Clearing up Myths and Misconceptions about naturopathic medicine
3 misconceptions this ND wants to correct
Is naturopathic medicine all green juices and cleanses?
While many of the therapies that naturopathic doctors use have been practiced for centuries, the profession as we see it today is fairly new and relatively small. As a result, there are a lot of folks who don’t know exactly who we are or what we do (I was in that category for a long time too!). Conversations with friends, acquaintances and patients have showed me some of the most common misconceptions about this profession, which I’m hoping to clear up in this post.
Naturopathic medicine is strictly an alternative to conventional medicine
Who says things have to be either or? Medicine is a vast and complex field, and no single profession can do it all. This is why I recommend working with a collaborative team of healthcare professionals if you need to. Naturopathic medicine works exceptionally well as a complement to conventional medicine, as well as other health fields like psychology and physiotherapy. NDs have specific training that allows us to collaborate with other professions safely. For example, we study drug-herb interactions so that we can ensure our herbal recommendations can be safely prescribed with any medication you may already be on.
Naturopathic treatment plans are restrictive and difficult.
I was guilty of this misconception before I saw an ND for the first time. I remember telling my mom that I was hesitant about going because I thought that I would have to do a juice cleanse, go vegan or give up sugar forever. While dietary changes are a common prescription from NDs, we focus on moderate dietary changes that are sustainable long-term. In certain cases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, a more restrictive diet may be prescribed to help with acute healing, or to aide in diagnosis. However these are generally short-term and done with adequate supervision and support.
Naturopathic medicine isn’t safe
Naturopathic medicine is a regulated health profession. This means that in order to become a naturopathic doctor we must complete training at an accredited naturopathic medical school, complete rigorous licensing exams, and register with a provincial governing board. Governing boards have the power to reprimand or revote the licence of their registrants if best practices aren’t being followed. This ensures that patients get the safest and most ethical treatments from their regulated health care professionals.
If you have more questions about naturopathic medicine you can book a free 15 minute consult with Dr. Moore, ND to see if it’s a good fit for you!