HOW CAN NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE BENEFIT MY CHILD?
Children respond very well to the low force, holistic approach of naturopathic medicine. Their bodies are very receptive to small changes. Naturopathic medical approaches can:
- Improve dietary habits and ensure proper utilization and digestive function
- Address possible food and environmental sensitivities and allergies
- Eliminate toxic exposures such as heavy metals and yeasts
- Utilize, if necessary, orthomolecular (the use of vitamin and minerals to correct imbalances) and botanical medicine to support and optimize health.
I apply the appropriate treatment to provoke a healing response with the least intervention
WHAT IS NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE?
Naturopathic medicine is an approach of health care encompassed by its philosophy, science, principles, and in its comprehensive practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Naturopathic medicine is not defined by the modalities or treatments used but rather by the principles and philosphy towards medicine which underlie and guide its practice. These principles include: the healing power of nature, find the cause, do no harm, treat the whole person, respect individual integrity, prevention, and doctor as teacher. In addition to these principles, naturopathic medicine is guided by a Therapeutic Order which determines the level of intervention that is appropriate to both the severity of illness and the vitality of the patient.
Naturopathic Principles:
- Healing Power of Nature
- Belief in the body’s unique ability to heal itself
- Do no Harm
- Use of low force modalities that produce the largest changes with the least force or intervention necessary to both diagnose illness and restore wellness.
- Prevention
- Preventing disease through lifestyle and nutrition
- and using naturopathic therapeutics to prevent minor illnesses from developing into more serious diseases.
- Find the Cause
- Find and treat the cause of illness instead of just treating symptoms, and avoiding the suppression of symptoms as this can cause the underlying disease process to progress.
- Respect Individual Integrity
- Everyone has their own beliefs about life and medicine and it is my job to treat the patient (and their parents!) in alignment with their life situation
- Treat the Whole Person
- We treat the whole body instead of isolated symptoms
- Doctor as Teacher
- Only when you understand your body and its health can you make informed choices about your healthcare. So much of what we do is about educating you on what is going on with your body and what your treatment options. We also see that for us to understand what we are recommending for you we also need to have a committment to living as an example. In other words we practice what we preach!
Education & Training
Naturopathic physicians (N.D.'s) can serve as both primary care physicians and as specialty providers that are trained in natural medicine. Naturopathic Physicians graduate from an accredited four-year graduate level naturopathic medical school. In addition to an education in the conventional medical sciences (including anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, cardiology, neurology, radiology, minor surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, embryology, pediatrics, psychology, pharmacology, minor surgery, dermatology, and clinical and physical diagnosis), their training also includes extensive study of naturopathic clinical theory, philosophy and therapeutics including: therapeutic and clinical nutrition, botanical (herbal) medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, manipulative therapy, and counseling. Although naturopathic practices vary, they are all trained to perform physical examinations including well-child and gynecological exams, laboratory testing, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, and diagnostic testing such as X-ray and examinations.
What is a Naturopathic Physician?
Naturopathic physicians are licensed health care providers who have undergone
extensive post-graduate training at an accredited school of naturopathic medicine. They are trained to provide primary care and/or naturopathic specialty care. A naturopathic physician's goal is to optimize the health and wellness of their patients by diagnosing and treating illness using techniques that incorporate the integration of scientific evidence and research with the wisdom and traditions of natural medicine.