Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. It is based on the healing power of nature and it supports and stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself.
Naturopathic medicine is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention using natural therapies. These therapies include: botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, naturopathic manipulation, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, as well as prevention and lifestyle counselling.
The focus is health promotion and the understanding that the body has an innate ability to heal itself. Naturopathic doctors aim to identify and address obstacles to health, supporting the body’s own healing processes. The goal is to address underlying contributing factors and support normal body function.
One of the greatest honours we have at our centre is receiving referrals from other healthcare professionals. Referrals are welcome to the clinic generally or to one of our naturopathic doctors on staff at Optimum Wellness Clinic. To view a list of naturopathic doctors working at Optimum Wellness
Disease prevention and preventing the progression of disease are principles inherent to naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic doctors work with patients to identify the root causes of disease and to address all the factors that are affecting a patient’s health.
NDs and MDs both provide primary care. The primary differences between naturopathic and conventional medicine are the philosophical approach and the therapies used.
Naturopathic doctors (NDs) treat patients as individuals by addressing the physical, environmental, lifestyle, attitudinal, and emotional aspects of health. This allows them to look for and address factors contributing to illness using natural, non-invasive therapies.
Naturopathic treatments are highly individualized. Each patient has a unique story, history, genetics, dietary habits, lifestyle and associated health concerns.
At Optimum Integrated Wellness Clinic, we work to determine the underlying cause(s) and create an individualized treatment plan to stimulate a person’s innate healing ability. Patients are also involved in their health program and learn to make effective, educated, self-care decisions that can prevent future health problems.
Naturopathic doctors work with a wide range of health concerns – from pediatric to geriatric, from irritating symptoms to chronic illness and from the physical to the psychological.
At Optimum Integrated Wellness clinic, we recommend therapies based on your individual needs, with attention to safety and possible interactions with your medications.
Naturopathic doctors can and do work with conventional medical doctors. ND’s are trained to refer patients to other health care practitioners, where appropriate. Most naturopathic doctors cross-refer extensively to other health care practitioners.
The Safety and Effectiveness of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic doctors are trained to consider interactions between natural therapies and conventional medicines. NDs are knowledgeable about contraindications between naturopathic remedies and conventional medicines.
In addition, NDs are trained to recognized conditions which are outside their scope of practice and to refer to other health practitioners when it is appropriate to do so.
The goal of naturopathic practice is to treat underlying disorders and to restore normal body function by enhancing the body’s own healing abilities. Therefore, naturopathic doctors must focus their efforts on understanding the unique needs of each patient. Naturopathic doctors assist the body’s healing powers by using safe, effective non-pharmaceutical approaches with patients.
As a result naturopathic treatments are highly individualized. Patients are involved in their treatment programs and learn to make effective, educated self-care decisions, which can prevent future health problems.
Information technology and new concepts in clinical outcomes and assessment are particularly well-suited to evaluating the effectiveness of naturopathic treatments and protocols and are being used in research, both at naturopathic medical schools and in the offices of practicing naturopathic doctors. Clinical research into natural therapies has become an increasingly important focus for naturopathic doctors.
