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What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic Medicine is a system of medicine that is over 100 years old.

The first naturopathic medical societies were formed at the turn of the century, with more than 10,000 practitioners attending naturopathic medical conventions in the 1920’s.

Naturopathic medicine has experienced a resurgence in the last two decades as a health conscious public seeks to be educated and in control of their own health and well-being. The practice of Naturopathic Medicine is based on incorporating the six tenants of naturopathic philosophy into treating each patient.

Naturopathic physicians treat disease and restore health using therapies from the sciences of clinical nutrition, nutritional supplementation, botanical medicine, homeopathy, counseling, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulation to name a few.

What are the qualifications of a licensed Naturopathic doctor?

We are Primary Care doctors that specialize in Natural Medicine. Once a diagnosis is established, natural treatments to support your body and applied to optimize your health and well-being. Naturopathic doctors combine the best of conventional medicine with the added benefits of natural healing remedies.

The naturopathic physician has a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) degree from a four-year graduate level Naturopathic Medical College.

There are five accredited schools a person can attend to obtain a license in Naturopathic Medicine: Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences, Bastyr University, Bridgeport University, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

How do I know if a Naturopathic Physician is right for me?

The purpose of going to a Naturopathic Physician is to create options for yourself. Naturopathic physicians specialize in natural health alternatives, are at the forefront of current research on natural therapies, and are leaders in prevention and patient education.

All too often we are faced with health problems which when looked at from a conventional point of view can only be treated a few ways and may times the treatments are radical and invasive.

A Naturopathic physician is there to inform you of alternate treatments that may be possible for your condition using natural therapies and educate you about your health. A Naturopathic physician can sort through all of the confusing information about your health and get to what the real problem is and treat exactly that, the cause of the problem. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, whether acute or chronic.

What is the average amount of time people remain under the care of a Naturopathic Physician?

That depends mostly on you, what your health problems are, how fast or slowly your body responds to the therapies, and how actively you participate in the treatment. Remember, this is a natural process that works with the healing ability of your body it cannot be rushed. Once a person gets back into a balance, they need only return if other complaints arise. The goal of a naturopathic physician is to make a person’s vitality stronger than they were before. When a person is functioning optimally they are more resistant to infection and disease allowing them a better quality of life and less trips to the doctor in the future.

The best part about Naturopathic medicine is that it is individualized to the patient. No two patients are treated alike, because no two patients are exactly the same. Treatments are based on the person’s specific needs and adjusted to meet the changes of the individual.

Nature does not hurry,
Yet everything is accomplished.
-LAO TZU

Do Naturopathic Physicians take insurance?

No, not in the State of California. At least, not YET!