What is Naturopathy or Naturopathic Medicine?
Intro: The name defines itself. “Pathos” means suffering, so naturopathic means treating with natural modalities. I am trained to diagnose, treat, and refer like a medical doctor, but look at the “whole” person to determine what is causing illness. This can include physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual aspects in a person’s life.
Licensure: Currently I have one more year left in this program before I receive my 4-year medical degree in naturopathic medicine. There are currently 5 accredited naturopathic medical schools in the United States. Illinois is currently undergoing the process of naturopathic licensure.
Requirements for Naturopathic school: These are very similar to those of a medical doctor where the first two years are almost identical including the same basic sciences and diagnostics, such as full-dissection anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, clinical and physical diagnosis, lab and x-ray.
Philosophical Differences: A lot of people think that what distinguishes us are the therapies that we use as naturopathic doctors. However, even more important is the difference in philosophy. Below are the philosophical principles utilized.
- I treat individuals, not their diagnosis – We don’t have protocols for specific diseases. As unique as we are in our genetics, our life experiences, our mental and emotional styles, such as what stresses us and what makes us happy, our lifestyles such as diet, exercise, amount of sleep, in our health histories, injuries, illnesses, etc. We are unique in how we go out of balance and what it takes for us to get back into balance.
- I treat holistically: The physical, mental, emotional and spiritual are one, absolutely, inextricably an integrated whole. If it’s happening in the heart and mind, it is happening in the body and vice versa. It is often not the “straw that breaks the camel’s back,” as it is the whole load of things are occurring to the individual. So you will find that I ask a WIDE variety of questions, not only about your body, but all aspects of your life.
- I treat underlying imbalances: I don’t want to stop the symptoms but rather address the underlying imbalances that are causing the symptoms. If you take medication that stops the pain, but does not deal with the cause of the pain, you haven’t gotten very far. I want to restore function, not replace function
- I look to support the natural healing process: We have a phenomenal, innate capacity to heal. Whether you experience an acute injury, catching a cold, or severe emotional trauma, we can bounce back to a healthy balance. If there is something that blocking or obstructing that process, I remove the obstacle or if a deficiency is present, I nourish that deficiency until the innate wisdom of healing will happen.
Therapies of Naturopathic Medicine: Basically any type of natural therapy you’ve ever heard about
- Homeopathy – Botanical medicines, minerals, and other plants that are made into extremely small doses. These small doses have very deep and permanent effects on the body’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
- Botanical medicine – using both Western (herbs native to the U.S.) and Eastern (herbs native to Asia) to help heal weakened organs or glandular functions.
- Nutrition – supplement a person’s dietary deficiency through vitamins, minerals, and micro-minerals or to enhance specific organ-system function in the body.
- Lifestyle modification – help the individual to recognize and change behaviors or actions that hinder/block a person’s ability to heal completely.
- Minor Surgery, Obstetrics, Pharmacology/Drugs Therapy: given the legal situation in Illinois, these therapies I will NOT offer until licensure has become officially recognized in Illinois.