NATUROPATHY
by Anne Dimon
“Naturopathic Medicine combines the science of medicine with the art of lifestyle counseling,” says Dr. Penny Kendall-Reed of Urban Wellness in Toronto. “It can stimulate the body to heal itself, and it supports the patient as a whole during a process of healing.” Naturopathic medicine, she says, borrows from many ancient healing traditions, disciplines and modalities including clinical nutrition, botanical or herbal medicine, homoepathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, hands-on-techniques and lifestyle counseling.
The foundation of naturopathy addresses the fundamental cause of a disease. Naturopathic treatments use the healing power of natural substances and medicines to help heal, prevent illness and encourage self-responsibility for health.
Training for naturopathic medicine is extensive, explains Kendall-Reed. In Canada, a naturopathic physician requires a three or four-years of pre-med at university followed by a four-year, full-time degree and internship at an accredited naturopathic college.
Why contact a naturopath?
“The past few decades have seen an increase in the outbreak of more virulent strains of bacteria and viruses, an increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease and an increased incidence of cancer,” says Dr. Kendall-Reed. “While we cannot influence the spread of disease, or stop the aging process, we can increase the integrity and resistance of our body towards infection and age-related illness.”
She says one good reason to contact a naturopath is before a disease or an age-related illness sets in. “When you are looking to retrain your body’s metabolism and teach it to use your food as fuel rather than storing it as fat, or wish to prevent the onset of a disease that may run in your family, that is a good time to contact a naturopath.”
For more information about naturopathic medicine, contact Urban Wellness at www.urbanwellness.ca
The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine can be reached at www.ccnm.edu