For the Skeptics
I can thank a new patient from yesterday for the content direction of my first post.
“I’m a skeptic” he announced as he sat, crossed arms, in my office looking for support for a persevering skin concern that wasn’t improving with dermatological care. What a curious combination of skepticism and hope about what naturopathic medicine is and can help him with. An understanding that looking at his diet, digestive health and stressors might help him get where he wants to go but not “buying in” until he sees the proof.
Luckily for me, I’ve been at this for some time now and don’t get (too) phased by this type of attitude. Instead it riles in me a sense of mission to prove that this medicine is real and science based and able to help him if he’s up for what it entails. That’s the tricky part. If he’s up for what it entails.
Naturopathic medicine is root cause medicine and with that we need to get to the root cause. Throwing supplements at his concerns might help him somewhat but taking the time to understand his unique factors at play is where the real change and challenge comes. So, I did both. I can play this game; work to really assess what’s going on, actually look for root causes and provide some well researched supplement that’s going to help make a quick change and ‘convince’ him that this naturopathic medicine thing really does work. Easy.
1.5 hours later I had taken an in depth case history, verbally defended my profession (somewhat), prescribed some evidence based, basic skin support (Omega 3 fatty acids and zinc picolinate) to hopefully help make some quick change and buy in. I recommended a myriad of indicated, functional health tests to help figure out what’s going on; microbiome assessment, mucosal barrier integrity testing, H.Pylori and other GI bugs, celiac disease testing, inflammatory markers and a nutritional panel including zinc, B12, VitD and omega 3’s. Fingers crossed we get some useful results that elucidate the nature of the skin concern or at least rule some things out and point to a direction for support.
This is a redacted, rendition of the diagram I drew to talk through the process, what I’m looking for and where and how naturopathic medicine can help him with his concern:
Other than overwhelmed, I’m not sure which direction this case will take but what I can tell you is the patients that do well in general have the following in common:
Initial understanding about what Naturopathic medicine is and how it can help (and how it doesn’t help!)
An understanding that this medicine is holistic and will take time. One evidence based supplement isn’t going to do the trick. It is different from our conventional medical approach.
Understanding that our lifestyle matters and how it matters in the outcome; diet, exercise, stress reduction … your individual contributing factors to your concern matter.
Hopefully we find some functional biomarkers that can help guide care but if not we can still support sound scientific connections of, in this case, the skin condition (s) presenting. I.e. working to improve microbiome health, decreasing inflammatory triggers (infection, dietary, stress, alcohol, environmental…), using key, evidence based nutrients and supplements to improve symptoms and concerns: omega 3’s for inflammation, topical support for skin microbiome, targeted digestive support for membrane integrity and immune function, optimal levels of; D, Mg, Zinc, B’s…
An honesty and willingness to assess and address the underlying concerns.
Follow through with referrals: your GP, therapy, physical medicine, specialized MD’s … Integrative medicine works best in an integrative way.
Naturopathic medicine is amazing at filling in the gaps in care and helping look at what functional pieces might be at play. Taking the time to talk through diet, lifestyle, stressors in a practical way. Finding support for concerns and root cause that isn’t addressed by our conventional medical system. Naturopathic medicine is excellent at looking at and supporting our natural biology and physiology and works well along side conventional care when medications or more acute medicine is needed.
“I’m convinced and optimistic about naturopathic medicine” is what I’m looking for for the next appointment but I’ll settle for “I think we’re moving in the right direction”. Thank you to my new patient from yesterday. You remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing and really how hard it is.
We’re in this together!
Meghan