Naturopathic Medicine
Trusting the Wisdom of the Body and the Earth
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
What sets naturopathic medicine apart from conventional medicine (the system of medicine narrowly defined by the American Medical Association) is the guiding principle that we, as humans, are fundamentally healthy and well, that this well-being is our birthright, and that dis-ease occurs when there are obstacles to wellness. This understanding translates into treatments that enhance the vital force of the human being. As a naturopathic physician, I trust that your body knows how to rebalance. Therefore, I will do everything I can to encourage and enhance your life-force and avoid treatments that suppress your physiology. The foundation of naturopathic medicine are six principles of healing that are based on the body’s inherent ability to maintain health and life force. They are: the healing power of nature, identifying the underlying cause of disease, do no harm, treat the whole person, the physician as teacher, and prevention. To go deeper into the basics of naturopathy, follow this link: Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The Wisdom of the Body
The body is inherently intelligent and if we look closely, we can understand that even dis-ease is the body's attempt to right itself. An example of this is what happens to the body with type 2 diabetes. When our cells are met with too many carbohydrates and sugars, they become resistant to the hormone that allows sugars entry into cells. That hormone is insulin. From this perspective, we can see that this is an intelligent adaptation to an overdose of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the insulin resistance of diabetes then creates more imbalance in our system, as the circulating sugar can cause a lot of inflammation and damage. From a naturopathic perspective, now that the body has become efficient at managing an overdose of sugar, the solution is to remove the sugar! I also understand that this is not easy and this is where my role as naturopathic physician comes in - to help guide you through lifestyle changes that can seem simple but are in experience very challenging (but also well worth it)!