What does a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) do?…and how does that differ from Conventional medicine?
Naturopathic Doctors (or Naturopaths) utilize various natural therapies which work in synergy with the human body. These include such methods as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, and other preventive & therapeutic modalities. In conjunction with the basic principles mentioned above, Naturopaths tailor treatments to the specific needs of each client in order to help them restore and/or maintain health. The main difference between Naturopathic and Conventional Medicine is the philosophical approach to health and healing. As a team, Naturopath and client work together to find the cause of the illness and uncover those factors which may be preventing cure. This allows the Naturopath to treat the whole person, not just symptoms. The primary goal is essentially on educating clients as to how to take an active role in not only creating their own health but also preventing illness – acute and chronic – using the power of natural medicine.
