One of the main reasons that I chose the route of a naturopathic medical doctor was because I believed in the philosophy behind the medicine and the therapeutic order.
As a naturopathic physician, I can use many different types of therapeutic modalities from minor surgery and pharmaceuticals to nutrition and botanical medicine. What differentiates how I practice medicine compared to the conventional model is when I choose to use these modalities.
I believe that the body has an inherent drive to heal itself and it is my job to support that process.
Quite simply, nature knows best. I follow Hippocratic philosophy which focuses on wholeness. Plato summarized this idea in one sentence, “The certain knowledge of nature is solely possible from medicine and only when it is correctly approached as a whole”.
I believe that…
The nocebo effect is just as powerful as the placebo effect.
You are not your disease & it does not define you.
It’s important to hold your power & listen to yourself.
Whole Person Approach
I incorporate the mind, body, and spirit into my practice. Mind-body practices have been used in ancient cultures to improve wellness and support mental, physical, and spiritual health for thousands of years. Now, modern science has revealed some of the physiological effects of these ancient techniques. To date, there are over 19,000 published studies on meditation and the mind-body connection.
Emotions play a huge role in your wellbeing and I incorporate psychoneuroimmunology into my own clinical practice. Studies have shown that stress and emotions can actually reduce white blood cell counts, causing a decrease in immune function. Emotional stress is now a contributing factor in the top 6 leading causes of death in the United States. I believe that balancing the mind is just as important as balancing the body… and that they are one.
The Therapeutic Order
The therapeutic order is a unique philosophy used in naturopathic medicine. It’s a set of guidelines that help to resolve symptoms and address the underlying cause while using the least force for necessary.
In summary, it means that I practice highly individualized medicine and I will offer treatments that are the best for each patient at that moment in time.
The complex intelligence
of a plant
can’t ever be
synthesized in a lab
Medicine is much more than modalities
It’s how you live your life. The thoughts you think. How you feel. How you choose to spend your time. How much time you spend in nature. How you breathe. How you sleep. What you eat & drink and how you move.
The Podcast
Come with me on a journey to the unexplored side of medicine where we speak with rebel doctors, radical herbalists, unorthodox healers, and patients who have healed themselves. Explore the intersection between science & spirituality and discover the power within you.