There are a lot of misguided views around naturopathic medicine (believe me, I’ve heard them all!). What is often misunderstood is our level of education and the amount of ongoing professional development and research we do. I view naturopathic medicine as a complementary medicine, as opposed to an alternative form of medicine. I believe strongly that working together provides the best outcomes for the patient. We primarily use diet and lifestyle, but have an incredible naturopathic toolkit that we can also use to help support the body - our herbs, nutraceuticals and access to a broad range of functional testing outside what you would normally have access to with your GP.

The best way to understand naturopathic medicine is to look out the principles that guide us in practice every day:

Primum non nocere – First, do no harm. 

Tolle causam – Treat the cause, not just the effect. 

Tolle totum – Treat the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. 

Docere – Doctor as teacher. 

Praevenire – Prevention is the best cure.

Finding the right naturopath is a very personal choice. You want someone who listens to you, understands you and resonates with you. The term ‘naturopath’ is not a protected term, which means anyone in theory can call themselves a naturopath. So, it’s important to check their credentials and ensure they belong to a professional body. Don’t be afraid to shop around either. Finding a naturopath that suits you is like finding a good GP - you want a good team around you that gives you the best opportunity to achieve your health goals.

An initial consultation will cover your presenting complaint, but will look at it in context with everything else going on in your life. This means this consultation is very comprehensive, covering your lifestyle, diet, medical history, family history, social habits as well as taking a dive into your other body systems. Expect to be asked a lot about your digestion (your gut is after all fundamental to your overall health). It may seem unrelated, but that’s the beauty of seeing a naturopath - they have the time to sit with you and gain a holistic view of what’s going on. Your body’s systems don’t operate in isolate, they are part of a great machine.

You may have your blood pressure taken, pulse checked and your fingernails and tongue looked at.

Not necessarily. Supplements or herbal medicines are prescribed only if they are indicated - and - importantly, only if they fit within your budget. We will discuss this in your initial consultation. If budget doesn’t allow for a prescription, we will do what we can with diet and lifestyle. And often just a few tweaks to these factors can have significant outcomes.

If you have any recent bloodwork, please bring along the results. Your GP will be able to provide you with copies. You don’t need to bring a notepad. You will receive a treatment plan after the consultation.