By Lindsay Kluge

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August 12, 2020

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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.