A Naturopathic doctor is a primary care physician trained in natural medicine. Naturopathic medicine is rooted in the idea that your body has the powerful, inherent ability to heal itself. A Naturopathic physician combines natural and non-toxic therapies with modern day advances in science, to treat all aspects of your health. A Naturopath is also trained and educated in mainstream (allopathic) medical sciences and can use these methods to treat when necessary. No other type of doctor has as extensive or broader training than a Naturopath, making a Naturopath the best type of doctor to treat your whole body with both alternative and conventional medicines.
A Naturopathic primary care physician has a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine degree from a four-year accredited Naturopathic medical college (attained after a four-year undergraduate degree). Naturopathic doctors are trained and educated in medical sciences. These include; anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, cardiology, urology, endocrinology, neurology, radiology, minor surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, geriatrics, psychology, dermatology, and clinical and physical diagnosis. In addition to being cross-trained and educated in both natural and allopathic medicines, before graduating, Naturopathic doctors must spend two years working and training in a medical clinic. In the state of Montana, Naturopathic primary care physicians must pass both a national licensing board exam as well as a state level board examination before being licensed to practice medicine. A Naturopathic physician's actions are subject to review by a Montana state board of examiners.
The 6 Tenets of Naturopathic Medicine:
As a Naturopathic Physician I believe there is simple, practical wisdom in the 6 tenets of naturopathic medicine.
First do no harm: As a doctor I have taken an oath to always do what is in the best interest of my patient. This can take on many different forms. There are times, due to the progression or seriousness of a disease, where it is absolutely necessary to refer to a specialist or use prescription medications in treatment. There are also times where it is in the best interest of the patient to use safe, effective, non-toxic, natural therapies to restore health.
The healing power of nature: After going through all of the medical classes in my 9 years of school, it amazes me how well the body compensates for any biochemical changes that cause it to breakdown. In fact, the symptoms of disease that show up represent your bodies’ cry that it can no longer deal with or compensate for these changes. It is basically saying “help, I can’t take anymore”. It also amazes me how well your body works to heal itself from the inside out given the right tools and environment to successfully make these changes.
Treat the whole person: I find it fascinating how intertwined our thoughts, emotions, and physical well-being all are. You can’t separate one from the other in life and in health. A doctor who realizes this and is trained to deal with all aspects of your health can help you achieve optimum health.
Identify and treat the cause: Practicing naturopathic medicine is so much fun because the inner detective in me who likes a good mystery gets to come out. There are times when a diagnosis is straightforward and times where it seems so elusive. Either way, the story isn’t over until the culprit is found! Optimal health in your body is centered in finding the reason why you are experiencing sickness in the first place and effectively treating this cause, in order to avoid a chronic or debilitating disease.
Doctor as teacher: As a doctor one of the things that excites me the most is when a patient I am working with begins to take an active role in their own health. I invite questions about why something is the way it is and what can be done to help. I also love providing research for why certain treatments are used and how effective they are. You should never feel like another number in your healthcare. Taking the time to answer your questions so you can feel at ease is invaluable. I promise this is the level of care you will receive at Big Sky Integrative Health.
Prevention is the best cure: Remember when I stated earlier that “prevention is at the heart of naturopathic medicine because it offers the ability to identify the most important risk factors for your health”. There are two important parts to this. The first is identifying the “risk factors” that can lead to chronic and debilitating disease in your life. The second is implementing the factors that will keep you healthy for you, your partner, your kids, and grandkids for years and years to come!