Naturopathic Medicine

Founded upon a holistic philosophy, naturopathic medicine combines safe and effective traditional therapies with the most current advances in modern medicine. Naturopathic medicine is appropriate for the management of a broad range of health conditions affecting all people of all ages.

The practice of naturopathic medicine strongly emphasizes the use of clinical nutrition and nutritional supplementation. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) embrace the principle that whole and organic foods can be medicinal, an effective form of preventative and healing treatment. NDs, with their knowledge of physiology and biochemistry, work to educate their patients on how changes in diet can influence both the symptoms and the progression of many diseases. Naturopathic practices recognize that each individual person may have different nutritional and dietary needs. NDs will help patients create an individualized nutritional plan to help them reach their greatest potential for health. NDs will equip patients with information about general nutritional guidelines as well. Naturopathic dietary plans are not just about losing weight. They often emphasize adding certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are missing from the modern diet.

Lifestyle counseling is an important aspect of the naturopathic medicine approach. It uses the therapeutic relationship between doctor and patient to help the patient form and achieve goals towards a healthier lifestyle. NDs are trained to use active listening, empathy, and medical knowledge to assist with this. Goals for patients can include detoxification, weight loss, educational sessions, improved energy, and stress management. NDs help patients understand how mental attitudes, emotional states, environmental factors, and habits can affect their physical health. Lifestyle counseling sessions may prevent and change the progression of some types of diseases and ailments. Patients are taught how small changes in behaviors can help them feel better and enjoy life more fully.

Herbal medicine has been used by many cultures since the beginning of medicine. It is a medical system in which plants or extracts of plants are eaten or applied topically to assist in improving systems in the body. Many of today’s pharmaceutical drugs are still produced from plants, although they are altered or manufactured in different ways. Naturopathic medicine promotes using unchanged, natural forms of plants for receiving the most benefits and the fewest side effects.  Some herbs address certain problems while others are preventative measures. NDs help patients use herbs in a way to avoid negative side effects or unhealthy interactions between drugs.

We follow several foundational principles that guide their decision making processes when caring for patients.  Our team of practitioners commonly:

• Believe in the healing power of nature and the ability of people to self-heal. They focus on removing obstacles to help facilitate this natural process.
• Identify and treat causes, working to remove underlying problems, not just suppressing symptoms that return over time.
• Follow guidelines to “first do no harm” to patients. They use methods that minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
• View themselves as teachers as well as doctors, educating patients and encouraging them to take responsibility for their own health.
• Treat the entire person, taking into account physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual, and any other factors.