Naturopathic medicine centres on treating the whole person.
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary healthcare that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine.
Naturopathic medicine centres on treating the whole person. That is, a naturopathic doctor will investigate all factors that may affect your health to understand the source of your health problem(s), thus treating the root causes of illness, not just the symptoms.
Symptoms you experience are your body’s way of communicating to you that something is out of balance. For example, a headache could be a sign of nutrition deficiency, hormone imbalance, or food sensitivity. By understanding the cause of the headache, you can deal with the cause instead of taking a painkiller to temporarily block pain. Naturopathic medicine (NM) attempts not only to manage symptoms, but also to realign your body and to alleviate the cause of disease.
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What are the benefits of naturopathic medicine?
The benefits of incorporating naturopathic medicine into your lifestyle are many and far-reaching. Here are just a few great reasons to embrace naturopathic medicine:
- To maintain and optimize health and prevent illness
- Avoid or combat long-term consequences of being on prescription drugs
- Increase energy
- Reduce stress
- Relieve pain
- Discover long-term solutions to chronic ailments
- Reach and maintain an ideal weight
- Achieve a higher level of fitness
- Recover quickly from illness and other challenges
- Gain balance – mental, physical and emotional
What are common ailments that naturopathic doctors treat?
Naturopathic doctors can address a range of health issues from chronic to acute conditions. Common health conditions include but are not limited to:
- Women’s health: menstrual problems & irregularities, PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, infertility and libido
- Men’s health: prostate problems, infertility, and libido
- Children’s health: coughs, colds, teething, and colic
- Digestive system: irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, constipation, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, indigestion, and acid reflux
- Respiratory system: frequent colds, sinusitis, ear infections, and allergies
- Cardiovascular system: preventative health, circulation, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol
- Joint and bone health: arthritis and osteoporosis
- Urinary system: urinary tract infections
- Immune system: frequent infections, slow recovery after infection, and autoimmune diseases
- Nervous system: anxiety, stress, depression, insomnia, and headaches
- Other chronic diseases: such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect on my first naturopathic visit?
When you first visit a naturopathic doctor (ND), you may be surprised at the level of attention and thoroughness. The first thing you will notice is that you have time to discuss your health concerns adequately and comfortably.
The first visit is an hour long. It includes:
- A comprehensive medical history
- A physical exam
- Laboratory tests (if necessary)
- An assessment of your nutrition, lifestyle, stress, and other significant health factors.
After a thorough assessment of your health, your ND will discuss treatment options and develop an individualized plan that focuses on your health concerns. Your health plan may include a nutritional program, as well as safe and effective natural medicines, such as herbs, nutrients, or homeopathic remedies. If you haven’t completed the online intake form sent in your welcome email, please arrive at the clinic 15 minutes early to fill out the forms.
How are naturopathic doctors trained?
NDs must obtain a minimum of three years undergraduate pre-medical studies, followed by four years of post-graduate training at an accredited naturopathic medical institution.
As part of the training, graduates must also complete extensive clinical training under the supervision of licensed NDs. Upon graduation, candidates receive the title “Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine”. All NDs must also pass a set of rigorous licensing examinations to be eligible to practice and meet ongoing continuing medical education (CME) credits as required by the provincial regulatory board.
How are naturopathic doctors regulated?
Naturopathic doctors in Ontario are regulated by the College of Naturopaths of Ontario (CONO) and are regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act. To enquire if a naturopath is licensed, you can contact the CONO at 416-583-6010 or visit http://www.collegeofnaturopaths.on.ca.
Are naturopathic doctors covered by OHIP?
Naturopathic visits and treatments are not covered by OHIP. However, most extended healthcare plans do cover the cost of your visits. Check with your employer to find out whether your benefits package includes naturopathic medicine.
How often do I need to visit a naturopathic doctor?
It varies on the needs of the patient. A personal and individualized treatment plan is different for every patient. Please consult with your ND.
Do you do direct billing?
Yes, we do provide direct billing. Please inquire with our front desk to confirm if we can submit for your insurance company.
Simple, Effective Approaches to Optimal Health
Have questions about whether naturopathic medicine is right for you and your specific health concerns? You can book a complementary 15-minute session to meet Dr. Cecilia Ho or Dr. Diane Peters to learn more about naturopathic medicine and see if it is the right fit for you. Please contact our Pickering, Ontario office today to learn more.
At Active Integrative Medicine, we offer naturopathic medicine to treat patients from Pickering, Scarborough, Ajax, Durham, Whitby, Oshawa, and Markham, Ontario.