WILL IT BE CONVENTIONAL OR NATURAL MEDICINE?

COMMENTARY by David Hogg, ND
When is it best to seek conventional treatment or alternative, Naturopathic methods? I believe natural medicine should be the first choice for all diseases. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a health care system. We live in a disease management system. Most doctors wait until you are ill before they treat you.

Naturopathic doctors assess the state of your current health, then help you achieve an even greater state of health. Everything a natural doctor does is moving you towards health. A conventional doctor may give you pharmaceutical drugs that have side effects
Whether you have common complaints such as colds or flu, bronchitis, indigestion, constipation or diarrhea, I invite you to seek alternative medicine first. I’m asked very often, “What does a Naturopath do?” I always answer that we are trained the same as MD’s the first 2 years of medical school, except, Naturopaths differ by using a combination of homeopathy, herbs, vitamins and supplements, hydrotherapy, and mind-body medicine to help with the same diseases.

However, there are many situations where it is absolutely necessary to seek conventional medicine. Any natural or conventional doctor can help you make that decision. I believe in educating patients to help them to make the best decision for their needs.

Naturopathic doctors do have the knowledge to perform many exams and order lab tests. Here in California this fall, Naturopathic doctors will be licensed as primary care providers and will be able to perform or order these tests.

In the current health care system, the only way to avoid the out of pocket expense is to go with doctor that is covered by your insurance. In California, until the licensure of ND’s, coverage of Naturopathic doctors by insurance companies, for the most part, is not available.
For my own health, there is no other first option but natural medicine.