The Basics - Naturopathic Medicine
Dr. Lisa Edens-Tan, Naturopathic Doctor in Mendocino, follows these principles to provide the best care to her patients.
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a unique and distinct system of health care that emphasizes the use of prevention and natural therapeutics. The doctors who practice naturopathic medicine, called naturopathic doctors (NDs), are trained to serve as primary care general practitioners who are experts in the prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of both acute and chronic health conditions.
Naturopathic doctors are trained at accredited, four-year, post-graduate, residential naturopathic medical programs.
The training consists of comprehensive study of the conventional medical sciences, including:
|
|
Naturopathic doctors use a variety of natural and non-invasive therapies, including
- Clinical nutrition
- Homeopathy
- Botanical medicine
- Hydrotherapy
- Physical medicine
- and counseling.
Many naturopathic doctors have additional training and certification in acupuncture and natural child birth. Naturopathic treatments are effective in treating a wide variety of conditions without the need for additional intervention. Naturopathic doctors are also able to function within an integrated framework, and naturopathic therapies can be used to complement treatments used by conventionally trained medical doctors. The result is a patient-centered approach that strives to provide the most appropriate treatment for an individual's needs.
In the United States, the naturopathic medical profession's infrastructure includes accredited educational institutions, professional licensing, national standards of practice, peer review, and a commitment to state-of-the-art scientific research.