Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary care that addresses the root cause of illness or disease and promotes health and healing using natural therapies. Treatment modalities may include clinical nutrition, botanical (herbal) medicine, homeopathic medicine, physical treatments, acupuncture and Asian medicine and lifestyle counseling.

The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of the illness rather than simply treating or suppressing symptoms. While naturopathic care helps to alleviate specific symptoms, ND’s are primarily concerned with addressing the root cause of an illness: the focus is more on the why of a disease than the what.

What is a naturopathic doctor?

Naturopathic doctors are highly educated primary care providers who integrate standard medical diagnostics with a broad range of natural therapies.

What can I expect from my first visit to a naturopathic doctor?

Your first visit with Dr. Proulx, will be 1.5 hours in length. A very extensive patient history eliciting information about your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health is taken and a complaint-oriented physical exam performed. Included in your first visit is a screening blood test and urinalysis.  Further specialized lab testing may be requested.

With your input, Dr. Proulx will propose a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your health goals.

What types of services does a Naturopathic Doctor provide?

Dr. Proulx offers a variety of services and techniques to treat her patients, which include;

1. Clinical Nutrition
Clinical Nutrition and the therapeutic use of foods is a cornerstone of naturopathic medicine. Food intolerances, deficiencies, dietary imbalances or nutritional excesses have been associated with many medical conditions. With appropriate dietary modification and nutritional supplements health concerns can be treated with fewer complications and side effects.

2. Diagnostic Test and Labs
ND’s are trained to perform and interpret laboratory results.  Diagnostic tests are performed either in office or the patient is sent to a local registered lab. Blood, hormone, saliva, hair/mineral analysis and food sensitivity tests are available

3. Botanical Medicine
For thousands of years, plant substances from around the world have been used for their healing effects and nutritional value.  Many pharmaceutical drugs originally came from plant compounds. Herbal medicine is an integral part of stimulating the body’s own healing ability. These plants and plant substances are highly effective and safe in the right dosage and when used correctly with other herbs and treatments.

4. Lifestyle Counseling
Physical, emotional, nutritional and environmental factors all affect health. Addressing all aspects of a person’s life, identifying and addressing the impact that stress and life events have on a patient’s health is an important aspect of the complete naturopathic treatment.