Naturopathic medicine is a complete and coordinated approach to
health care. It is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment
and prevention using natural therapies and gentle, non-intrusive
methods. Naturopathic medicine does not use prescription drugs
or surgery as part of it's treatment.
Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine are trained in much
the same way that conventional doctors are trained. Where conventional
doctors have been trained in either prescribing pharmaceutical
drugs or conducting surgery for symptoms of disease; naturopathic
doctors specialize in natural medicine and preventative health
care, integrating scientific knowledge with traditional healing
wisdom. Naturopathic doctors are health-care professionals who
use safe, gentle, non-invasive therapies to assist the whole person
in maximizing the body's inherent self-healing capacity.
The Naturopathic Physician's goal is to restore health, prevent disease, and promote well-being through individualized patient care and public education. Methods of treatment include homeopathy, acupuncture, Asian medicine, botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, and lifestyle counseling.
To treat and prevent disease using contemporary natural methods in alignment with the body's inherent self-healing capacity. In this way naturopathic doctors differ greatly from conventional doctors, whose main objective is to suppress
symptoms of disease through pharmaceutical means, which often carry undesirable
side-effects. In contrast, Naturopathic Doctors aim to treat illness at the core level, so that true healing can take place; balance is restored and health can be maintained through basic lifestyle changes.
The principles of Naturopathic Medicine that guide the Naturopathic Physician are:
- First, to do no harm; to provide the most effective health care available with the least risk to the patient at all times (Primum Non Nocere ).
- To recognize, respect and promote the self-healing power of nature inherent in each individual human being (Vis Medicatrix Naturae).
- To strive to identify and remove the cause of illness, rather than to eliminate or suppress symptoms (Tolle Causum).
- To educate his/her patients, inspire rational hope and encourage self-responsibility for health (Doctor as Teacher).
- To treat each person by considering all individual health factors and influences (Treat the Whole Person).
- To emphasize the condition of health to promote well-being and to prevent diseases for the individual, each community and our world (Health Promotion, the Best Prevention).
Naturopathic doctors obtain comprehensive
and rigorous training in an educational structure similar to
that of conventional medical doctors. Naturopathic doctors require
3 years pre-med undergraduate education, plus 4 years of full-time
study at an approved college of naturopathic medicine.
The four-year program consists
of foundational medical science courses (anatomy, physiology, pathology,
biochemistry, histology, immunology), clinical sciences (physical
examination and assessment, comprehensive patient intake), and
naturopathic therapies (botanical medicine, homeopathy, clinical
nutrition, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine) and
1500 hours of supervised clinical experience. In Canada, the only
accredited college of naturopathic medicine is the Canadian College of Naturopathic
Medicine.
Following the completion of their program, ND's must successfully complete Naturopathic
Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) in order to qualify for licensing in Ontario. NPLEX is the standard examination used by all regulated provinces and states across North America.
Although various naturopathic remedies are offered by other health care providers; including chiropractors, nutritionists, holistic nurses, and massage therapists; if you want the complete package, you need to seek out an ND (Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine). Such practitioners have completed four years of graduate-level training at a naturopathic medical college.
Naturopathic Medicine has become increasingly important in the lifestyles of people who recognize the value of natural healing versus the constant ingestion of synthetic (chemical) prescription drugs, many of which often cause more problems than they solve.
The basic approach of a Naturopathic Physician is to discover and eliminate the causes of disease. When treatment is necessary, the most natural, non-toxic and least invasive therapy available is used. Naturopathic Medicine treats the whole person. These concepts are about to dramatically change the way medicine is practiced in North America.
Today more that ever, women are faced with a barrage of complex heath issues that they must contend with. The problem becomes even more acute when one considers the the current state of our province's OHIP based failing health care system, with its shortage of doctors and diminishing services. In this chronic, deteriorating OHIP based environment, women must take their health concerns very seriously, become informed and be prepared to ask all of the right questions of their health care provider. In turn, doctors must be more accountable to their patients and be prepared to spend more time in explaining and guiding their patients through the complexity of the health care system. This is not easy and many women fall through the gaps by either being under-serviced or ill informed. Some are misdiagnosed and/or made bad choices based on misinformation. In short, conventional family medicine as it's practiced today can no longer afford the quality of service and attention that it once did. Consider that an average family doctor in Toronto sees anywhere from 70 to 80 patients a day and it is no wonder that many women feel under-serviced, misunderstood and/or neglected. Our OHIP based system of family medicine simply doesn't have the time or recourses to adequately listen to its patients.
Prescription Drugs: Compounding our under serviced OHIP based system is the problem of prescription drugs. Many of the drugs that we have come to trust, and which family doctors have come to depend on, carry risks of dangerous side-effects - some of which can be fatal. Many women come to us who are on 2 or 3 prescription drugs prescribed by their MD's that display common side-effect symptoms.
Enter Naturopathic Medicine: It is in this under-serviced and complex environment that naturopathic medicine offers what is lacking in the OHIP based system. With emphasis on listening to the patient and correct diagnosis, the naturopathic doctor utilizes an array of contemporary medical methods to treat and restore health. Once restored, a preventative plan is then administered so the patient is less likely to relapse. Treatment methods are also all-encompassing so that any latent ailments that may be present will also be treated simultaneously. The result is that our patients are more informed and more committed to their health than ever before. Even when under going OHIP based treatments our patients have been adequately supported and informed so that they are more likely to make the right choices for themselves as they navigate our complex system.
Considering the state of our crumbling health care system today, the future of naturopathic medicine is looking quite bright. As the general population becomes more informed about the the nature of their health and the health care system they are paying for (through their tax dollars), they will be more likely to make better choices regarding their health care provider(s). They will see Naturopathic medicine, as well as other alternative models, as an opportunity to take charge of their health in ways that are currently not possible with conventional medicine.
The illusion of a "Magic Pill" that cures all is a fading dream as people begin to realize that they need to proactively take responsibility for their own health. That these so called "magic pills" many times prove to have deadly side effects. For example, consider the recent Vioxx incident that is said to have claimed about 100,000 lives. The literature is full of such controversial drugs prescribed by conventional doctors to treat disease but more often than not have side-effects that can harm, and sometimes kill it's users. According to a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine (
Woos, AJJ, CM Stein and Woosley, R. "Making Medicines Safer." New England Journal of Medicine 339(1998):1851-1854) that 100,000 people die each year from "adverse drug reactions", making them
one of the most common causes of death
(see http://upalumni.org/med school/appendices/appendix-73a.html and here http://www.mercola.com/2003/nov/26/death_by_medicine.htm). This is an outstanding number of deaths.
Naturopathic medicine by contrast does not use drugs to treat
disease and instead utilizes a more gentler means of treatment.
Much of it's focus is on preventative methods, which in turn
places a greater demand on patients to take an active responsibility
for their health. Furthermore, most naturopathic remedies/treatments
are affordable relative to the pharmaceuticals prescribed by conventional
doctors. Because of this low cost/profit, pharmaceutical companies
don't endorse Naturopathic medicine. There is simply no money in
it. Keep in mind that major drug companies are publicly traded
companies listed on major stock exchanges and by law they have
a judicial duty and responsibility to their share holders to turn
a profit. By contrast they have no judicial duty to the consumer
of the drugs they produce. With their vast power and money they
hire teams of lawyers whose sole purpose is
to lobby governments to pass favorable laws that benefit their
bottom lines as well as influence lawmakers into restraining and
sometimes banning natural medicines which have been shown to be
effective. For example: In 1994 the Pharmaceutical lobby of Canada,
in an attempt to stop the sale of natural remedies at health food
stores, came close to putting in a law that would have every known "stimulant" be
approved and regulated before becoming commercially available to
the public. This law was aptly struck down when confusion arose
regarding the definition of the term "stimulant" which
began to include other things like coffee and common tea. Could
you imagine the fiasco if the general public had to pay a surcharge
on their coffee and tea just so that it could be regulated!
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