We Need to Stop Treating Naturopaths Like They’re Medical Doctors

[Bernardo de La Paz]

52. Quit the BINARY thinking and wake up! Both 'sides' !

So many posts here are all black or all white, 100% for / 100% against.

Fact: Informed, educated (including or esp. self-educated) patients have the best outcomes.

Study up your symptoms. Listen to your Medical Doctor (allopathic) / Naturopath. Ask lots of questions. Then study the diagnosis. Get second opinions for serious matters, time permitting.

Fact: Naturopaths rarely have as much training and education as medical doctors. A few have more than most MDs (nothing is 100% one way or the other).

Fact: Medical doctors are not generally trained in and not generally as open to alternative medicine as they should be and especially not as understanding of nutrition as they should be. Some are. Note: nothing is 100% one way or the other.

Fact: Medical doctors tend to over-prescribe pills and surgery (because that is what they primarily study).

Fact: Naturopaths under-prescribe pills and surgery (because they aren't allowed to), but many of them (not all) will refer patients to MDs when appropriate.

Bottom-line: Trust science, inform yourself, keep an open mind, choose less medicine when it is a reasonable first approach and only when reasonable, stay rational and cautious, be ready to decide quickly when necessary, don't avoid drugs / surgery when it makes sense especially after trying other approaches.

For example, I use very little doctoring (I know I have been very lucky so far) and place the highest priority on good nutrition & exercise. I always treat flu and fevers myself (by hydrating, keeping very very warm, and resting). But when I had a persistent deep cough for a few days, I went to a doctor to check to see if I had bronchitis (did not, thank goodness). When I got shingles symptoms, I immediately went to a doctor who agreed, and got the anti-viral prescription, followed it to a T, and knocked it down and out, being symptom free since.

"Good luck comes from good planning." Staying informed is part of good planning. Good nutrition and exercise and avoiding unhealthy behaviors is good planning. Getting connected with a good medical doctor before you need one is good planning.