Naturopathic Medicine Doesn't Work

People tell me every day, I tried Naturopathic medicine and it didn’t work for me. Then they proceed to tell me how a healthfood store clerk made a recommendation... or they tried a protocol they saw on the Internet.... or they followed a suggestion a friend made.... and because it didn't work, 'Naturopathic Medicine' didn't work for them.

Naturopathic Medicine IS natural medicine, but not all natural medicine is Naturopathic. Naturopathic Philosophy and training sets apart a group of healing professionals trained to deliver a system of healthcare that often works where other systems fail. Because of the success of this system, many people imitate it or claim it.

There are many options for natural care and many types of practitioners. This is essential and necessary because of the diversity found in human kind and the wide range of potential ailments. But be clear about the difference between professional Medical Care by a physician and medical advice by a lay person or someone with a limited education. Education is not the only criteria that determines skill level; but generally by the time people have started to seek out medical advice they realize that their condition needs more expertise.

Internet and it's role in Modern Healthcare

When I started my practice, we did not have access to the Internet. People used physicians as a source of essential knowledge for healthcare. One of the great advantages of the Internet is that it has raised our medical IQ. Not just for patients, but for physicians as well.

This has affected the role of the physician in several way. First of all it has allowed for a more equal playing field where patients have easy access to information and the ability to talk intelligently about a diagnosis or treatment option. It has highlighted the possibility of medical errors and misconceptions, and allowed patients to participate more fully in the process of creating a safer, better experience. And it has allowed people with obscure conditions to connect, find support, share ideas. These are excellent applications of the Internet that improve the quality of health and the experience for patients.

The Internet has forced many physicians to change and has clearly decreased our dependence on the 'Dr is always right' mentality. In my own practice where education has always been my focus, the Internet has benefited me and supported the concept of access to information being essential to improving health.

Now the focus of my practice has switched from, 'where can I get more information' to 'I saw this on the Internet, is it true?' The information overload, conflicting advice and information, data provided without context, and potentially false information crafted to look credible are all hazards of this new tool in healthcare.

The Internet, like almost everything else in life, has the capacity for health or harm. But which side of the fence you come down on has everything to do with your own personal choices. Essentially everything relating to health on the Internet is true for someone. The question is: is it true for you? Here are some things to consider. Figure out the purpose of your Internet use, to self treat or to gather more knowledge, and use that to modify how seriously you take what you read. If you are in a fact-seeking mode, simply review a wide range of opinions and make a decision about what you think. Make a list of questions to run by your physician next visit.

Using the Internet to self diagnose and treat is a bit more risky. On the Internet you often bypass the cautions and risks that are a part of the practitioners knowledge. Because of this people often call in crisis after trying something that went wrong. Lots of the medical advice and ideas printed are frankly dangerous. On the other hand, saving money and time and hassle by figuring something out on your own can be pretty empowering and assist you on your journey to becoming more self reliant in healthcare.

Match the seriousness of your condition with the risk of the treatment. Almost anyone can try a remedy for an occasional headache. But no one should be tackling the complex interplay of hormones by slathering on some natural cream they bought online. Endocrinology is much more complex than that and the effect of upsetting hormone balance is significant. Think cancer risk.

Consider how Internet access has changed your views on healthcare and affected the healthcare you access. Identify things that have benefited you and look for ways to expand those habits. Recognize how Internet Information has adversely affected your health and set some guidelines to protect yourself. Used correctly and with a little bit of caution, this tool can be a significant benefit.

Cookbook Medicine

I talk a lot about 'cookbook' Medicine. Cookbook medicine is symptom based supressive medicine. It is based on a model of care that is similar to simply following a recipe. A symptom is identified and matched to a drug that removes that symptom. Think, for example, of a migraine headache. You take a migraine medication that stops you from experience the pain. But the cause of the migraine is not addressed and not considered important.

Cookbook medicine is mainstream American Healthcare because it supports the pharmaceutical industry ( treatment consists of long term drug therapy ), supports insurance ( matching symptoms to drugs can be done in a 5 minute office visit ), and creates repeat business for the physician. Pretty much the entire healthcare system benefits from cookbook medicine.

The only thing not addressed by cookbook medicine is healthcare. Healthcare, the promotion of health,  means healing people so that they don't NEED ongoing drug therapy. Determination of underlying causes and solving health problems so they go away takes time. Physicians need time to do a comprehensive intake, require a significantly higher level of skill and training, and make a significantly greater investment in a patient. Patients must participate in their care and often are called to make changes once causative problems are identified.

The impact of this type of care which is essentially 'disease care' is not limited to MD's. The Natural Health Movement lends itself to a cookbook approach. Instead of taking a drug to stop a symptom, you take a natural substance to cover up the symptom.

The reason Naturopathic Medicine is critical of 'cookbook' style medicine is because it is in conflict with the philosophical Principles of Naturopathic Medicine. These principles include finding the cause, restoring balance, promoting responsibility and education for patients, etc. Naturopathic Medicine's objective is to promote health by providing Health Care.

Home Pharmacy and Global Care

One of the basic tools that we wish to develop for our Global Care Clients is how to stock, maintain, and use a successful home pharmacy. The value of this tool cannot be overestimated. Many times crises or emergencies hit when you least expect them.... and the last thing you want to do at that time of stress is scramble for what you need.

Learning to use basic healing tools with the support of a physician walking you through a crisis is a very effective teaching tool. The most effective home pharmacies build slowly over time, a few versatile and multi use products or modalities at a time. Mastery of these tools is coupled with an understanding of how an injury or illness progresses; and how it is impacted by being supported or confronted at various stages.

In order to get the most out of your time with us, consider Global Care a class on healing. I hope the following tips will help:

1. take advantage of being able to text as needed and text often with updates, questions, observations.
2. set up a home pharmacy and master basic skills by attending our educational classes and texting with minor ailments or early in the course of an illness.
3. study Naturopathic Principles and learn to apply them.
4. practice, practice, practice.

Detoxification and Healing

Many traditional healing practices employ the use of fasting, restricted diets, detoxification, cleansing or purification. This becomes more critical in todays world where the foundation of an increasing numbers of diseases is excess intake of calories and excessive exposure to toxic elements. Detoxification or fasting is at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum from overindulgence or the overwhelming effect of massive amounts of chemicals. Practicing two opposing extremes creates a balance of sorts. Alleviating the pressure excessive toxins put on the human system often decreases symptoms and restores a natural state. Detoxification often reverses the cause of disease.

There are many types of cleanses, all indicated in different circumstances for different people. While most cleansing 'programs' do little to actually remove toxins from the body; the accompanying diet usually is significantly healthier than the Standard American Diet (SAD). The additions of fibers and increased hydration also have significant benefits. So most detoxification programs have an overall beneficial effect.

The trick to having a lasting improvement with detoxification is careful planning. If you detox for a week or two and then return to your regular routine, any benefit you have will be transient. If you incorporate changes into your daily routine; restricting unhealthy foods ( i.e. avoiding refined sugars); increased fiber intake; good hydration; then you can accomplish an increased level of health.

Medically supervised detoxification programs are proven to remove toxins from your body. These usually employ products that chemically alter toxins and convert them into a water soluble form so they can be eliminated. These programs have dramatic lasting effects and need only be repeated every 5 years under normal circumstances. They usually target more specific pathology and utilize customized diets and other detoxification methods.

Healthy by Nature provides customized detoxification programs in our signature program, Achieving Perfect Health. Look online for the next start date.

Making Simple Ear Oil

There are many ways to prepare ear oil. Here I will describe simple garlic ear oil you can make in a pinch....

To make a small amount of oil, use 3-5 cloves and a few tablespoons of olive oil. You can also make larger batches with a large head of garlic and a cup of oil.

Chop garlic coarsely - no need to peel.... it's okay to keep on the outer husk. This can also be done with a garlic press or a food processor. The finer the garlic is chopped, the more quickly it is incorporated into the oil but more careful straining is needed.

Place the garlic in a non aluminum pan (stainless, enamel, cast iron) on the lowest possible heat and add olive oil. Other liquid oils can be used but olive is preferred. No coconut please. The longer the better but simmer softly for at least an hour. If no rush leave the oil to simmer longer or turn off the heat and let garlic sit over night (I use cast iron and make this in the oven. Then it sits warm all night and is protected from dust.)

When done strain and squeeze out garlic by filtering it through a cloth. Pre-moisten cloth with oil if you make only a tiny batch to maximize your yield. Pour it into a dropper bottle ( if you strain directly into a measuring cup its easy to pour).

You may add other oils (hypericum, calendula) or essential oils (thuja, lavender, tea tree - just a drop).

Store in refrigerator when not in use and it will last over a year. To use place bottle in a mug of hot water shaking periodically to warm. Test on your arm as you would a baby bottle prior to use. It should be warm not hot. Lie the head of the patient down with ear facing up. Place 1-3 drops in ear being careful not to touch dropper to ear. You can plug with cotton if desired after letting it sit in the ear a few minutes. Treat both ears even if only one hurts.

Note: NEVER place anything in ear if you see blood, pus, discharge or suspect rupture.

Other uses (besides salads): place in ears prior to swimming to avoid swimmers ear or water in ears; or use on cuts or scrapes.

There's Nothing Wrong With You! Where is Dr Right?

The official diagnosis for anyone presenting with something a physician doesn't know about, doesn't understand, or that cannot be treated is 'Nothing Wrong' disease. This is one of the most common diseases treated in my practice. The Nothing Wrong Disease, is an intensely frustrating condition. The patient has symptoms that limit them in some way. They see the appropriate professional for the situation. Maybe lab work is done. Maybe just a history. Perhaps a physical exam. But in the end you do not say and do the right things to fit into one of the diagnosis boxes that your practitioner knows about.... So you are diagnosed with the dreaded Nothing Wrong and moved along.

I could write a book on this because the majority of my patients have had this experience. I was fortunate enough to encounter this myself .... A compassion building exercise all physicians should experience to fully understand how totally disempowering and frustrating it is. But, there IS a remedy for this. Educate yourself on what is reasonable to expect from a physician and be a better consumer. There are good and bad doctors out there. Some physicians will be a better match for you than others. Here are some tips on finding Dr. Right.

1. Remember you are the expert on your condition, you are paying to get help, you have the right to find someone who treats people instead of just identifying diseases. People are unique. If you have been told nothing is wrong by several practitioners, you may just have an atypical presentation of something common or a combination of conditions that make a confusing mix of symptoms. Remember that Medical Education trains doctors to piece together puzzles, make a diagnostic call, and connect that to drugs or therapy. But most physicians are not trained to really think. Find someone who sees you, talks to you, and has not forgotten how to think.

2. The Doctor is always right, meaning you - by default, are always wrong. This bias that physicians are experts and know everything is not necessarily the case and don't buy into it. Ego is often a significant contributing factor to being diagnosed with 'Nothing Wrong'. You are the expert on your condition, a physician who does not recognize that and bases his assumptions on lab work or his limited knowledge alone while you have clear symptoms often misses the boat completely.

3. Repeat offenders. If you make the circuit, moving from doctor to doctor looking for answers, your chart may follow you and bias every doctor you see. If the first doctor diagnoses you with Nothing Wrong then you are a malingerer, mentally unstable, depressed, or a hypochondriac. Reading this prior to seeing you biases subsequent practitioners who also add notes, adding credibility to the idea that nothing is wrong and repeating your list of 'issues'. If you are seeking a second opinion, don't let a doctor who doesn't believe you refer you on... Get an unbiased second opinion and don't share chart information so you know your record is not affecting the ability of others to see the situation with fresh eyes.

4. Don't be afraid to travel or seek care from far afield. Today physicians can easily communicate with patients all over the world. If you can't get care in your own community, look around, travel somewhere else.... Thinking physicians often have practices that people travel long distances to access.

5. Remember that our current medical paradigm is all about symptom suppression. We don't make people better. We keep them sick and make them comfortable by covering up problems with long term drug therapy. This insures repeat business, requires ongoing monitoring, and basically creates dependence on a physician to maintain 'health'. Many people who have 'Nothing Wrong' actually are seeking something conventional medicine does not offer - genuine healing. Solving a problem instead of suppressing it with medications. This is not part of the training of a conventional physician, so seek qualified alternative providers who understand the concept of restoring health.