How Can A Naturopathic Doctor Help You In 2022?
Written by: Dr. Anjali Kasunich, ND
“You’re a WHAT kind of doctor?” is the question I’m asked at least five times a week. I always use this as an opportunity to educate and build awareness around the profession I love. In my experience, when people understand what it means to be a naturopathic doctor and how we combine the best of conventional and natural medicines to treat our patients, they wonder where we’ve been all their lives.
Chances are, there’s a naturopathic doctor in your community right now! Before you seek them out, I’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions I get so you’ll understand how a naturopathic doctor can help you achieve your health goals in 2022.
What is a naturopathic doctor?
Naturopathic doctors (NDs/NMDs), also known as naturopathic physicians, are trained similarly to family doctors, but we use primarily natural therapies. According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, naturopathic doctors are trained to “diagnose, prevent, and treat acute and chronic illness to restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person’s inherent self-healing process."
Naturopathic doctors are known for spending more time with patients in order to thoroughly investigate the underlying causes of their symptoms and create individualized treatment plans to support whole body healing.
What exactly does a naturopathic doctor do?
Naturopathic doctors identify the root causes of a person’s symptoms. Common culprits include poor diet, nutritional imbalances, genetic factors, trauma, stressful lifestyle, and more variables that can be positively influenced by natural therapies.
An initial appointment with an ND may range from 1 to 2 hours long. During that time, your ND will ask lots of questions to get a detailed history and timeline of your symptoms and lifestyle. This is crucial in forming an accurate diagnosis and lays the foundation for understanding and trust between you and your ND. Most NDs like myself will also discuss testing options (basic bloodwork and functional labs) to further investigate and get to the bottom of your concerns.
After getting a thorough history of your symptoms and, if necessary, collecting data from labs, your ND will design a treatment plan focused on bringing your body, mind and spirit back to a state of health and balance. Naturopathic doctors are guided by the Therapeutic Order when treating patients and use evidence-based, non-invasive approaches when possible.
NDs are trained to safely and effectively provide a variety of treatment options, including:
Clinical nutrition
Herbal medicine
Lifestyle counseling
Homeopathy
Hydrotherapy
Physical medicine
Injection or intravenous (IV) therapy
Pharmaceutical interventions
Do naturopathic doctors go to medical school?
Yes. Much like conventionally-trained doctors (MDs/DOs), naturopathic doctors complete prerequisite courses and must earn their 4-year undergraduate degree before attending an accredited 4-year post-graduate naturopathic medical school. You can see all of the accredited naturopathic medical schools here.
The curriculum during the first 2 years of naturopathic medical school consists of the same biomedical science education (biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, histology, embryology, neuroanatomy, pharmacology) as those of conventional medical schools.
Unlike MDs and DOs, naturopathic doctors are not trained to specialize in areas like surgery or anesthesiology. Instead, naturopathic doctors are extensively trained to use holistic primary care interventions like nutrition, lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine, physical medicine, homeopathy and pharmaceuticals when appropriate. The Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC) created a great comparative checklist that shows the difference in training between an ND, MD/DO and nurse practitioner (NP).
Can you get your naturopathic degree online?
Currently, there are no accredited options to earn your naturopathic medical degree online. While some prerequisite courses may be done online, naturopathic medical students are required to have hands-on training in order to earn their doctorates and become licensed as naturopathic doctors.
There are ways to receive certification as a naturopath through various online schools. However, the training and scope of practice of a certified naturopath is not the same as that of an ND. This means naturopaths are not eligible to be licensed as naturopathic doctors unless they graduate from an accredited naturopathic medical school.
What’s the difference between a Naturopathic Doctor and other healthcare providers?
Naturopathic doctors frequently collaborate with and refer to other healthcare providers like MDs/DOs, acupuncturists, chiropractors and health coaches in order to ensure the best care for their patients.
It’s been especially exciting to see the growing number of providers who believe in offering more natural and holistic methods of treatment. However, this has resulted in an understandable degree of confusion about how we’re all different.
Here are some of the main differences between naturopathic doctors and other healthcare providers:
Naturopathic Doctors (ND) vs Medical Doctors (MD/DO):
Naturopathic doctors are trained as holistic primary care providers who treat patients primarily in an out-patient setting. They emphasize prevention and frequently use evidence-based natural treatments when appropriate to treat chronic and acute conditions.
Medical doctors (MD/DO) are trained in primary care as well as surgery, emergency medicine and other specialties to treat their patients.
Naturopathic Doctors vs Functional Medicine Doctors:
Functional medicine, much like naturopathic medicine, focuses on understanding and addressing the underlying causes of disease using natural and conventional methods.
Any licensed doctor (ND, MD, DO, DC, etc.) can receive further training to become a certified functional medicine doctor through The Institute for Functional Medicine.
Naturopathic Doctors vs Homeopaths:
Naturopathic and homeopathic medicine are both founded in addressing the root cause of any condition, bringing the body back into a state of balance, and using non-invasive treatments when appropriate.
Homeopaths primarily use homeopathy (highly diluted substances to help the body heal), while naturopathic doctors use homeopathy along with many other approaches to treat their patients.
Naturopathic Doctors vs Nutritionists/Health Coaches:
Nutritionists and health coaches can have various levels of training, with registered dietitians (RD) completing a Masters level of education in nutrition. They can analyze diets and make sure their clients are getting adequate nutrition to reach their health goals.
Naturopathic doctors are trained as holistic primary care providers and also receive extensive training in nutrition. NDs often partner with health coaches or nutritionists to offer more dietary support for their patients.
Naturopathic Doctors vs Naturopaths:
The terms naturopathic doctor and naturopath are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same when it comes to training, licensure and scope of practice.
Naturopathic doctors graduate from 4-year post-graduate naturopathic medical programs. NDs are trained as holistic primary care providers who can diagnose, order testing and prescribe natural and conventional treatments when appropriate to help their patients heal. They must also pass rigorous licensing exams in order to be licensed and regulated.
Naturopaths (aka traditional or certified naturopaths) aim to support their client’s healing using diet, lifestyle and herbal remedies. They can be a great asset as a health or wellness coach, but they may not diagnose or treat illness.
So, who should you choose?! The good news is that you don’t ever have to choose to work with one practitioner over another. We all have our strengths and can work together to help you feel your best!
Can Naturopathic Doctors prescribe medications?
The short answer to this is yes. The longer answer is that it depends on each state. Let’s dive into this!
Naturopathic doctors are trained extensively in pharmacology so they know when and how to safely prescribe medications. However, at this time, the regulation of naturopathic doctors varies from state to state. This means a naturopathic doctor may or may not be able to prescribe a medication based on where they’re located.
For example, naturopathic doctors practicing in Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Vermont are able to prescribe and adjust pharmaceutical drugs in the same manner as any other primary care doctor. In California, naturopathic doctors can only prescribe hormones unless they have a supervision agreement with an MD/DO - after which they may prescribe medications like antibiotics, etc. In states like Texas, naturopathic doctors have no prescriptive rights.
This is HIGHLY confusing for those who want see a naturopathic doctor because the level of care they can expect to receive may vary greatly based on where they live. Believe me, it’s frustrating for us too! That’s why I always recommend having a conversation with a naturopathic doctor or their staff before investing your time and money to work with them. Most NDs offer a free discovery call that allows you to set your expectations and understand how they can support you.
You can check your state’s naturopathic association to get more detailed information about how NDs are regulated and able to provide care in your area.
How can a naturopathic doctor help me?
A naturopathic doctor is great to have on your care team if you want to better understand your options - natural, conventional and everything in between - to prevent and treat illness. One of the big things patients want help with is navigating the often overwhelming world of supplements and dietary advice.
If you’ve been scrolling through any social media platform recently, you’ve probably seen at least a dozen ads for supplements and diet programs. It can be difficult to tell which ones are worth the investment and which ones are a waste of money. Even more importantly, some supplements and dietary changes may cause more harm than good! Remember, just because it’s natural, doesn’t mean it’s safe or right for you.
Here’s where naturopathic doctors shine! We’re trained to know when and how to safely use specific foods, supplemental nutrients and herbs to support healing. AND we’re trained to know how these treatments may interfere with your condition and current medications. In fact, I spend almost as much time telling my patients which supplements to stop as I do telling them which ones to consider starting.
Ultimately, my patients want to know what their treatment options are, and I help them with that. They leave our appointments feeling more hopeful and empowered to make a decision that’s right for them.
Where can I find a naturopathic doctor?
A simple Google search for naturopathic doctors in your area is a good start. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are also great places to connect with naturopathic doctors. Many of my patients found me through TikTok or Instagram. If you’re still having trouble, I recommend using the Find an ND search tool on the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians website.
What should I do before seeing a Naturopathic Doctor?
So, you found a naturopathic doctor you’d like to work with - yay! Here are the steps I recommend you follow before seeing your ND:
Step 1: Set up a discovery call
If you haven’t already done this, I highly recommend setting this up before having a full initial appointment with a naturopathic doctor. Most NDs offer a free 10-15 minute discovery call so you can get an idea of who they are and how they practice. I suggest asking where they went to school (check that it’s an accredited naturopathic medical school) and how they’ve helped others with similar symptoms as yours.
Step 2: Gather your labs
If you’ve had any labs (blood tests, stool tests, etc.) within the last year, those will be great to share with your ND. This will give them greater insight into your case and may even reduce the need for further testing.
You can request a copy of your labs and any related medical records from your other doctors at any time.
Step 3: Write out your questions
This is especially helpful when working with an ND since we take more time with our patients to make sure they feel heard and supported. You can use the notes section in your phone to keep a running list of questions or points you want to cover with your ND in order to get the most out of your visit. My patients love doing this because it helps them to feel more in charge of their health and minimizes questions in between visits.
Final Thoughts
Now is the best time to start working with a naturopathic doctor. These last 2 years have highlighted how important it is to take care of our health and address pre-existing conditions or imbalances. The best part about naturopathic medicine is that you don’t have to ditch your conventional doctors. Your ND can work with your MD/DO and provide complimentary care to help you thrive!
Want to learn more about naturopathic medicine and see if it’s right for you? Book a free discovery call with Dr. Anjali to learn more and determine your best next steps!
Resources:
About The Author
Dr. Anjali Kasunich is a California-licensed naturopathic doctor and founder of Mantra Natural Medicine where she uses a heart-centered approach and evidence-based natural treatments to help her patients heal. When she’s not treating patients in her private practice, Dr. Anjali enjoys spending time with her husband and dog, dancing, and being in her garden. You can learn more about Dr. Anjali and her favorite healthy tips by visiting her Instagram or TikTok.