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Don't you think every practitioner should have as many tools in their toolkit as possible.  If I seek out the care of a naturopath it could be because I want pharmaceuticals as a last resort instead of as an only otion, which has been my experience with allopathic doctors.  It doesn't mean I am anti-pharmaceutical, just careful.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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Tommykpdx says there is no such thing as an effective homeopathic remedy.  Many Europeans will strongly differ with you.  I have used homeopathic remedies for warts, migraines, and recently a bout of dizziness.  Vertigoheel is a homeopathic remedy used throughout Europe for dizziness and seasickness.  I had taken a few over the counter meds the pharmacist recommended to no avail.  Went to see my ND and he gave me some Vertigoheel.  Worked like a charm.  As to it being a placebo effect - please explain why the first two things I took - which I was assured would work - had no placebo effect but Vertigoheel did.  I think you are letting your dogma get in the way of clear thinking and observation.  Just because some pharmaceutical company hasn't run a study on something doesn't mean it doesn't work.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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Do you ask the same question about MDs and DOs who have now begun recommending fish oil supplements and offering Vit. D testing to their patients?  Or MDs who send their patient's with hypoglycemia to a nutritionist?  Or OB/GYNs who give prenatal vitamins to all their pregnant patients?  Or my MD, who sent me to a chiropractor when I was having bowel problems because he rightfully concluded it had to do with one of my vertebrate being out of alignment.

There is room for many different philosophys.  And let's face it, there are many illnesses for which the allopathic community has no real, effective treatments other than palliative care.  They could learn much, and the open minded ones are, from naturopathy.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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Thank you for such a wise analogy.  I have been seeing a naturopath for the last two years for a chronic condition no allopathic doctor was able to successfully treat.  They kept wanting to "weed the garden" with a backhoe and Agent Orange when what I needed was somebody willing to use a spade and a little Roundup.  The half hour my naturopath spends with me everytime I go in lets us get to finding the weeds far more efficiently than the 5 minutes the allopaths gave me.  And my newfound health is the result.

I have no fear that most naturopaths will use the new additions to their formulary judiciously.  After having spent hours with my ND and attending seminars given by others, I have a tremendous amount of respect for their knowledge, willingness to continue learning, and their dedication to finding the least dangerous, most effective ways to treat different health issues.  And, I've been most surprised by their humbleness and deep compassion.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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