Naturopathic Medicine

Dr.Jennifer Salib Huber,ND & Dr. Taryn Deering, ND

Nutrition

"Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food" - Hippocrates

Nutrition is the cornerstone of health & wellness. Without it, health and healing cannot take place. The role of food and nutrition is well understood in illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, but diet can also play a role in conditions such as migraines and inflammatory conditions.

Foods are basically composed of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. But as research into nutrition advances, we are discovering that some foods are better than others and that some foods contain potent phytonutrients, such as bioflavonoids. We have also discovered that some foods can promote inflammation while others can decrease it. The essential fatty acid omega-3 is an example of this.

Choosing the right foods is just part of the picture. Your body must be able to use the foods that you give it. The gastrointestinal system is one of the most complex systems in the body and is easily disturbed. Ensuring a healthy gut is key to making the most of a healthy diet.

While treatment of illness can be achieved through dietary changes, prevention of future illness is also very important. Studies have shown that certain diets can prevent a variety of conditions. The Mediterranean diet in relation to heart disease and cancer is one example.

An ND will help you figure out what your perfect balance is.

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Herbal Medicine

Herbs are part of traditional healing systems around the world. There are hundreds of plants with known medicinal properties, some of which our modern day drugs are derived from. Digitalis, for example is derived from Foxglove.

Most people have heard of Echinacea, St. John's Wort and Ginkgo, but these are just a few of the many herbs which are part of the herbal repertoire. Just like conventional drugs, herbs can act as anti-inflammatories, diuretics and sedatives. But certain herbs have tonic properties, meaning that they can strengthen the organ or system that they act on. Take Licorice, for example. Licorice is a wonderful tonic to many systems including the adrenal/nervous system and the gastrointestinal system. It can help restore balance to these systems.

In recent years, many herbs have been standardized to contain an "active ingredient". While this research has been helpful in understanding the actions of herbs, herbs have historically been used in combination. Most often a combination of synergistic herbs is individually selected based on the person's symptoms. Many believe this is the most holistic way to use herbal medicines.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete medical system that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses for more than 2,000 years. It combines the use of herbal medicine, acupuncture and nutrition to help bring the body into balance.

TCM is based on a belief in yin and yang-defined as opposing energies, such as winter and summer, happiness and sadness. When yin and yang are in balance, a state of equilibrium is achieved. Out of balance, however, yin and yang can negatively impact on health.

Qi (pronounced chee) is the life force or energy that embodies all living things. In order for yin and yang to be balanced and for the body to be healthy, qi must be balanced and flowing freely. When there's too little or too much qi in one of the body's energy pathways (called meridians), or when the flow of qi is blocked, illness results.

The ultimate goal of TCM treatment is to balance the yin and yang in our lives by promoting the natural flow of qi. In an interesting analogy, often used to explain its nature, qi is described as the wind in a sail; we do not see the wind directly, but we are aware of its presence as it fills the sail.

Research is ongoing as to how and why acupuncture works, but it has been found to be helpful in a number of conditions including arthritis, hormonal imbalances, anxiety and depression.

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Homeopathy

Homeopathy was founded in the late 18th century by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, who described the Law of Similars. This law states that when a substance in large doses causes certain symptoms, in small doses it can cure these same symptoms. Homeopathy is experiencing a revival in North American and is used extensively in Europe and India.

Rather than simply suppressing symptoms of a disease, homeopathic remedies act as catalysts that aid the body's inherent healing mechanisms. The homeopathic diagnosis is threefold, including physical symptoms (e.g., feverish), current emotional and psychological state (e.g., anxious, restless), and overall constitution of the individual (this includes more enduring qualities related to a person's creativity, initiative, persistence, concentration, physical sensitivities, stamina). The right remedy for a particular condition addresses all of these aspects and requires a highly individualized diagnosis.

There are hundreds of homeopathic remedies that can be selected based on an individual's symptoms. Often, Naturopathic Doctors will use homeopathy in addition to using herbal medicine and/or acupuncture.

Due to its gentle and non-toxic nature, homeopathic remedies are ideally suited to children and young infants.

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Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy is the use of water to treat illness and promote healing. Hydro- and hydrothermal therapy are traditional methods of treatment that have been used for the treatment of disease and injury by many cultures, including those of ancient Rome, China, and Japan. Water therapy has been around for centuries. The ancient Greeks took therapeutic baths and water is an important ingredient in the traditional Chinese and Native American healing systems.

A Bavarian monk, Father Sebastian Kneipp helped re-popularize the therapeutic use of water in the 19th century. There are now many dozens of methods of applying hydrotherapy, including baths, saunas, douches, wraps, and packs.

Various forms of hydrotherapy can be prescribed at home to assist in the healing process. When you submerge yourself in a bath, a pool, or a whirlpool, you experience a kind of weightlessness. Your body is relieved from the constant pull of gravity. Water also has a hydrostatic effect. It has a massage-like feeling as the water gently kneads your body. Water, in motion, stimulates touch receptors on the skin, boosting blood circulation and releasing tight muscles.

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Lifestyle Counseling

As part of the holistic nature of Naturopathic Medicine, ND's try to assess all aspects of a person's life that can impact on their physical, emotional and spiritual health. In addition to diet, lifestyle can play a pivotal role in one's overall health and wellbeing.

One example of how lifestyle impacts on health is stress. Stress management is one aspect of lifestyle counseling that Naturopathic Doctors have considerable expertise in. The effect of stress is being aggressively studied in relation to disease, and an ND can help you identify the role of stress in your life and how you can better manage its effects.

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