Natural Holistic Medicine

Natural holistic medicine is becoming increasingly popular in the United States according to reports from respected publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Naturopathy, a term coined by John Scheel in the early 20th century and used by other American advocates, is not a new medical practice. The roots are ancient.

Before the discovery of penicillin and the introduction of synthetic drugs, naturopathy was very popular in the United States and, over the years, there have been many who supported its continued use. On the other hand, there were others who believed that modern technology offered better solutions.

When comparing natural and holistic medicine to other medical systems, you will see that there are similarities and some important differences. The aim of all medical practitioners is to help their patients; the difference, however, lies in the techniques that they use and the way they look at symptoms.

In most medical systems, doctors attempt to treat the symptoms. Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine, by contrast, attempt to treat the cause of the symptoms. It seems very logical to look for the cause, but, particularly in the case of chronic conditions, a single cause may not be easy to identify.

One of the primary principles of natural holistic medicine explains exactly why finding a single cause can be so difficult. A person’s health is affected by a variety of factors. There may be a “physical” cause for symptoms, such as a new or old injury. Mental or emotional problems, such as depression or anxiety, can cause physical symptoms. Genetic conditions, heredity or cultural practices can cause symptoms.

Environmental and social factors can affect a person’s health and his or her ability to recover from disease. Poor nutrition, improper diet and physical inactivity often cause poor health. In most cases, it is a combination of some or all of these factors that is the root cause of unwanted symptoms.

Doctors of natural holistic medicine consider all of the factors that can affect a person’s health and create individual treatment plans for each patient.

It is commonly said that they treat the “whole” person, rather than a fragment. They do not prescribe synthetic drugs. They may suggest natural herbal remedies, dietary supplements or vitamin therapy and a host of other natural treatments, but the therapies they choose for a patient are those that carry the least risk of harmful side effects.

Nearly every day we read about how some prescription drug or another is dangerous (or even deadly!) and causes harmful side effects. We know that a number of risks are associated with even simple surgical procedures.

These are two reasons that many of us are turning to natural holistic medicine and explains some of its increased popularity. Another reason is that other medical professionals are recommending naturopathy more often. And, then there is the recognized need for prevention.

One of the primary principles of natural holistic medicine has always been that prevention is the best cure. In recent years, researchers have reported that improper diet and unhealthy lifestyle plays a major role in most chronic and life threatening diseases.

Heart disease, cancer, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases are just a few of the conditions that we may be able to prevent, if we have the right teachers.

Doctors of natural holistic medicine recognize their roles as teachers. They educate patients about how to take responsibility for their own health, by practicing healthy habits throughout their lives.

Indeed, as a Naturopathic Doctor myself, I personally take on clients one-on-one to help them improve their health through education. I currently practice in East Lansing, MI and Ann Arbor, MI.

Please contact me below if you are interested in my services as a Naturopathic physician and I will contact you back ASAP.

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