The Naturopathic Approach to Teen Health

Teen and young adult health is an area where Naturopathic Medicine really shines. During the ages of 12-19, young adults are eager to learn, yet often get little education about how their body works, and what steps they can take to encourage preventive health to stay healthy and vibrant. Young people often present as the healthiest among us, but that doesn’t always mean they have the healthiest habits.

The naturopathic doctors here at Richmond Natural Medicine love to see teens and young adults, and especially educate these young patients about the fascinating and important ways their body can stay healthy and strong. Dr. Viktoriya Beliy shares some of her first hand experience working with teen health:

The Naturopathic Approach to Teen Health

What are some of the most common health issues you see presenting in teen’s and young adults at RNM?

I am most often supporting teens with acne, hormone imbalance, and mood support (ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression).  Teens are placed under more pressure than ever to perform in their academic and social lives which also takes a toll on their adrenals and nervous system. I feel we’re seeing more burnout in teens and young adults than even in older age groups. 

What are some of the ways the naturopathic approach is different from the conventional approach when working with teens? What can they expect from working with you over time?

Naturopathic medicine is much more holistic in treating teens. We don’t just talk about acne and skin, we’ll talk about all of the organ systems, diet, and lifestyle to address the root cause. Our questions are more detailed and focused on addressing the whole person and how that is relevant to their current condition. 

One thing to note is that naturopathic medicine doesn’t always offer very quick solutions, some therapies take time to see a difference. But they can expect to feel overall better. 

Can you talk a little about empowering young adults and teens with health education to support long-term healthy habits & maintaining balanced wellness in their life?

A big piece of working with this age group is to ensure a safe space where they can talk openly about what’s going on and how it’s affecting them. I want to ensure comfort and compassion so they can be advocates for their health starting now. Education plays a huge role in our discussions so that they understand the long term goals of care and how we want their future health to be. The foundations of good health are sleep, nutrition, and self-care, so we want to set up those habits now and find ways to fit that into their everyday lives. If we discuss the importance of these habits there’s more incentive to follow through.

Remember, you don’t always need to have a diagnosis, or be presenting with an obvious health issue to get support from a naturopathic doctor. Naturopathic medicine focuses heavily on educating you, supporting your health goals long term by practicing preventative health, and offering you individualized holistic wellbeing tools and recommendations to enhance areas in your life where you may be struggling. This can include stress management, diet, sleep, or emotional and mood support, and more!

If you would like more information or guidance for teen and young adult health here at Richmond Natural Medicine, consider making an appointment with Dr. Beliy to get started.

 

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Is Your Naturopathic Doctor Correctly Accredited and Trained? This Guide Helps You Find Out.

 

When searching for a Naturopathic Doctor or Natural Health Practitioner, you may come across individuals who call themselves “Naturopaths” or claim to be a Naturopathic Doctor but may not necessarily have the appropriate and expected level of training or education. It’s important to know what credentials and formal education your Naturopathic Doctor should have when searching for the right practitioner in Virginia.

Not All Doctors Are Created Equal: Know Your NDs Credentials

At this time, naturopathic medicine is not regulated in some but not all 50 states. Virginia is currently one of the states that does not yet regulate Naturopathic Doctors. Unfortunately, this lack of regulation means that some individuals who do not meet the educational standards of the profession are able to call themselves “naturopaths” or “NDs.” These individuals may have degrees or diplomas from distance-learning schools, weekend seminars, home-study schools that operate without state or federal authority to grant degrees, or schools/certifying agencies without naturopathic programs or faculty that confer naturopathic credentials based on other kinds of health education. None of these programs qualify a candidate to sit for national board exams or to receive formal naturopathic licensure in any state.

In some states, individuals misusing ND credentials are able to “claim” the title simply by paying a fee for a business license that requires no evidence of education. Patients should know what to look for when they seek the services of a trained and licensed Naturopathic Doctor. Only state licensure can guarantee the training and safety to which patients are entitled. Look closely at where your naturopathic doctor received their training. If this information is not listed on their website, ask them where they received their credentials and if it is from an accredited institution for clinical practice.

RNM Naturopathic Doctors Meet the Highest Standards

A formal Naturopathic Doctor education begins with a traditional four-year pre-med undergraduate degree. Following the completion of undergraduate requirements, Richmond Natural Medicine doctors train at any one of six accredited naturopathic colleges accredited by the United States Department of Education. This graduate education includes a minimum of four years, with the first two years focusing on basic sciences, pathology, & diagnosis. The last two years are concentrated around a variety of natural therapies, including botanical medicine, nutrition, physical manipulation, homeopathy, minor surgery, and pharmacology. Specialty focus is also given towards individual organ systems, with classes in gastroenterology, proctology, cardiology, gynecology, and neurology.

After graduation, all Naturopathic Doctors must pass national board exams and state licensing exams. For NDs who practice in states that do not offer a license (such as Virginia), practitioners hold a license in a different licensed state, so as to be held to regulation and continuing education requirements. For more detailed information on this please visit the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges.

Richmond Natural Medicine is proud to offer services from professional, licensed, and experienced practitioners that have completed accredited and legitimate training programs recognized by the Department of Education.

Read More: Naturopathic Medicine at Richmond Natural Medicine

If you are searching for the right Naturopathic Doctor with appropriate credentials and training, check out these online directories:

Learn more about our Naturopathic Doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine.

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What is Naturopathic Medicine? How Your Naturopathic Doctor Complements your PCP Provider

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a system of primary health care that emphasizes prevention and combines a natural, whole-body healing approach with current health research and scientific methodology. Naturopathic doctors utilize a variety of modalities, including nutrition therapy, botanical and herbal formulas, homeopathy, supplementation, and sometimes pharmaceuticals. Their goal is always to understand the causative factors that lead to disease presentation, and work on a deeper level to balance the body and address the underlying causes of imbalance. Their primary focus is on disease prevention rather than symptom management.

Although naturopathic doctors are not licensed in all fifty states, a trained naturopathic physician has attended and graduated from an accredited, four-year graduate-level school, and some have attended additional residencies and post clinical rotations. In those states where naturopathic doctors are licensed, they are considered primary care providers and can deliver the same level of health care as an MD, including performing physical exams, diagnosing medical conditions, and prescribing medications. In those states where a licensed naturopathic doctor is not recognized as a primary care provider, they can still provide a high level of individualized care and are trained to work collaboratively with your primary care MD’s to provide an extra layer of holistic health support.

Read More: Naturopathic Medicine for General Health

How Your Naturopathic Doctor Complements your Primary Care Provider

Licensed naturopathic doctors (even in unlicensed states, such as Virginia) can provide an essential level of support to your primary care MD by focusing on areas of your health that are easily overlooked in the conventional health system. Your ND looks very closely at your health history, family history, diet, lifestyle, areas of stress, current health conditions and medications, and recent lab work, and makes holistic health recommendations that can fit in safely with your current medical protocol. They are trained to communicate professionally with your doctors and understand contra-indications, interactions, side effects, and complex physiology, all while staying informed of the most current health and scientific research to support their alternative approach.

Sometimes, symptom management with medications alone is not enough. Through a naturopathic viewpoint, all areas of your life and health are addressed. When you implement naturopathic recommendations that address your sleep, diet, stress, genetic predisposition, exercise, and/or happiness, your level of care is exponentially higher, and your body’s response to healing and balance is significantly improved.

Read More: A Naturopathic Approach to High Blood Pressure

Taking a Holistic Health Approach

No matter how complicated or misunderstood your health state is in, working with your naturopathic doctor can bring a level of clarity and understanding to your health journey that lab work and medications may leave lacking. The goal of the naturopath is to empower, educate, and explain to their patients how and why something is manifesting within their health, and put all of the pieces together in a way that you can understand while empowering you to ask questions moving forward. Sometimes, putting all of the pieces of a health history together is a complicated and lengthy process, but viewing it from a whole-body perspective is essential to gain a full understanding. That’s why appointments with your naturopathic doctor are one or two hours long. Gathering information is important, and hearing your story is a valuable piece of detective work.

Comprehensive Understanding

One of the skills your naturopathic doctor can provide is putting all of the pieces together from multiple areas of care. It is not uncommon for their patients to be seeing several specialists, a primary care provider, another alternative practitioner, and taking half a dozen supplements they have self-prescribed but may not fully understand. Your naturopathic doctor can view all of these pieces objectively, make educated and individualized recommendations for you to put it all together while understanding the bigger picture of health and healing. Communicating with your other health providers is very important while making sure you are not placed in the middle of choosing one doctor’s recommendations over another. Collaborative care with a comprehensive understanding of your overall health is one of the greatest values of naturopathic medicine.

Are you wondering if a naturopathic approach is right for you? Consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors, and see for yourself the benefits and improvements of working collaboratively with an ND can provide for you. Questions? Call our office at 804-977-2634.

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