the cost of the naturopathic visit. The average initial appointment is approximately one and a half hours in length. The average medical doctor visit is five to 10 minutes.
When it comes to taking a proactive approach to your quality and longevity, I highly recommend a visit with your local naturopath. It will prove worth every penny.
Naturopaths differ from medical doctors (MDs) in that their approach is whole body and preventative. Medical doctors tend to be system and organ specific. An example of this would be in the treatment of heartburn. When a patient goes to his or her doctor with complaints of heartburn, he or she is likely to be placed on antacids. The naturopathic approach would be to eliminate aggravating foods, replenish the body’s digestive abilities with enzymes and supplements that will promote healing. Most often, the aggravating factor is a diet gone wrong, not the lack of a pill. This is true for many medical conditions.
Naturopaths base their practice on six fundamental principles.
Let nature heal. By removing toxic foods and unhealthy practices, we can remove the barriers that prevent natural healing.
Identify and treat causes. Excellent results can be achieved by addressing the root cause and not the symptoms of illness.
Do no harm. Along with diet, most naturopaths use low risk procedures and healing modalities such as herbs and homeopathy, which have very few side effects. This is very important to note when commonly used medications are responsible for 106,000 deaths per year in America.
Educate. In my opinion, this is the most important role of the naturopath. If you can teach your patients how to avoid illness, the benefits will last a lifetime.
Treat the whole person. We are all made up of a variety of physical, mental, genetic, environmental, social, sexual and spiritual attributes. The combinations are infinite and no two individuals should be treated the same.
Prevent illness. Eight out of the top 10 causes of death in this country are preventable and even reversible—mostly through nutrition. A proactive, preventative approach to health would save billions of dollars as we would likely age gracefully, rather than succumb to a host of painful and crippling illnesses.
Naturopaths may incorporate a wide variety of modalities as tools to help accommodate the diversity of the human species.
Therapies such as acupuncture, applied kinesiology, herbalism, homeopathy, colon hydrotherapy, iridology and reflexology are often accompaniments to a naturopath’s practice. Sunshine, fresh air, pure water, heat and cold are often important prescriptions in natural healing. Psychological counseling is often necessary and modalities such as meditation, relaxation techniques and other forms of stress management are incorporated. Whole food nutrition is of the utmost importance in prevention and healing.Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover the cost of the naturopathic visit. The average initial appointment is approximately one and a half hours in length. The average medical doctor visit is five to 10 minutes.
When it comes to taking a proactive approach to your quality and longevity, I highly recommend a visit with your local naturopath. It will prove worth every penny.
