Top Reasons to See a Naturopathic Doctor

1. You want your support to be the best for YOU as a person, not a disease.
2. You want your doctor to seek other recommendations besides drugs.
3. You want to make informed decisions about your health and not just take orders from your doctor. Naturopathic doctors take the time to educate patients about the many options open to them.
4. You want to identify and address the source of your health problems, not just help the symptoms or mask the condition. Often just addressing the symptom leads to other more complex health problems.
5. Conventional medical practices are failing you or falling short. Or perhaps you just need someone who can help you understand how to make informed decisions.
6. You want a health practitioner that gets to know you and takes the time to understand your health condition(s) and needs.
7. You want support in improving your lifestyle, stress levels, and diet.
8. You want to prevent disease and/or maintain optimal health.
9. You are concerned about long-term effects of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, and/or unpleasant side effects.
10. You may have a complicated health condition that has been treated by many different specialists for each ailment. You wish to be seen as a whole person rather than separate parts.
11. You are already taking nutritional and herbal products, but you want help choosing the most indicated and best formulated products.
12. You are interested in doing specialty lab tests, such as heavy metal testing, food sensitivity testing, stool analysis, adrenal and hormone panels.
13. You want a physician who listens.

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are trained as primary care doctors with a focus on restoring health and preventing disease. They look at you as a whole person, not as an illness. Naturopathic doctors understand that the body has an innate ability to heal, even from many serious conditions. Poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, and a number of environmental toxins disrupt the body’s natural balance and can lead to chronic disease.

NDs use a wide range of non-toxic therapies such as dietary change, nutritional supplementations, detoxification, homeopathy and herbs to strengthen the body and restore health.

A visit to a Naturopathic Doctor

During the first visit, I spend over an hour with patients to get to know the person and to understand where their imbalance truly lies. I put on my detective cap and investigate for the underlying cause of the disease, such as chronic infections, heavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities or poor food choices, adrenal or hormonal imbalances, compromised digestion, or any major stressors or traumas.

During the first visit, I…

• Discuss your medical history
• Ask LOTS of questions regarding sleep patterns, stress, energy, appetite, mood, pain, exercise, and general heath habits
• Discuss your stress level and other external factors that influence health
• Review old labs tests and other medical records
• Answer questions
• Create an individualized wellness plan

I typically follow-up with patients every 4 weeks.

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.