What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathy is often called natural medicine because it uses the healing power of nature to treat health imbalances. As a naturopath, I use the health information you provide to help identify the source of any health imbalances. The treatments I recommend are typically sourced from nature and are aimed at stimulating your body’s powerful natural ability to heal itself.
Naturopathic philosophy places particular importance on treating the whole person, mind, body and spirit. As healing is most likely to occur when you take responsibility for your own health, I also seek to help you understand how best to help yourself and to optimise the therapeutic potential of the recommended treatments.
What can I expect from my initial Naturopathic health assessment?
After making your initial appointment, you will be sent a welcome pack which includes links to an online Health Assessment Questionnaire which needs to be completed at least 24 hours prior to your initial appointment (hard copies also available). The report from your completed questionnaire provides a comprehensive overview of your current personal health history, current health, medications & supplements (if any) and family health history and will form the basis of our initial discussions.
At your initial consult, I may also do some basic physical examinations including iris analysis, look at your tongue and nails and check your pulse, blood pressure, zinc status or pH. Based on all the information provided, I will make initial recommendations designed to help you reach your health goals.
Note that in many cases, not all relevant aspects of your health can be covered in the first visit and most people require at least one or two follow-up consultations to complete their health assessment e.g. to complete indicated physical tests, to arrange results of pathology testing, complete physical examinations etc.
What treatments may be recommended?
Natural treatments commonly used to support your health include diet & lifestyle advice, nutritional medicine, herbal medicine and aromatherapy (essential oils). Depending on the complexity of your main concerns, one or more of the following may be recommended:
Diet & lifestyle advice
Eating a balanced diet including a wide variety of fresh, nutritious, whole foods is the cornerstone of the naturopathic toolbox. Good dietary choices provides many of the elements needed to stimulate healing and to prevent the onset of chronic conditions. For example, a diet lacking in either adequate good quality protein or vitamins & minerals can contribute to fatigue, frequent illnesses and mood issues such as anxiety and depression.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle choices also impact your body’s ability to achieve an optimal state of wellness. Smoking, alcohol, excess stimulants like caffeine and lack of either exercise or relaxation time can have adverse health effects including blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, a depressed immune system and exhaustion.
Naturopathy also promotes that prevention is better than cure. If you choose to adopt and maintain healthy diet & lifestyle choices in the long term, this may prevent the onset of many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer. As your naturopath, I can guide you into making the diet & lifestyle changes which can help you to steadily improve and optimise your health in the long-term. If you are like most people, such changes need to be gradually introduced in order to allow time for the body to adjust and for the change to become truly part of your lifestyle. In many cases you are likely to already know what your vices are and won’t need me to point them out to you. However, I can help you to understand the long term health implications of your current diet & lifestyle and assist with implementing the changes necessary to reach your health goals.
Nutritional medicine
Nutritional supplementation is often necessary to achieve particular therapeutic effects. For example, in Western Australia we have relatively nutrient-poor soils and our plant foods are subsequently often lacking in particular nutrients such as zinc and magnesium. Zinc is required for many important physiological functions and deficiency can lead to symptoms including poor digestion, low immunity and low energy levels. Similarly, many conditions increase the requirements for certain nutrients and prevention of deficiency and other desired therapeutic effects may often be achieved much more promptly with nutritional supplementation than with dietary changes alone. For example, in times of stress your requirement for B-vitamins increases and supplementation with a B-vitamin complex is a useful supportive therapy to help prevent symptoms of deficiency such as fatigue and low mood.
Herbal medicine
Herbal medicine can take many forms including herbal teas, liquid herbal extracts, tablets made from powdered dried herbs and herbal creams. Liquid herbs are made by extracting complex therapeutic substances from plants. Each herbal extract has unique properties depending on the plant and even the plant part used. I can customise liquid extracts to meet your individual needs by blending several herbal extracts which provide multiple therapeutic effects. However, herbal tablets are often prescribed where therapeutic dosing cannot easily be achieved with liquid herbs or simply for convenience. Herbal creams are often useful for treating skin complaints.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from plants to enhance well-being. Massage is often used to apply essential oils combined with vegetable oils because they are absorbed well through the skin. However, essential oils can also be absorbed from bath oil or creams. Therapeutic effects may also be derived via inhalation of essential oils used as a perfume or spray.
Aromatherapy is particularly beneficial for nervous system issues such as stress, anxiety and depression as many essential oils have relaxing and balancing properties. However, it is also very useful for a range of other conditions including colds & flu’s, cold sores and other skin infections.
Pathology Testing
Pathology testing may be required to properly assess some aspect of your health and recommendations may include one or more of the following options:
General pathology testing also available at own cost (non medicare).
Hair tissue Mineral Analysis Testing
Hair tissue is analysed by Interclinical Laboratories for >35 nutrient & toxic minerals and 26 significant ratios to help determine mineral balance
Functional pathology testing including Salivary Hormones, Functional Liver Detoxification Profile (FLDP) and Complete Digestive Stool Analysis (CDSA)
Fitgenes Genetic Profiling available to provide you with knowledge of your DNA and an understanding of your genetic strengths and susceptibilities. A panel of 38 or 54 of your most potent genes are analysed, all of which can be optimised or compensated for with an optional 12 week naturopathic treatment programme. See http://www.fitgenes.com.au for further information.
Health & Wellness Programmes
Individually tailored symptomatic, corrective & preventative health care programmes are available and may be offered to help you achieve your health goals. Please ask if you believe a tailored programme would be useful to help you get on track and stay on track!