Homeopathy and My Visit To A Naturopathic Doctor

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Conventional medicine has been a huge source of frustration for my entire adult life. Over the last 10+ years I’ve had some intelligent, sincere, well-meaning MD’s attempt to treat my ongoing medical issues. The problem? Conventional medicine and prescription drugs have limitations that failed to treat me as a whole person.

Enter . . . the naturopathic doctor.

Naturopathic doctor

A visit to the naturopath

Before moving to North Carolina, I decided one of my first orders of business upon arriving would be finding a naturopathic doctor who could offer a brand new treatment approach. Prescription medications have caused an asymmetry in my system, inadvertently suppressing my immune system, contributing to hormonal imbalances, and leading to various digestive issues. My poor 33-year old body deserves better.

In an effort to get away from conventional medicine, I did hours of research, tried natural remedies, and spent tons of money on supplements with no lasting improvements to my conditions. In short, because MD’s hadn’t worked, and I was at the end of my expertise, I was ready to turn things over to a new sort of qualified professional.

I was shocked right from the start; the naturopathic doctor spent more time with me in my first three appointments than any of my doctors over the last 10 years. The level of detail with which we discussed issues was unprecedented in my medical history. The naturopath explained everything slowly and simply, gave ample opportunities for questions, and even assigned homework. After all, shouldn’t patients be well-informed about the treatment approaches they are paying for? The book I was assigned was so enlightening that Matt started reading it as soon as I put it down. Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine, is a quick read that gives a very clear introduction to the science of homeopathy. (Its use of the term “flat earth” makes reference to how people once believed the world was flat.)

Homeopathy vs. Allopathy

A naturopathic plan is developed for the patient after a few visits. One treatment modality my naturopath uses is homeopathy. The Greek roots of the word mean “similar suffering.” In essence, the theory and mode of treatment in homeopathy is that a substance can be used as medicine to treat a person experiencing symptoms that a healthy person would experience if taking the same substance. This idea of treating like with like is very intriguing to me. Conventional medicine treats disease with substances that cause symptoms different from those a patient is experiencing, and is thus called allopathy (allo meaning “other”).

Homeopathic remedies do not treat specific disease conditions, but rather the entire person and all his/her symptoms. One of my doctor’s pamphlets states, “Homeopathic medicine is a highly individualized therapy that stimulates the body to heal itself.” That just makes plain ole sense to me. Instead of visiting numerous specialists who treated my different issues in isolation, my naturopath can now look at my entire system and treat it with ONE homeopathic remedy.

Homeopathic remedy

Homeopathic remedies come in tiny, BB-sized pellets that are dissolved under the tongue. They are highly diluted, non-toxic, natural medicines made from plants and minerals. If your child or pet accidentally ate the entire contents of a bottle it would not be dangerous. Prescription medications are quite the opposite, but that’s a topic and article for another day!

I am expecting a gradual improvement in my conditions. I know that the extremely diluted homeopathic remedies are designed to produce a slow, deep level of healing. Many times after achieving a certain level of improvement, homeopathic remedies can be discontinued. This is completely different than prescription drugs which offer an instant, short-lived masking of the symptoms, but no solution. Worse yet, many drugs have decreased effectiveness over time, leading to more frequent, intense relapses, until a new prescription is necessary. Above all, I want my body to heal itself and reestablish balance . . . which prescription drugs and allopathic medicine have failed to deliver.

In addition, homeopathic treatments are very inexpensive. The initial consultation appointments cost a bit up front, that’s because the doctor spends so much time getting to know your issues so he/she can put together a personalized plan. I was prepared to shell out an arm and a leg for my homeopathic remedy and supplements; I had no idea what they would cost. I actually ended up returning home and bragging to Matt about how cheap it all was. (I got 1 homeopathic remedy, 3 supplements, and one “just in case” treatment for LESS than one bottle of generic brand prescription medication I recently refilled!) Every penny spent will be worth it if my body gets back on a healthy path!

To be continued…

I just had my third visit in two weeks with my new fabulous naturopath, and am now eagerly awaiting some positive results from the homeopathic remedy and three supplements she recommended. (I have ALREADY noticed one of my issues improving after taking my remedy/supplements for ONE DAY!) My naturopathic plan is a work in progress, which will be tweaked and modified based on my body’s response to treatment.

I see naturopathic medicine as a more health-oriented alternative after experiencing so much frustration with the limitations, high costs, and side-effects of conventional medicine. If I see great results from homeopathy and naturopaths, I will never look back. I’ll update again with treatment progress and more in-depth information about homeopathy as I learn more. (See my UPDATE here!)

If you are you considering seeking a homeopathic solution I strongly suggest you read Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine – it’s a fantastic and fast introduction.

To find a naturopathic doctor in your area, visit this directory of naturopathic physicians.

If you live in the Asheville, NC area, and are looking for a fantastic naturopathic doctor, check out my new favorite… Lewis Family Natural Health!

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image source: takomabibelot

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About Betsy Jabs

Betsy holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Counseling, and for nearly a decade worked as an elementary counselor. In 2011 she left her counseling career to pursue healthy living. She loves using DIY Natural as a way to educate people to depend on themselves to nourish their bodies and live happier healthier lives. Connect with Betsy on Facebookand Twitter.

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Comments

  1. Avatar photodavid mason says

    After attending regular MD school… and seeing that people were not really getting better gutted for money and tied in with the pharma drug companies and insurance companies doing business as usual…. I left the field. Now in my 3rd year of Chinese Medical School in Arizona- I have seen real results in the clinics here… 80% of all my patients are fed up with the regular medical system… of those I would say 75% are responding to Chinese medicine! I will be attending ND school after this as I would like to study Homeopathy and other researched Healing systems covered under scope of practice of NMD…

  2. Avatar photoNatalie says

    I’m a naturopathic medical student in my second year, and we’re studying homeopathy, nutrition, counseling, physical medicine, botanical medicine, and more, alongside basic sciences like gross anatomy, biochemistry, and pathology. I will be a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) after completing 4 years of full-time doctoral-level study. Naturopathy is an incredibly powerful healing approach, grounded in philosophy and an holistic approach to each individual patient. Be on the lookout for practitioners who are not NDs, especially in states where NDs are unlicensed; they lack the comprehensive medical training of NDs. I am so glad you chose to see a naturopath!

    • Avatar photoBetsy Jabs says

      Great advice about checking the credentials of naturopaths. We are also learning about naturopaths who might take shortcuts in treating patients because they want to find a quicker approach that allows them to skip much of the in-depth patient interview. Not a good idea. Good luck finishing your program Natalie!

  3. Avatar photoHeather :) :) :) says

    I’m really thankful for my naturopath. She’s helped me eto lose weight and heal my auto-immune issues.. It’s really amazing, because traditional medicine said there was nothing I could do…yet, with her help and guidance I’m seeing things go into reverse!!!! Greetings from the ocean shores of CAlifornia, Heather 🙂

  4. Avatar photoLindsey @NW Backyard Veggies says

    On of the reasons I love homeopathic medicine is that all those synthetic “mainstream” prescriptions have to go somewhere – when we take them, the compounds don’t just disappear! We excrete them and the medication winds up in some way in our drinking water and eventually in the food we eat. Hence one person takes zoloft and then, in time, we all do.
    Homeopathic medicine is such a kinder, more rational approach to well and sick care.
    What sucks for most people is that most insurance carriers don’t typically cover or reimburse for that style of medicine. 🙁

    • Avatar photoBetsy Jabs says

      It’s also very sad that there is no license for naturopathic physicians in some states (including mine), which is one of the reasons their services aren’t covered by traditional health insurance plans. 🙁

  5. Avatar photoBobbi says

    Thank you so much for writing this wonderful and insightful article. I have been caring for my family using alternative health care for over 30 years and sharing my budget conscious life-style on my blog (BobbisBargains.com) for over 5 years. I struggle to explain to people, who haven’t used this form of care, how it works and why it fits into my frugal and sustainable point of view. There is nothing more expensive than non-workable health care. Expensive prescriptions that are hurriedly prescribed isn’t workable for anyone’s budget unless you own a pharmaceutical company. I am so happy that you have discovered that there are real care givers out there who take the time to listen to you and help you heal yourself. Please continue writing.

    • Avatar photoBetsy Jabs says

      Amen Bobbi! I can’t tell you how much money I have wasted on healthcare that did nothing for me. Thanks for the encouragement…I’ll be sharing more as time goes by.

  6. Avatar photoKat says

    Thanks so much for this article. I will be very interested to hear how this is working for you. My husband and I want to try to find a Naturopath. I really believe there’s a better way than the path conventional medicine has taken. Too many people we know are on prescription meds that seem to be causing more harm than good. Then they are put on even more meds for the side effects.

    • Avatar photoBetsy Jabs says

      Yes! What a vicious cycle, right?!? I have seen some improvement in my condition in only a few days, so will definitely be writing more about this in the future. 🙂

  7. Avatar photoLisa Robinson says

    Hi, I just wanted to take the time to thank you for such a beautiful article. I have been a certified Homeopath for over 18 years now and have been struggling to educate people on the powerful medicine of Homeopathy. We are only educational consultants in the United States which is fine because when you go to visit a Homeopath or Naturopath you certainly get educated. Thanks again for sharing.

  8. Avatar photoCandace says

    All this week I have been looking for such a book, an intro on homeopathy! Excellent timing.
    Tell me, would it insult a medically trained doctor? I want to introduce the concept to a traditionally trained veterinarian.

    • Avatar photoBetsy Jabs says

      The author of this book was a naturopath who went back to school for his MD, then quickly returned to homeopathy after finishing medical school. He explains how many medically trained doctors reject homeopathy, figuring it must be invalid since the concepts were not taught in medical school. It would be very interesting to see what sort of response you get from the veterinarian. 🙂

  9. Avatar phototcal says

    Thanks so much for this article…..the last visit to my doctors office my doctor determined that probably me and my two girls had some sort of disease that has yet to be diagnosed. Although I like my doctor very much it seems like over the last 20 years he has moved further and further away from the natural path into the constant giving of more prescriptions. Thanks again.