Confessions of A Naturopathic Doctor
I love my job, some days more than others. This week alone I have seen two women who struggled with infertility get a positive pregnancy test, an abnormal mammogram that I referred out, a (heartbreaking) 10-week miscarriage, and took on a patient that Mayo couldn’t figure out (along with my regularly scheduled patients), and it’s only Tuesday.
I feel blessed that I fell into this career of naturopathic medicine. It is one of the most rewarding careers I can imagine. Being able to help someone feel better in every aspect of their lives feels incredible. Helping someone take control of their health is incredible. Guiding women through the ups and downs of women’s reproductive health and infertility is challenging but so fulfilling. Knowing that I help my patients reach their health goals by using treatment approaches that actually fix the problem that causes their symptoms without medications is amazing!
On the flip side, being a naturopathic doctor isn’t always easy. Most people have absolutely no understanding what I do. There is so much misinformation about naturopathic medicine, and often there is fear and skepticism of the the unknown. Much of my career involves not doctoring, but informing the general public and other medical professionals about naturopathic medicine. I find myself defending my treatments and naturopathic medicine—every day. People are often uneducated on this emerging field and unfortunately sometimes share really uninformed opinions. when coming from their doctors, these opinions can put patients in an awkward situation. Example: I cannot tell you how many patients I have that were told by their gastroenterologist that “diet has nothing to do with their” constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, etc., and that supplements “are a waste of money”. I get so frustrated because there are limitless studies and clinical information showing otherwise. Now the patient has to decide who to trust more! So it takes time and education. Sometimes it is exhausting.
Part of this education process is (surprisingly) teaching patients that sometimes medication is necessary, sometimes a specialist is necessary, and sometimes surgery is necessary. Yes, naturopathic medicine is amazing, but as much as I wish it was the answer to every condition, it isn’t. It is a blessing to have other medical professionals as a resource and option for patients to get the best care for them — an integration of conventional medicine and naturopathic medicine. This is because in actuality, real medicine is whatever works.
The landscape of medicine is changing. How do I know this? I have medical doctors, osteopaths, chiropractors, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals as patients. And others refer their patients to me, regularly. I am grateful for this integrative relationship, for a growing understanding of naturopathic medicine, and mostly for my patients. They are the reason that I love my job.