“The doctor of the future will give no medication, but interest patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, exercise and in the cause and prevention of disease.” –– Thomas Edison
Treat the Patient Not the Disease – this was the title of an article that introduced me to naturopathic medicine in 1997 and influenced my decision to become a Naturopathic Doctor. With the increasing incidence of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic fatigue and autoimmune disorders, and the rise in consumer demand for a holistic approach to healthcare, naturopathic medicine serves to meet these needs by delivering safe and effective natural therapies.
The Basics of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a omprehensive system of healthcare that blends centuries-old natural therapeutics with current scientific advances in medicine toward optimizing health and preventing disease. Recognizing the body’s innate ability to heal itself, it utilizes modalities such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, lifestyle counseling and physical medicine that stimulate and work with the body’s healing capacity. While pharmaceutical drugs can appear more effective than these natural modalities, they may at times merely mask the problem by suppressing symptoms, or at best palliating them. In comparison, naturopathic medicine is a healing process that restores health by addressing the root cause and the underlying factors of the disease. The practice of naturopathic medicine is founded upon six powerful principles:
- First do no harm: Provide the most natural care, with the least risk to the patient.
- The healing power of nature: Recognize and trust in the inherent wisdom of the body to heal itself.
- Identify and remove the cause: Address the underlying cause(s) of illness, rather than merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.
- Doctor as teacher: Educate and empower patients to take responsibility
for their health. - Treat the whole person: Treat each individual by examining their unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and spiritual dimensions.
- Prevention: Promote health and wellness – focus on disease prevention.
Who are Naturopathic Doctors?
Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) attend four-year graduate-level, accredited naturopathic medical schools where they are trained as primary care general practitioners. In addition to the standard medical curriculum, they receive in-depth training in clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy and physical medicine. This comprehensive knowledge provides the basis for a naturopathic doctor as an expert in natural medicine. NDs perform physical exams, order laboratory and imaging tests and utilize Western medical and scientific diagnoses that are also used by medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathy (DOs). They offer a wide range of care from pediatrics to geriatrics in the prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of both acute and chronic health conditions.
On average, an initial visit with an ND is 60-90 minutes, and follow-up visits are 30-60 minutes. This allows ample time to create a healing doctor-patient relationship. A visit begins with a patient’s discussion of his or her health complaints and a thorough health history to evaluate the relationship of past problems to the original complaint. An examination of the whole person follows, and all their bodily systems, lifestyle and psycho-spiritual factors are explored. Despite many common features of a particular pathology, no two patients are alike in the way their symptoms manifest. NDs ask many questions to understand the causal factors behind the symptoms. It is this unique mix of symptoms and causes that necessitates individualized treatments to address the root problem affecting a person.
To illustrate these principles, we can discuss how a naturopathic doctor would approach the following case:
My husband suffers from chronic fatigue, a condition that started six years ago when he was in a stressful situation and developed the flu. He knows his condition is stress related, and he has tried numerous holistic and allopathic remedies (both external and internal) but still has to rest three to four times a day. His hands are cold, and he has tendonitis or bursitis in both upper arms. What can we do?
The first question that arises is what stressful situation triggered his condition six years ago, and how did he respond to this? What lead him to develop the flu? What type of flu was it? This is important to ask as many cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have been linked to mononucleosis and the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Research also demonstrates that CFS may originate from abnormalities in mitochondrial function, immune sensitivity and inflammation (see reference at the end of this article). The latter may account for the patient’s tendonitis/bursitis, as the name of any condition that ends with “itis” indicates an inflammatory response. The mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, are responsible for generating energy. Many factors including EBV, nutrient deficiencies, and toxins including heavy metals burden in the body may interfere with the normal mitochondrial function.
Another factor is the patient’s adrenal status. CFS has also been linked to adrenal depletion, or what some call “adrenal burnout.” This can be tested through salivary measurements. In order to address the immune-related component of CFS, it is important to optimize digestive function, as the majority of the body’s immune cells reside in the digestive tract. This includes treating for possible food and environment sensitivities, yeast overgrowth, parasites and leaky gut syndrome. Finally, it is important to elaborate on this person’s statement that his condition is stress-related. What leads him to continuously feel stressed? How is his support network, including family and friends? How is his quality of life? Does he have job satisfaction? Is he living his purpose? Does he feel depressed, anxious, or have fears and worries? Based on the gathering of information in all these important factors, a naturopathic doctor will determine the areas that the need to be addressed to restore health.
The Scope of Naturopathic Practice in California
In 2004, California became the 13th state to recognize naturopathic doctors as primary care providers. This decision has allowed the public to be able to distinguish between a naturopathic doctor and a traditional naturopath (who are not primary care providers and receive their training through a certificate and often distant learning programs). In California (and other licensed states), only qualified naturopathic doctors that have attended one of the four-year accredited naturopathic medical schools and have passed the professional NPLEX board exams may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction. Although NDs typically work in private practice, they collaborate with MDs, DOs, and other health care specialists. For more information about NDs in California, visit: calnd.org.
Dr. Lena Kian, ND is a California Licensed Naturopathic Doctor and a graduate of Bastyr University. She is proud to be among the professional dedicated NDs serving the needs of an increasingly health-conscious public throughout Southern California. Dr. Lena Kian is currently on the Board of Directors at the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. For further information visit: harmonyhealingclinic.com. drkian@harmonyhealingclinic.com
For another perspective on the case Dr. Kian discusses above, read Dr. Parla Jayagopal’s Ayurveda Q & A
Reference: Chronic fatigue syndrome: inflammation, immune function, and neuroendocrine interactions by N.G. Klimas and A.O. Koneru. In Current Rheumatology Reports. 2007 Dec. 9(6):482-7.
By Lena Kian, ND
