What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Dr. Lou responds….

As a naturopathic doctor, I am trained to be a primary care (family) doctor. Our training is not just focused on disease management, but restoring health, and prevention of disease and conditions using a variety of therapies: Food/nutrition, supplements, exercise, lifestyle habits, botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, flower essences, joint manipulations, physiotherapy, counseling for the mind-body connection, IV therapy, minor surgery (skin deep), and pharmaceuticals. The core principle of medicine is your body has the wisdom and desire to heal itself if given what it needs and obstacles are removed.

My approach may be different than what you are used to. I’m not just going to recommend you take a natural green pill instead of a white pill to manage your symptoms. Our current “healthcare” system is really a sick care system because most people only go to the doctor when they are sick and having symptoms. While many doctors focus on the symptoms and ask, “How do I stop this symptom?”, I ask, “Why are you having this symptom? What is out of balance? What are you straining against?” Headaches are not due to an Advil deficiency, heartburn is not an Omeprazole deficiency, and depression is not a Prozac, Lexapro, or Wellbutrin deficiency. I’m not focused on your symptoms, but the reason why you are having them. Symptoms are only the warning sign of a deeper imbalance causing straining. If you resolve the deeper imbalance at the source, not only do the symptoms go away, but you don’t need to keep taking something for it, you’re less likely to develop something worse, and you can handle stress in your life with ease and feel fantastic.

To find the answers we are going to look at your physical structure, nutrition and biochemistry function, mental emotional patterns, lifestyle habits, and epigenetics. We will look back at your entire life history as many conditions can slowly build over years or decades before symptoms appear. This process does take time because we are not just manipulating chemical pathways. Once we restore balance and you reach the level of health and wellness you want, we will continue to work together to keep you there as life goes on and new stresses arise. You keep coming in despite feeling great, not just when sick, so we can do all we can to prevent dis-eases and keep you feeling great.

I work with kids and adults. Currently, Pennsylvania does not license naturopathic doctors. In PA I will work with you as a healthcare consultant. In Montana, I am licensed and have practiced as a holistic family doctor since 2009.

Are naturopathic doctors and naturopaths all the same?

Not always.

Some people use the term “naturopath” to describe naturopathic doctors for brevity, but they are not always the same. Because there is such a discrepancy in training between naturopathic doctors and certified naturopaths, some states regulate the use of the word “naturopath”, and only naturopathic doctors are permitted to use the word professionally. Pennsylvania is not one of these states.

Naturopathic doctors:

• Attend a four-year, accredited, in-residence, post-graduate naturopathic medical school.

• Are educated in all the same biomedical sciences as an MD. Treatment modalities and approaches are different than an MD.

• Complete a minimum of 4100 hours of in-class and clinical training, including over 1,200 hours of hands-on, supervised, clinical training.

• Must pass a rigorous board exam administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE) to be eligible to apply for licensure in a regulated state.

Certified “naturopaths”:

• Complete an online program, typically four months, but can be as little as 40 hours of training.

• Are not eligible to take the NABNE board exam.

• Are not eligible to be licensed by regulating states as doctors.

For more information on Naturopathic Medicine: click here