Why see a Naturopath?
Free advice is everywhere, why would you pay a Naturopath? There is Dr. Google, he can tell you anything you need to know about every ache, pain or niggle in your body. We have free advice in Health food stores, pharmacies, magazines, advertising and friends. And don’t forget about multi level marketing and the latest fad.
It is likely that you will access all or some of these before speaking to a health practitioner about your health.
So with all of this freely available information, I have some questions:
- Are you getting healthier?
- Are you eating the right diet and/or taking the best supplements for you?
- Are you getting answers as to what is making you feel sick or unhealthy?
- As a community are we getting healthier?
Answer these questions honestly. Look around, how healthy is the community. What are people saying about how they feel? Based on the people I meet and current health statistics by government my answer is NO. We are all so busy and disconnected and more confused than ever.
At a global health level, we are seeing rises in chronic health issues growing every year. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2014-15:
- Weight – 63.4% of Australian adults were overweight or obese.
- Fertility- One in six couple having trouble getting pregnant.
- Diabetes prevalence doubled in the last 25 years with the majority of cases reported as Type II diabetes (lifestyle factors).
- Mental health and depression, approximately 10% of the Australian population taking an anti depressant.
- And what about increased rates of dementia, autistic spectrum disorders in children, cardiovascular disease, cancer and so on.
Many of these dis-eases are considered modifiable with diet, nutritional and lifestyle intervention. There is so much research on this today.
So why see a Naturopath?
- When you decide to see a Naturopath you have taken the first step to making your health a priority in your life. As you know, in Australia your Naturopath fee’s are not covered but Public Health, if you have Private Health you may receive some benefits.
- Seeing a naturopath is investing in your own health. It absolutely requires making changes to your diet, lifestyle and usually involves some supplements. This is an investment in your time and money. Your naturopath will work with you to establish a plan on how to make this achievable in your life and how to do this.
- During your first appointment we spend up to an hour discussing your health. I always ask you to do homework before your appointment. I like to see a diet summary and a pre- appointment questionnaire to gather details about your health. This session is information gathering. From here we decide what next, do you need further testing and what type of treatment will be best for you to start with?
- You will be heard, this is important. For many people, it is the first time they have looked at their health and lifestyle. We have all experienced a 3 minute doctors appointment. Your naturopath will ask lots of questions about what you are feeling and listen to you.
- Don’t freak out because Naturopath’s love discussing POO. Your bowel habits are a favorite topic! I even have a Bristol Stool picture chart so that you can show me exactly what is going on with our poo.
- As a Naturopath I want to understand your body from the top down. What you think and feel, the signs and symptoms your body is showing you, the diagnosed stuff from doctors, your diet and your work, life balance. I want to know what motivates you and why you booked your appointment. I need to know what you are willing to do to improve your health, so that I can tailor a program with realistic expectations. I want you to do well and feel better.
- Seeing a naturopath is different to seeing a doctor. My view of health is holistic; everything that happens in your body and mind affects you. Treat the person, not the dis-ease is my moto. I need to understand you and the dis-ease process but ultimately I am treating you, the person. We need to start connecting the dots here to help you move forward with your health.
- We will talk about your diet and lifestyle habits. For example, if you drink lots of coffee, no water and alcohol most days….we need to talk!
- Your naturopath is 100% dedicated to helping you. When I am with you; my I focused on you; during your appointment and then later when I research and develop a personalised treatment plan for you. I want to give you the highest quality service and I want you to walk away feeling armed and ready to follow the plan. When you pay to see a naturopath, you are paying for more than the time spent with you at your appointment, you are paying for someone who is committed to helping you. I often spend up to 2 hours after your appointment researching and developing treatment plans.
- When it comes to prescribing supplements, I spend time researching and investigating products and brands. I ask questions of manufacturers about quality testing of a product, evidence and research on the product. I choose products that I trust. Why is that important? I need to know when I ask you to spend your hard earned money to purchase a supplement that I recommend, that it is the right one and that it will work. I want you to feel better and I want you to notice results.
If you have been sitting on the fence about booking your appointment with a Naturopath, hopefully this article has inspired you to take the first step and make an appointment. You wont regret it!
Cindi Young is available for naturopathic consultations in Robina, Gold Coast and Byron Bay or via skype/online.
Have a great day!