Demystifying Naturopathy: An Inside Look from a Degree Qualified Naturopath
If you’ve never seen a naturopath, you might be a little unsure of what it is we actually do. Despite the societal shift towards natural and complementary medicine and treatments in recent times, there are definitely still a few misconceptions floating around about naturopathy. Maybe you’ve heard that naturopaths are a bunch of incense burning, crystal-toting hippies with no science to back up their treatment methods. Maybe you’ve heard that we’re opposed to western medicine. Or maybe (and this one is my favourite) you’ve heard that we’re not actually qualified to be giving health advice.
No, no and no (well actually i am an incense burning hippy who loves crystals, yoga, traditional medicine AND science).
Becoming a Bachelor qualified naturopath requires four years of full-time study, one year of which is spent seeing clients in a real clinic setting under the supervision of a senior naturopath. It is definitely not a walk in the park. It takes a lot of time, dedication and if I’m honest sacrifice. We study pathophysiology, human biology, chemistry, herbal pharmacognosy, western pharmacology, nutritional biochemistry…..you name it we study it. As a result, we have a deep understanding of how the body works. And we need to, because so much of naturopathy is detective work. We begin with a presenting symptom and then investigate, searching for clues to track down the root cause, which we then address using a variety of treatment methods, including personalised herbal treatments, vitamin and mineral supplements, lifestyle changes, and nutrition. We can order and analyse pathology testing to help identify and correct imbalances in the body, and can work independently, or in conjunction with your GP.
Social media has been a really positive thing for our industry but it has also meant that as qualified naturopaths we are regularly compared to a lot of unqualified natural health enthusiasts. Health coaches, wellness bloggers, essential oil MLM reps, you get the picture. This can be really frustrating as it can feel as if we are constantly having to stand strong and stamp out so many health misconceptions (like ingesting essential oils for health because your Doterra rep told you to). Side note: Don’t get me wrong. I love essential oils but I disagree with using them internally (more on that later).
There is also the misconception that we are all anti vaxxers who hate doctors and believe Covid19 is a hoax. You name it, I have heard it. And it can make being in my profession hard. At the end of the day our main goal as a naturopath is to help you to feel better and overcome those pesky health conditions that have been holding you back.
Naturopathy is a holistic approach to improving and maintaining health, meaning we look at you as a whole, your health and wellbeing in context and in its entirety, not just the bit waving the red flag.
If you are interested in learning more, you can book an initial naturopathic consultation or start with a FREE 15min discovery call by clicking HERE.