With many of us striving to achieve optimal health and wellbeing, the demand for health products and services has been accelerating. In addition to conventional medicine, society as a whole has been focusing on preventative and proactive approaches to healthcare. This is where naturopathic medicine is playing a foundational role in shaping the future of healthcare as we know it. Naturopathic medicine is that preventative, and proactive healthcare model that so many patients are looking for.
Naturopathic Doctors aim to find the root cause of their patient’s health issues, not just to address the symptoms present. This requires investigation with a very thorough consultation, physical exam, and blood work. Rather than solely relying on medication, Naturopathic Doctors use a variety of techniques, and treatment modalities to approach a patient’s health and healthcare goals. So, why would people choose to visit a Naturopathic Doctor in addition to a conventional physician? Let’s find out!
An Individualized and Integrative Approach to Wellness
Taking an integrative approach to wellness means that your health care is now a part of a team effort. Naturopathic Doctors have a broad scope of training in many modalities and also work in conjunction with your other health care providers. Each body is unique and requires an individualized approach. Naturopathic doctors may use several treatments to tackle your health including lifestyle modification, clinical nutrition, supplementation, acupuncture, injections, intravenous therapy, and manual therapy. No two bodies are alike, and your treatment protocol will reflect this as each protocol is personalized to you and your case.
Suitable for a Variety of Medical Conditions
Naturopathic medicine can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, with many Naturopathic Doctors choosing to focus on specific areas like integrative oncology, chronic pain, and cardiovascular health. A few medical conditions commonly treated by our Naturopathic Doctors include:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Neurological disease
- Integrative oncology
- Lyme disease
- Digestive and metabolic disorders
- Hormone balance and thyroid optimization (female and male hormone imbalances)
- Weight loss
- Pain management (prolotherapy, neural therapy, acupuncture)
Focus on Root Cause
Naturopathic Doctors focus on the root causes of medical conditions to develop long-term sustainable solutions, rather than short-term relief. The first visit to a Naturopathic Doctor is typically an information-gathering visit that involves the Naturopathic Doctor going through a series of questions to get a detailed view of your health history, with the intention of identifying the root cause of your condition. Advanced blood/serum, sputum, urine, and stool testing may be utilized on a case-case basis, to create an effective treatment plan.
Natural Treatments
The use of natural therapies facilitates the body’s self-healing capabilities. Treatments are focused on improving both a patient’s physical and mental wellbeing. Treatment modalities range from: clinical nutrition, nutraceutical/supplement prescriptions, botanical/herbal medicine, acupuncture, injection and IV therapies. Lifestyle medicine is at the core of naturopathic medicine, as what we put into our bodies highly impacts our health and ability to heal.
Works in Conjunction with Conventional Medicine
Many prospective patients are surprised to hear that Naturopathic Doctors work alongside conventional medical doctors. Despite what some may think, naturopathic medicine does not exclusively follow traditional/natural healing techniques but rather blends the two with modern conventional medicine. This approach is an integrated medical approach for patients, that allows for optimal, well rounded, personalized treatment plans, that support the patient in all domains. A collaborative, integrative team of medical professionals, is what gives the results we are all looking for: true health.
Anyone can benefit from naturopathic medicine however, if you’re unsure if it’s right for you or the medical condition you’re currently facing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Calgary Integrative Medicine. Our team of passionate healthcare providers is on-hand to ensure that you receive the best treatment possible so you can continue living life to the fullest.
