Here are some examples of how naturopathic medicine may help a specific condition
Pain
Often pain is present because there is inflammation in the body. Certain dietary and lifestyles can contribute to the development of inflammation. The naturopathic approach would be to determine the causative factors that may be creating the problems. Perhaps there is a dietary component as certain foods can promote inflammation or there is a lack of nutrients that can decrease inflammation such as omega-3 essential fatty acids. Part of what we do as naturopaths is educate you on what to do to take power over your situation.
Depression
There are both physiological and psychological factors to the development of depression. It may be a result of nutrient deficiencies such as low vitamin B6 or magnesium which is needed for the production of serotonin. In addition, a food allergy or sensitivity could be an underlying cause or perhaps low thyroid function. The basis of naturopathic medicine is to find out which may be a contributing factor and implement changes in diet, lifestyle, and supplements to bring about change.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
PMS has many contributing factors such as high dietary intake of dairy and simple carbohydrates, ineffective elimination of hormones by the liver or gastrointestinal tract or elevated estrogen to progesterone ratios. Depending on the underlying cause specific recommendations are made to promote effective elimination patterns of the gastrointestinal tract and/or support liver function so that it may properly metabolize hormones and/or specific dietary recommendations depending on the needs of the individual.
Type II Diabetes (Non-Insulin Dependent)
Type II diabetes is becoming increasingly prevalent in North America. There is much that can be done from a naturopathic perspective. For example, stabilizing blood sugar levels can be helped by incorporating a small amount of protein at each meal and botanicals such as gymnema sylvestre have been shown to increase the cells uptake of glucose. A complete naturopathic protocol can help prevent cardiovascular and nervous system damage due to elevated blood sugar levels.
Menopausal symptoms
During the perimenopausal years, some women tend to be more affected by the hormonal shifts than others. With the recent scare of hormone replacement therapy, many women are looking for a natural approach. There are many factors that contribute to the development of symptoms, for example, certain foods can trigger or increase hot flashes such as spicy foods and alcohol. Naturopathic medicine can approach the hormonal shifts naturally by making sure the individual has the proper nutrients to produce the hormones and through the use of specific botanicals to help regulate the hormonal system. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga Racemosa) is an example of one of the herbs commonly used to help symptoms by regulating hormonal levels.
High cholesterol
There are multiple factors that may contribute to elevated cholesterol levels. Many times there are dietary and exercise components that need to be addressed. In addition, there may be an ineffective elimination of cholesterol through the gastrointestinal tract or ineffective metabolism of cholesterol by the liver. A naturopathic approach would be multi-faceted focusing on diet, lifestyle, and specific vitamins, minerals, or botanicals to help the digestive tract and liver function optimally.
Infertility
This condition is becoming increasingly common among men and women. A combination of factors contributes to its development such as food allergy/sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies, stress, and hormonal imbalances. Through dietary and lifestyle modification, nutrient supplementation and stress management, balance can be restored.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Both of these conditions are on the rise. They are diagnoses of exclusion meaning other conditions need to be ruled out before these conditions can be diagnosed. These conditions are usually a result of multiple system problems. Many times there is an underlying sleep deprivation history that needs to be addressed. In addition to nutrient depletion and dietary factors which may contribute to the problems, a naturopathic approach would focus on diet, lifestyle and try to determine which systems need to be brought back into balance. For example, often the digestive system has some problems such as digestive enzyme deficiencies or the absorption of nutrients is impaired. Focusing on the underlying causative factors needs to be addressed for people to have energy and decreased pain.
