What is the philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine?

What is the history of Naturopathic Medicine?

What is the training of Naturopathic Doctors?

How can I know how to choose a qualified Naturopathic Doctor?

When would someone see a Naturopathic Doctor?

What treatments does a Naturopathic Doctor perform?

What is the difference between a registered Naturopath and a non registered Naturopath?

What is the difference between a Naturopath and a Homeopath?

How much does it cost?

What is a Food Intolerance Test? And what conditions can it help?

What is the difference between Allergy IgE and IgG Testing and Food Sensitivities or Intolerances?

How can Naturopathic Care help me with chronic low energy or stress?

Is Cleansing/ Detoxing one’s system a good idea?

Do you have ways of helping patients go through chemotherapy or cancer treatments?

What is the relationship with asthma, allergies and eczema?

Why do I have digestive gas and bloating?

Why is my child so active , and have trouble concentrating?

What can Naturopathic Medicine do for fertility?

What is Revivelife Score ©?

What is Metabolic Urine Testing( MUT)  that is used in preventive medicine?

What is the philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic Medicine is based on the philosophy that your body has an “innate ability” to self heal.  It is when these systems are blocked that disease takes place.  Thus Naturopathic Doctors assist in restoring the body’s innate ability to heal  balancing the fundamental components of health- biochemistry, biomechanics and the emotional predispositions.  This philosophy empowers the individual  to take an activce role in the  health  changes they experience.  Our vital force promotes self-cleansing, self-repair, and therefore self-healing.  This process can be achieved by focusing on the immune, hormonal, nervous, and detoxification/elimination systems of the body.  Once these systems are in balance, restored health is a probability. Naturopathic Medicine offers safe, cost-effective solutions for many of our nation’s healthcare problems.  Competance and respect for tradition, the scientific method, and innovation are hallmarks of a naturopathic medical practice.

What is the history of Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic treatments originated as the use of herbs and foods for medicine, exposure to fresh air and sunlight, and hydrotherapy (the use of hot and cold water application) as steam or sauna.  These techniques and methods have long been respected throughout the world.  While modern allopathic medicine is a youngster of less than 200 years old, Natural Medicine has been the primary medicine used by most of the human community even into the 21st Century. Herbal and traditional medical arts remain the primary medical choice of over 65% of humanity.

Naturopathic Medicine was first established as a distinct profession in North America at the turn of the 20th century by Benedict Lust, a German immigrant.  Lust had been a student of Father Sebastian Kneipp, famous in Europe for being involved with a movement known as “Nature Cure.”   That was the system of employing clean  food, water, air, sun, and exercise with hydrotherapy as healing agents to restore health.

Lust and his wife founded the Yungborn Nature Cure Health Resort in New York state.  There they incorporated other disciplines and therapies compatible with the basic principles of “Nature Cure.”  In 1902, Lust began using the term Naturopathy to describe the mixture of disciplines and therapies he used to treat illness.  Three years later he founded the first school of Naturopathic Medicine under the laws of the State of New York.

Throughout North America in the early 1900s, this movement blossomed with the opening of more than 20 schools offering programs in Naturopathic Medicine.  In 1925, Ontario formally recognized Naturopathic Medicine under the Drugless Practitioners Act. Arizona followed with their act in 1935.  British Columbia enacted the Naturopathic Physician’s Act in 1936, followed by Alberta and Manitoba in the 1940s.  After World War II, antibiotics and advanced surgical techniques created a growing belief that medical science and technology would soon cure most if not all known sickness and disease.  Naturopathic profession, with its emphasis on self-healing and independence from profitable drugs and heroic procedures, declined rapidly in post WWII America.

A renaissance in Naturopathy began in North America and Europe in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  People and governments became aware of the limitations of science and medical technology.  A growing public interest in alternative or complementary medicine to maintain and restore health has led to a resurgence of belief in the importance of diet, lifestyle, personal choice to ideal health.  This validated the original principles and teachings of the Naturopathic profession.

What is the training of Naturopathic Doctors?

All Naturopathic Doctors have their minimum requirements for biochemical sciences at an undergraduate level.   Many having bachelor University degrees, before entering into the four year post graduate Naturopathic Doctor training program.  Graduation from a certified Naturopathic Medical School then  allows an individual to sit for their provinical board exams for liscencing in their chosen province.  Naturopathic Doctors then often train further in their areas of interest including: Homeopathy, Physical Therapeutics including Craniosacral Technique &  Bowen Therapyamong many more.

How can I know how to choose a qualified Naturopathic Doctor?

All registered Naturopathic Doctors must sit for board exams to qualify to be liscenced in the province of their choice.  You can easily find a qualified Naturopathic Doctor by checking the website of the province Board of Directors for Naturopathy and or the provincial association ie in Ontario the OAND http://www.oand.org/

When would someone see a Naturopathic Doctor?

Naturopathic Doctors can address any health concern from Fatigue and Stress to Support for Cancer,Longevity Medicine, Digestive Concerns, Allergies , Asthma and Eczema, Fibromyalgia, MS, Arthritis, Female Concerns including Menopause, Sports and Injuries, Childhood Concerns, Cardiovascular Disease, Weight Management and Headaches and Migraines.

What treatments does a Naturopathic Doctor perform?

Treatments include: i. Clinical Nutrition including Food and Environmental Assessment, ii. Botanical Medicine, iii. Homeopathy, iv. Physical Techniques such as the Bowen Therapy and Craniosacral Technique, v. Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, vi. Stress Management and Lifestyle Counselling .

What is the difference between a registered Naturopath and a non registered Naturopath?

Registered Naturopathic Doctor is a professional who has gone through the rigorous educational program accredited and written the provincial board exams and is registered in the province of practice. A non registered Naturopath is someone who does not have licensing to practice in the province in question.

What is the difference between a Naturopath and a Homeopath?

Homeopath prescribes remedies in which the law of like treats like and the law of micro-dilutions is used to individually choose a remedy for an individual . A Naturopath uses the technique of Homeopathy as well as the above treatments mentioned ie Clinical Nutrition, Botanical Medicine, Physical Techniques, Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and Stress Management and Lifestyle Counselling.

How much does it cost?

Each person’s care depends on their unique situation. Most Naturopathic initial visits are an investment in the 100-300 range. Follow ups are generally 75-150. Statistics show this investment yields a multiple return in better quality of life and vitality. Many insurance companies cover a portion of care, so please check your individual coverage.

What is a Food Intolerance Test? And what conditions can it help?

A Food Intolerance Test helps to determine if there are any foods that you are eating that are acting like a stress to the body and thus are not being digested and absorbed and potentially contributing to your health concerns. It is different than a food allergy in that it does not follow the immunoglobulin E pathway as an allergy , yet does impact the body generally in the area of genetic predisposition.

What is the difference between Allergy IgE and IgG Testing and Food Sensitivities or Intolerances?

“Allergies” can follow two pathways either an Immunoglobulin E ( IgE) response which is an immediate reaction or an Immunoglobulin G ( IgG) response which is a delayed response. In an allergic reaction the mast cells in the immune system then release histamine to produce traditional allergy symptoms.  The traditional allergy symptoms include:  hives, swelling, itching eyes, running nose, headaches, sinus symptoms and maybe life threatening.  Revivelife Allergy Testing is done via blood and tests for both IgE and IgG reactions and is suited for those with allergy type symptoms.

 Sensitivities do not follow the histamine pathway yet impact the body in a negative way.  The symptoms of sensitivities maybe varied and tend to impact an individual where their genetic weaknesses are.  For example one person sensitive to tomatoes may get a headache while another may have arthritc pain.  Sensitivity or Intolerance Testing at Revivelife is indicated for those with generalized health concerns.

 The most comprehensive approach to food & environmental reactions would be to overlap sensitivity results with allergy results.

How can Naturopathic Care help me with chronic low energy or stress?

After individual assessment, a Naturopathic Doctor would work on rebalancing the organs that are connected in Revivelife © such as the adrenal gland and work on Stress Management Technqiues to rebalance the body.

Is Cleansing/ Detoxing one’s system a good idea?

With the number of chemicals and pesticides we are exposed to daily we could fill trucks that would be lined up from the northern tip of North America to the southern tip. It is thus very important to cleanse the body on a regular basis and strengthen the body’s innate cleansing mechanism.

Do you have ways of helping patients go through chemotherapy or cancer treatments?

We are trained to support the body’s innate healing mechanisms including the immune system. We work toward optimal nutritional plan and ways to facilitate organ strength for better results with traditional therapies.

What is the relationship with asthma, allergies and eczema?

They are inversely related. If you suppress eczema and not look at the source you may potentially aggravate allergies and asthma. Thus a complete plan is to address all concerns at the route cause.

Why do I have digestive gas and bloating?

When the nervous system is in overdrive often ie Stress – we are functioning in the sympathetic nervous system and we are not in the parasympathetic nervous system which is where digestion takes place. In this state we don’t release enough digestive enzymes to properly digest thus leading to gas and bloating.

Why is my child so active , and have trouble concentrating?

There may be many reasons why, the most common being food intolerances or nutritional deficiencies including the omega 3 fish oils.

What can Naturopathic Medicine do for fertility?

Often when one does a detox , unexplained fertility can be resolved. Other treatments would include optimizing nutrition , rebalancing hormones including the stress hormone cortisol.

What is Revivelife Score ©?

Disease doesn’t occur overnight and Naturopathic Approaches looks at the connections that appear early on that indicate movement along this spectrum. Our goal is to promote the movement back to Wellness and educated each individual on how to maintain this.

What is Metabolic Urine Testing( MUT)  that is used in preventive medicine?

This is a form of urine assessment that can help us understand where you are on the Revivelife Score © System, before symptoms develop.   This helps us stay in Wellness and create Prevention.