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Feel the Pulse

Naturopath

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. In BC, naturopathic doctors (NDs) are licensed to be primary care providers and offer health care that emphasizes disease prevention focused on wellness and encompasses physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors. They use evidence-based and evidence-informed therapeutic options for patients to create an individualized, patient-centered focus on healthy lifestyle including: Nutrition, Natural health supplementation, Botanical (herbal) medicine, Acupuncture and IV (intravenous) therapies. By investigating your health via physical examination, appropriate diagnostic testing and extensive questioning an ND can offer a full range of support on your journey. Treatments are continually re-examined in the light of scientific advances and improvement in your health in order to cover most aspects of family health from digestive, heart and immune health to hormone balance and stress support.

 

Seeing an ND for the first time may be similar to seeing an MD—all primary care providers
review health history and request standard diagnostic tests—but a consultation with an ND also encompasses a thorough assessment of personal health risks.


Naturopathic doctors conduct a comprehensive intake focusing on a patient’s health history as
well as their current medical issues. This history may involve a physical exam and the use of
standard diagnostic instruments and laboratory tests. Naturopathic protocols are developed
using not only standard lab tests but also lifestyle details such as dietary habits, emotional
stress, exercise and exposure to environmental hazards.

 

Most patients find there are three major benefits to seeing an ND:
1. Primary care and prevention medicine;
2. Valid complementary approaches when other treatments are causing side effects;
3. Management of chronic diseases for which conventional medicine has no effective
treatment.

 

Naturopathic doctors in BC receive a minimum of three years pre-medical university training and then complete four years post-graduate training at an accredited naturopathic medical school. Naturopathic medical education includes certain areas of study not covered in conventional medical school. At the same time, students receive training in the same biomedical and diagnostic sciences as MDs. The result is a comprehensive, rigorous, and well-rounded scientific medical education that is both comparable to that of MDs. Naturopathic doctors complete an estimated 1500 hours in basic bio-medical sciences, 1900 hours of standard medical therapeutics (e.g., pharmacology, family medicine, internal medicine, etc.) and extensive training in naturopathic treatments. Naturopathic doctors pass both provincial and international exams prior to receiving licensure.

 

Many naturopathic doctors in BC have additional college-certified training in pharmaceutical
prescriptions, IV and injection therapies, and physical medicine procedures such as
acupuncture and hydrotherapy.

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Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the promotion of health, the prevention of disease, patient
education and individual responsibility; arguably the most therapeutically cost-effective
approaches to preventing and treating chronic disease.

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