Welcome! And thanks for checking out the blog section of my website. I thought I’d start off with a post describing my journey to becoming a naturopathic doctor (ND) and more about the medicine in honour of naturopathic medicine week!
As it is common with so many others, I decided to become a ND after experiencing the benefits of the medicine first hand. What is also very common is that I ended up seeking naturopathic medicine after years of seeing medical doctors (MD) for my struggle with low energy to no avail. It all started when I was a young adult, starting university and living on my own for the very first time. Like so many others I had gone from home cooked meals, quiet nights, and a manageable schoolwork load to cafeteria catering, late night dorm parties, and high stress from the demands of first year courses. Not knowing what else to do, I went to see a MD at a walk-in clinic. After answering a handful of questions (leaving no time for me to ask my own set of questions) I was sent off for blood work which returned indicating that I had iron deficiency anemia, a very common diagnosis for a menstruating female of reproductive age, i.e. 19 year old me. I was prescribed an iron supplement and was told I should keep taking them until my ferritin levels (storage form of iron within the body) increased. I was also told to go for a blood test every 3 months to monitor my levels. After a couple years of trying this treatment and little to no change in my energy levels or my ferritin, I was referred to the hospital to get iron infusions once a week for a month. Finally, my ferritin levels had increased and the MD assured me that the problem had been fixed… Perhaps in somebody else’s case this treatment would have worked, but for me, it didn’t and I was left thinking that nothing could be done about my low energy.
I gradually started to feel better until one day I experienced a pivotal moment in my health when I thought to myself that I had no idea how miserable I was feeling until I discovered how much better I could actually feel.
One day, I saw an advertisement for an open house tour of a naturopathic clinic nearby. I had never heard of naturopathic medicine before but decided it would be worth a try considering I had exhausted the available conventional medicine resources. The initial consult was very thorough. She asked me about my lifestyle: what I ate, how much I exercised, how well I slept. She conducted a PAP exam after discovering my last one was more than 2 years ago, and she provided me with a safe space to ask my questions. Without a doubt, the appointment in itself contributed to my healing process as I felt heard and my concerns were taken seriously. Her treatment entailed a couple supplements and lifestyle modifications such as increasing water consumption and hours of sleep, as well as eliminating dairy from my diet. She took the time to explain why, despite my ferritin levels increasing with the infusions, my energy levels had not improved. I gradually started to feel better until one day I experienced a pivotal moment in my health when I thought to myself that I had no idea how miserable I was feeling until I discovered how much better I could actually feel. The treatment plan was not only effective but it was simple, educational, and left me yearning for more—i.e. to become a ND!
I tell my story because it is a classic example of how different systems of medicine can approach the same presenting complaint with differing perspectives. Our modern medical system is designed in such a way that spending time with patients (as a doctor) is not a top priority. I say this with great respect toward MDs as I am a firm believer that both forms of medicine are not only necessary but mutually beneficial. Naturopathic medicine often gets referred to as ‘complementary medicine’ because, just as the name suggests, it’s meant to complement conventional medicine. For example, if a person breaks their arm I would expect that they would go see a MD/surgeon. However, discussing optimal recovery from the surgery and how to prevent future fractures, by investigating why it happened in the first place, is a topic of discussion better suited for a ND. This scenario shows how the MD is trained to focus on the ‘what’, while the ND is trained to focus on the ‘why’. As a ND I thrive on the ‘why’. I believe it is my job to gather the pieces of the puzzle to gain a full visual of my patients’ health as well as to then educate my patients on how or why they are experiencing symptoms and lastly, equip them with strategies to prevent future illness.
So if you want to do better for yourself by learning about how your body works, understand why you are experiencing certain symptoms, and ultimately acquire the tools to help prevent illness later in life, naturopathic medicine may be the path for you.
What may come as a surprise to you is that we as NDs are extensively trained in biomedicine in the first two years of our education; this entails cell biology, physiology, anatomy, genetics, and much more. The foundation of our medicine is actually the same as for MDs; in fact, my biomedicine teacher was a graduate from medical school! I share this bit of background to convey that NDs have adequate training in order to practice medicine safely and we uphold ourselves to a standard of care that grants us the use of the title ’doctor’—something I consider an earned privilege. We are trained to know when to refer out and we most certainly are aware of conditions that are considered medical emergencies. Where MDs and NDs are set apart is in the treatments we are able to offer. Naturopathic medicine is able to offer multiple treatment options because NDs not only value science-based treatments but also traditional healing methods that have survived the test of time. As a ND my philosophy is that there is more than one way of knowing. I am open but not limited to using scientific evidence as a guide to helping my patients reach their health potential. So if you want to do better for yourself by learning about how your body works, understand why you are experiencing certain symptoms, and ultimately acquire the tools to help prevent illness later in life, naturopathic medicine may be the path for you.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post, I hope to hear from you soon! Again, feel free to book a 15min meet and greet, no charge, and/or fire me an email if you still have questions before booking your initial appointment with me 🙂