What Is Naturopathic Medicine?

Natural remedies are somewhat of a hot-button issue in today’s world, and naturopathic medicine falls perfectly in line with this dialogue. 

Some people swear by returning to the earth’s resources and less invasive measures to find a sense of healing and well-being. On the other hand, some aren’t as quick to subscribe to an all-natural lifestyle, especially when it comes to medicine.

As with most remedies, naturopathy provides tremendous value for some, while others don’t find it as beneficial. Learning about this medicinal route can help you to understand how naturopathy might benefit your needs, especially if you’re considering functional medicine vs naturopathic options for treating a condition. 

What Is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a health care profession that centers on finding naturalistic modalities, resources, and therapies that can encourage your body to heal. Naturopathic medicine is  a centuries-old ideology that initially came to the United States from Germany. 

In some cases, this approach to care can be highly integrative concerning modern science. In other instances, some who offer naturopathic care may avoid contemporary remedies because they prefer traditional care methods. 

Naturopathic medicine may include different types of therapies as well as herbal treatments, acupuncture, massage, and attention to nutrition. These all rely on your body’s natural responses to recover. 

What Are the Benefits of Naturopathic Medicine?

While each person’s needs differ, naturopathic medicine has many benefits that cause this type of treatment to stand out. It has gained recognition over the years for several distinctive qualities that make this care method preferable for many. Whether you’re considering naturopathic treatment for anxiety or a different condition, there are plenty of benefits to consider.

Here are some of the primary reasons people seek out naturopathic care: 

• Naturopathic care maintains a focus on underlying causes rather than symptom management.
• It prioritizes whole-person care instead of focusing solely on a specific illness, chronic condition, or symptom.
• This type of care also emphasizes patient education to help you feel more informed and empowered regarding your health and wellness.

These are just a few aspects that make naturopathic health care attractive. Let’s examine them in detail to discover how each of these could benefit you. 

Identifying the Root Cause of Symptoms

Some find that conventional medicine tends to focus on quieting symptoms rather than getting to the root of what is causing distress, discomfort, or pain in the body. Naturopathic physicians work to diagnose the root of your symptoms, asking questions to help paint a bigger picture of what’s going on in your body.

Naturopathic treatments take more time, but for that reason, many consider them to implement more care for the patient. If you’re tired of being quickly treated for your symptoms and dismissed without much consideration and care for your body’s needs, you may want to visit a naturopathic provider. 

Whole-Person Care

When you visit a naturopathic physician, you’ll find that their process is comprehensive. This is because naturopathy seeks to provide well-being for your body, soul, and mind. 

When you sit with a holistic health care provider for naturopathic treatment, they may want to evaluate many areas of your life, habits, and patterns to address your wellness as a whole. They may suggest treatment plans and interventions that help you manage stress, sleep, diet, and more. 

Focusing on Patient Education

Some find that visiting a medical doctor for 15 minutes to get a prescription isn’t enough for them. While traditional medical care works for some, it leaves others feeling unimportant or confused about what’s going on in their body. 

When you visit a licensed naturopathic doctor, you can expect to learn about your body and the healing power of nature. 

This collaborative relationship between the doctor, your body, and nature found within naturopathic treatments highlights education so you can understand the reasoning behind different natural therapies  and the healing process. This relationship also empowers you as the patient to care for your body in partnership with your naturopathic provider. 

What Can You Expect From a Naturopathic Doctor?

Perhaps you’ve considered alternative medicine and seeing a holistic healthcare provider for yourself. If you’re seeking more natural remedies and attention to your overall well-being, a naturopathic doctor might be a helpful option to pursue. 

In general, you can expect a few standard treatment options in considering functional medicine vs a naturopath, and you’ll find that many naturopathic remedies come from several core beliefs in their profession. Finally, you can expect many naturopathic doctors to have a background in education and training that supports the care they give you. 

Treatment Options

When you see a licensed naturopathic doctor (N.D.), you see a general practitioner with a natural medicine specialty. Their scope of practice allows them to provide many types of care, including allergy tests, gynecological exams, nutritional and dietary evaluations, metabolic testing, X-rays, ultrasounds, and more. 

Along with these care techniques, natural doctors also employ a variety of treatment options that stem from naturopathic therapeutics. Let’s look at the treatments you might discuss with a naturopathic doctor:

• Stress management: When meeting with a naturopathic doctor, your doctor may use a variety of approaches to help you manage physical and mental stress. They may also encourage you to adjust certain lifestyle factors to attain better nutrition and sleep, which can help manage stress.
• Botanical medicine: You might be surprised to know that many plants have healing qualities. Holistic doctors may opt for a botanical approach with herbal medicines when treating patients. 
• Homeopathic medicine: The philosophy of homeopathy dates back hundreds of years and is based on the idea that “like heals like.” As a result, many homeopathic doctors may treat patients with natural substances that can help their bodies begin to heal themselves without side effects. 
• Natural childbirth: Naturopathic doctors can assist in natural childbirth, including prenatal and postnatal care, when they have the proper training. 
• Clinical nutrition: Much of naturopathic medicine has to do with addressing lifestyle habits. Nutrition is one significant area of your health in the world of naturopathy. Many holistic doctors believe treating health conditions with natural substances and foods is preferable to contemporary medicine.
• Physical medicine: Naturopathic doctors may also provide physical medicine through muscle and bone manipulation, massage, electrical therapies, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, and heat therapy.

Belief Systems

Naturopathic health care providers have a set of core beliefs that drive everything they do. Let’s explore their core values.

1. Do No Harm: Many naturopathic doctors prioritize non-harmful and minimally invasive care. For this reason, they may not prescribe strong medications quickly. If the patient’s condition requires further care, these providers will refer them to a doctor who can better care for them. 
2. The Healing Power of Nature: Utilizing the earth’s natural remedies is essential to naturopathy. NDs often treat patients with substances that originate from nature since these sometimes have fewer side effects. They also focus on the body’s ability to adapt and heal itself without more invasive interventions.
3. Educate Patients: One of the most crucial elements of holistic care is equipping patients with the knowledge they need to better care for their own bodies and understand general practices that lead to well-being. Additionally, NDs focus on educating their patients about their conditions and the treatments they may implement.
4. Identify and Treat Causes: Although some health conditions require symptom treatment, holistic doctors tend to seek the root cause of a person’s symptoms. By analyzing their patient’s lifestyle, family history, eating habits, sleeping habits, and other wellness factors, they can begin to understand a patient’s underlying causes that may be prompting specific symptoms. 
5. Care for the Whole Person: Holistic care doesn’t isolate one element of a person’s well-being. Instead, naturopathic doctors prefer treatments that support a patient’s physical health, mental health, and overall wellness. 
6. Disease Prevention: Through education and whole-person care, NDs strive to prioritize the prevention of illnesses and discomfort by noticing any imbalances that may lead to problems down the line. 

Licenses and Education

You might wonder if a naturopathic doctor is the best option for your health needs. When seeing a provider of naturopathic treatment , know that licensed naturopathic doctors must meet several requirements which allow them to practice in their field. 

NDs must graduate from a four-year accredited naturopathic medical school, pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam (NPLEX), meet state requirements, and pass jurisprudence examinations. 

Alternative Solutions at Home

If you’re struggling with stress, problems with sleep, fatigue, or other symptoms, it may be time to check in with yourself– which could lead you to pursue naturopathic medicine for treatment. In some cases, symptoms can be signals that something more significant is happening with your physical health.

Additionally, the symptoms you experience could also be markers of mental health, which can manifest in physical ways. Engaging in the principles of naturopathy may lead you to try acupuncture, chiropractic care, supplements, or alternative mental health care to help you get to the root of your struggles and live a more balanced life. 

The Bottom Line

Understanding your body’s needs is essential when it comes to seeking care, whether you’re considering naturopathic treatments or otherwise. For some, seeing a contemporary doctor is crucial to managing their health. For others, naturopathic solutions, powerful therapeutic interventions, and lifestyle adjustments can provide relief and wellness that is life-changing.

Treatment at Nue Life

Nue Life believes in holistic treatment, which means that what happens before and after your ketamine experience is equally as important as the experience itself. We want to ensure you have meaningful takeaways from your experiences and help you establish positive new neural pathways.

That’s why we provide one-on-one health coaching and integration group sessions with each of our programs. We’re here to help map out the mind and body connections in your brain and help you discover the insights that lead to true healing.

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Sources:

Naturopathic Medicine – National University Of Health Sciences

Naturopathy | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing | University of Minnesota

What Are Holistic Practices? | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing | University of Minnesota

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