How Naturopathic Medicine Supports Your Wellness
Naturopathic medicine is the perfect blend of holistic and conventional medicine. In the state of Washington, naturopathic doctors must complete a 4-year post-graduate medical degree from an accredited institution and pass extensive testing to become licensed as primary care physicians with pharmaceutical prescriptive abilities that are almost identical to a conventional doctor (minus some heavy-duty prescriptions such as narcotics and some psychiatric medications).
As a licensed naturopathic physician, I am able to pull therapies from an expansive toolbox that includes, diet and lifestyle recommendations, herbs, supplements, physical therapies such as bodywork and hydrotherapy, homeopathics, prescription medications, injection and IV therapies, and stress management recommendations, all tailored to the individual in front of me. The options are practically infinite, which makes being a naturopathic physician an art form of sorts, as we creatively problem-solve to find the right combination of tools to help you achieve the wellness you deserve.
The naturopathic national association, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, does a lovely job outlining the Therapeutic Order, which is “the natural order in which all therapies should be applied to provide the greatest benefit with the least potential for damage.” They describe them with the following:
Remove Obstacles to Health. Health, the “natural state” of one’s body, is disturbed by obstacles that lead to disease. The first step in returning to health is to remove the entities that disturb health such as: poor diet, digestive disturbances, inappropriate and chronic stress levels, and individual disharmony. Naturopathic doctors construct a healthy regimen based on an individual’s “obstacles to health” to change and improve the terrain in which the disease developed. This allows additional therapeutics to have the most beneficial effects possible.
Stimulate the Self-Healing Mechanisms. NDs use therapies to stimulate and strengthen the body’s innate self-healing and curative abilities. These therapies include modalities such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicines, constitutional hydrotherapy, homeopathy, and acupuncture.
Strengthen Weakened Systems. Systems that need repair are addressed at this level of healing. Naturopathic doctors have an arsenal of therapeutics available to enhance specific tissues, organs or systems including: lifestyle interventions, dietary modifications, botanical medicine, orthomolecular therapy (use of substances that occur naturally in the body such as vitamins, amino acids, minerals), and homeopathy.
Correct Structural Integrity. Physical modalities such as spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and craniosacral therapy are used to improve and maintain skeletal and musculature integrity.
Use Natural Substances to Restore and Regenerate. Naturopathic medicine’s primary objective is to restore health, not to treat pathology. However, when a specific pathology must be addressed, NDs employ safe, effective, natural substances that do not add toxicity or additionally burden the already distressed body.
Use Pharmacologic Substances to Halt Progressive Pathology. NDs are trained in pharmacology and how to use pharmaceutical drugs when necessary. If their state license permits, they can prescribe these agents themselves or if not, refer to a conventional medical colleague.
Use High Force, Invasive Modalities: Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy. When life, limb, or function must be preserved, NDs refer patients to MDs who are expertly trained in these arenas. At the same time, NDs use complementary or supportive therapies to decrease side effects and increase the effectiveness of these invasive procedures.
Read the American Association of Naturopathic Physician's full description of a naturopathic physician here: https://naturopathic.org/page/WhatisaNaturopathicDoctor