If you have never seen a naturopath before, it is common to think that a whole range of complementary medicines are ‘naturopathic’ this such as massage, homeopathy, and aromatherapy. These areas are not naturopathy. While some naturopaths may provide these services, it’s due to their additional training in these modalities. Modern naturopaths are trained in four-year Bachelor of Health Science, focusing on human biology, pharmacology, disease pathology, nutrition, and herbal medicines. As such, we are able to create treatment plans for your health, in combination with any medicines your doctor prescribes. This bachelor qualification ensures that your naturopath is well versed in the best traditional and scientific natural medicine treatment techniques and has the skills and training to keep up with all of the scientific advances in research.
What does a naturopath do?
The naturopathic philosophy is vis medicatrix naturae, the ‘healing power of nature’. So it is in our core training to help individuals achieve health through personalised natural and holistic interventions. A naturopath aims to treat the root cause of your concerns so that you have sustained health long after having ceased consulting with the naturopath. A naturopathy treatment may include lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, herbal medicines, nutritional supplementation, and naturopathic hydrotherapy. In my clinic, I prescribe supplements, in addition to also creating customised liquid herbal medicines, herbal teas, and personalised nutritional compound formulas. This way I know exactly what you are taking, which allows us to be sure that these treatments are safe for your condition and any medications that you are prescribed.
One important point to note is that Naturopathic Treatments DO NOT use any products from multilevel marketing (MLM) companies. This is specifically not allowed in Australia. So you can rest assured that you’re never going to be advised to pay for something that is essentially a whole lot of marketing of on-trend ingredients. Only products that are approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration are ever going to be prescribed.
What will the first appointment look like?
When starting out on your health journey together, it is important to gain a thorough understanding of your health through an initial consultation together. This is a moment where we meet to thoroughly discuss your health, including diet and taking your blood pressure etc. In addition, this is more often than not combined with gaining further supporting data through blood, urine, or saliva testing. By further pathology testing through services such as QML, Food Detective Testing, the 500+ hair test, and using functional pathology testing such as DUTCH Hormone testing, Organic Acid Test, Complete Thyroid Profile, and Complete Microbiome Mapping. I personally like to use these tests with thorough case taking before going down the supplemental route.
Once we have gathered enough data, we then proceed with a treatment plan personalised to your treatment goals.
Key take-away
Naturopathic Treatment is a personalised holistic treatment for you. Focused on helping to reduce your symptoms and eliminating the cause of the problem from the root of the disease.
