Naturopathic Doctors and Naturopathic Medicine in Ottawa

Natural Medicine with Modern Applications

The role of natural medicine has evolved very quickly with regard to their therapeutic applications by licensed healthcare providers. Naturopathic Doctors dedicate their practice to utilizing the best available research to support and guide treatment plans. The role of natural therapies on improving our health is no longer a mystery. The role of diet, lifestyle choices and habits, nutritional treatments and other alternative approaches have been thoroughly investigated over the last decades. Their use in medicine is now depends on healthcare providers that work to stay up-to-date on the newest research and review previous research to help prescribe these therapies. It is the role of Naturopathic Doctors to inform their patients on which therapies may be beneficial for them, why they would be beneficial, what are the potential risks for harm, and what the limitations of the current research are. It is important to work with a licensed Naturopathic Doctor to help you safely include natural therapies when indicated, as the majority of the supplements and treatments sold over the counter or online (for the treatment of fertility) have been found to have no scientific evidence to support their use or have been evaluated to utilize concentrations of active ingredients that are well below the minimum effective dose (as determined in clinical research). Working with a Naturopathic Doctor may help you determine what supplements are safe and which ones may be harmful, and to actually develop a treatment plan based on evidence based guidelines to actually support your health. 

Naturopathic Doctors take an Oath before going in to practice to following the following 6 Principles: 

1. First do no Harm: this is a commitment to always recommend the least invasive treatment methods that can be helpful for a patient first. Working to support your health with therapies that have the highest safety profile and are appropriate for your case and severity of the health condition to minimize the risk of harm. This may include using therapies with the least toxic effects first, sticking to lifestyle and dietary optimization, or working on mindfulness and stress reduction. When indicated, additional therapies may be prescribed if needed for the patient. 

2. The Healing Power of Nature: recognizing that the body is able to heal and to support the body in its capacity to repair and restore whenever possible. The body can repair itself and is constantly changing as cells turnover, it has endogenous defence mechanisms to protect itself from oxidative stress, mental stress, inflammation, fatigue, viral and bacterial infections. Naturopathic Doctors recognize the body’s ability to recover and heal, and work to support these functions whenever possible, and will prescribe additional therapies where the body needs support. 

3. Identify and Treat the Cause: Naturopathic Doctors do not just try and treat a symptoms, but instead focus on treating the root cause of a disease and simultaneously provide treatment for symptomatic relief. For example, a patient who cannot conceive because of elevated stress, sleep dysregulation, poor dietary habits, poor lifestyle habits, etc. lead to hormone imbalance will have a treatment to help address the hormonal imbalance as well as supportive treatment in addressing all of the factors mentioned above 

4. Doctor as Teacher: our goal is to not just issue a treatment and send you out the door. The goal is to provide you with the appropriate information, corresponding scientific research, and engaging in a meaningful discussion with you so you can actively make decisions in your healthcare and treatment options and leave being more informed about your condition than when you first came in for the consultation 

5. Treat the Whole Person: Naturopathic Doctors recognize the whole body and its systems and how they can impact your health and particular health concern. We evaluate factors from diet, lifestyle, family history, mental and emotional health, environmental factors, social factors, and genetics when treating a a patient

6. Prevention: Naturopathic Doctors promote the prevention of disease, instead of just recommending treatments for existing conditions. For example, if there is a strong family history for a specific health condition and you are at a high-risk, the discussion during the consultation would include prevention strategies instead of just waiting for the condition to develop and then to prescribe a treatment