Education
Wellness Designed Natural Family Medicine, Inc. offers various education and wellness programs. Please check back for our calendar of events in this section, where we will post our most up-to-date programs, workshops and conferences provided by our staff and other alternative therapists, organizations and institutions.
Physical Medicine – Naturopathic physicians utilize hands-on medicine to relieve muscle tension and to therapeutically manipulate the spine, bones and joints. Spinal Adjustment and Trigger Point Therapy are examples of safe, noninvasive procedures used to restore and improve health.
Spinal adjustments are applied to vertebrae which are no longer in their proper position or whose functioning has become impaired. Normalizing spinal alignment reduces pain and inflammation, relaxes muscle spasms and tension, and can remove nerve irritation and circulatory interference. Bones and joints in the extremities and pelvic region may also become misaligned and fixated. Adjustment provides an increase in range of motion which is vital for supplying the joint cartilage with nutrients and removal of waste products.
Trigger Point therapy is a technique in which gentle pressure is applied to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body (referred pain). Trigger points may originate from birth trauma, injuries from falls, accidents, overexertion, or impaired posture. The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate pain and to re-educate the muscles into pain-free habits. Trigger point therapy is often indicated with myofascial pain syndromes and fibromyalgia.
Exercise – Naturopathic medicine emphasizes a mind/body connection for optimal health. Exercise can improve both physical and mental health in several ways; prevention and alleviation of depression, insomnia and stress, improvement of strength and balance, weight control through an increased metabolic rate, prevention and decreased pain from osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, improved symptoms of pre and post-menopause, and, importantly, reduction and/or reversal of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Exercise also re-engages the individual with their physical bodies, creating a positive sense of self, as well as reconnecting with the natural world. Exercise is an inherent part of naturopathic philosophy – to educate and encourage the patient to take responsibility for his or her own health.
Environmental Medicine – Just as it is the physician’s role to identify and remove obstacles to health and recovery, it is equally important to support the creation of a healthy internal and external environment. As this can be a challenge in our modern world, naturopathic physicians include in their comprehensive care assisting the patient to create a healthier environment in which to live. In warranted situations, physicians may conduct thorough home testing to verify or rule out environmental toxins such as heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.), harmful gases such as radon and formaldehyde, elements such as arsenic and fluoride, molds, and unhealthy levels of electromagnetic waves.
Clinical Nutrition – A balanced diet is a simple, affordable, and self-empowering route to health and vitality. Nutrition therapy is used to prevent and treat illness and to restore the body to a balanced functioning - either through dietary modification and/or dietary supplementation. Naturopathic physicians use individualized nutrition counseling, intestinal cleansing, and allergen elimination diets as a cornerstone for treating many medical conditions.
Nutrition has a direct effect on the body’s immune system and serves a critical role in the body’s ability to recognize or detoxify chemicals. Systemic studies over a thirty-year span have verified that protein-calorie malnutrition and moderate deficiencies of trace minerals and vitamins significantly impair the body’s immune response. A whole-foods and plant-based diet has been shown to restore and maintain immune function.
As a preventative measure, a balanced diet can reduce the incidence of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, kidney and gall bladder diseases. Exclusion, or elimination diets, can help to manage chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, hyperactivity, attention deficit, migraines, and PMS. Nutritional supplementation is widely recommended as adjunct therapy for cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and fatigue.
Nutritional demands alter across the life-span, from pregnancy to infancy, adolescence to adulthood, and into the elder years. Nutritional therapy can enhance optimal health at any time during one’s lifecycle.
Herbal/Botanical Medicines – When properly utilized, botanical medicines are capable of addressing a variety of illnesses effectively with a minimal likelihood of side effects. Used by indigenous cultures throughout mankind’s history, plant medicine is still the primary health care treatment in 80% of the world outside of the United States. Naturopathic physicians research and prescribe standardized products of highest quality in harvesting and preparation.
Healing properties are a result of active ingredients within each plant. Some contain compounds that mimic or stimulate hormones, some effect neurotransmitters, and some contain families of active compounds rather than a single ingredient. Various plant properties include antifungal, diuretic, anti-anxiety, analgesic and tonic. As research continues, more active ingredients are identified and ascribed to a variety of botanical herbs. Clinical research has verified beneficial effects in treating Alzheimer’s, memory and psychomotor performance, depression, respiratory and urinary tract infections, diabetes, herpes, irritable bowel syndrome, nausea and vomiting, cardiovascular health, and immune system support.
Homeopathy – A system of medicine founded by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann based on the principle that ‘like cures like’-wherein a medicine given in an infinitesimal dose produces symptoms capable of curing an illness that displays similar effects. Remedies are derived from plant, mineral, and animal extract and diluted to varying potencies. The process of producing remedies follows the same precise protocol around the world. Clinical studies indicate that improvement takes place on a subtle, energetic level, promoting healing on the physical, mental, and spiritual planes.
A treatment of choice throughout Europe, homeopathy is used to treat asthma, skin diseases, irritable bowel, PMS, cystitis, ADHD, migraines, and depression. Its gentle healing nature makes it a highly effective treatment for children’s ailments such as ear infection and allergic rhinitis.
