Conventional Medicine is Disease Management
The treatment philosophy used by most medical doctors relies on the concept of identifying diseases, pathogens or symptoms, and then prescribing drugs to manage or combat those conditions. It’s a system that considers the disease, pathogen or symptom to be the actual problem, as opposed to addressing the underlying causes that produced the problem in the first place. This medical model, largely created by the pharmaceutical industry, then uses patented synthetic drugs to manage the problem. Unfortunately, use of synthetic drugs often harm the body—which we call side effects—and since they don’t treat the root cause, they’re used for years or decades, leading to disease management, instead of a cure. On the other hand, natural medicine seeks to reverse root causes of our health issues through non-toxic means and lifestyle changes, thereby bringing about permanent, drug-free results.

Natural Helps to Reverses Root Causes
The role of the natural doctor is to figure out how, why and where the body’s ecology and energy is dysfunctional, and then suggest ways to get it functioning again through nontoxic means. The first priority is to educate the patient about proper diet and other lifestyle choices that affect health. From there, herbs, homeopathic remedies, supplements, detoxification, acupuncture or other nontoxic therapies may be prescribed to help build and nourish bodily systems. For example, a child with an ear infection—which is often the result of a weak immune system—may be given herbs to ward of the infection, but may also have dairy and other allergens removed from the diet so that the immune system will function properly again. Such treatment—from educating the parents to dietary changes to nontoxic remedies—creates permanent results.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
Nearly five thousand years ago the ancient Chinese recognized a vital energy behind all life, which they called chi. Chi is the animating force that controls the functioning of every organ in the body, and is known as the “life force” by shamans, “prana” by yogis, and “bioelectric energy” by modern scientists.  Healing practitioners discovered that chi flows along specific pathways in the body, now called “meridians.” Disease can arise when there is a deficiency or imbalance of chi energy in the meridians and their related physiological systems. Correcting the imbalance in energy flow is the goal of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.  Herbs are used to unblock or redirect energy, while insertion of very fine needles next to meridians can cause a desired shift in energy flow as well. As the vital energy is restored to proper flow, symptoms of illness disappear.

Ayurveda
Ayurveda has been practiced in India for at least 5,000 years, and is a natural system of medicine. The Ayurvedic physician first identifies the constitutional type of the patient, and then uses nontoxic therapies to strengthen it. The constitutional type is based on the five elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. Combinations of these elements are known as the doshas. Your dosha is your constitutional makeup. There are three main types: Vata, which is predominately air; Pitta, which is predominately fire; and Kapha, which is predominately earth and water; plus four combination types. Once the dosha is established, a specific treatment plan is then designed to guide the individual back into harmony. Treatment may include dietary changes, exercise, yoga, massage, herbal tonics, medicated enemas, and other nontoxic therapies.

Naturopathy
Naturopathy is a philosophy of nontoxic medicine that believes the body can heal itself of ailments and disease, when given the right conditions. Licensed Naturopathic doctors are not only schooled in similar subjects found in conventional medical schools, but are also trained in natural therapeutics such as botanical medicine, natural childbirth, acupuncture and clinical nutrition. During the initial visit, a Naturopath will investigate a patient’s symptoms, perform a detailed exam and acquire samples for laboratory analysis. She may also consider nutritional status, metabolic function and toxic load before recommending treatment. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, botanical medicine, detoxification, homeopathy, and acupuncture. By treating the whole person, instead of a disease, Naturopaths enjoy a high success rate with their patients.

Homeopathy
Homeopathy is based on an energetic medicine model known as “The Law of Similars,” or “like cures like.” Homeopathic remedies are made from plants, minerals and other natural substances. Through a process known as dilution and succussion, these substances are reduced to an energy pattern, or essence. The energy essence is known to stimulate the body’s immune system to heal whatever pattern of symptoms would be found in a large dose of the same substance. Homeopathic practitioners prescribe specific homeopathic remedies based on the pattern of symptoms found in their patient. The remedy causes an adjustment of subtle energy to activate the body’s defense mechanism.  Once activated, root causes of symptoms are dealt with and symptoms of health problems fade away. Homeopathy is often effective with people who have chronic diseases, long-term emotional problems, or recurring illnesses.