Naturopathic medicine is a distinct practice of medicine that emphasizes prevention and the self-healing process to treat each person holistically and improve outcomes while lowering health care costs.

Naturopathic doctors are educated and trained in accredited naturopathic medical colleges. They diagnose, prevent and treat acute and chronic illness, restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person's inherent self-healing process. Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors work to identify underlying causes of illness, and develop personalized treatment plans to address them. (https://naturopathic.org/page/FAQ)

Licensed naturopathic doctors, sometimes referred to as naturopathic physicians, are regulated at the state level to practice naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medical students attend accredited, four-year, in-residence, naturopathic medical schools where they study biomedical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, and pharmacology. Their medical education incorporates the latest advances in science and natural approaches to illness prevention and management. Students complete a minimum of 4,100 hours of class and clinical training, including over 1,200 hours of hands-on, supervised, clinical training. (https://naturopathic.org/page/FAQ)

Some insurance companies do provide reimbursement for care under licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctors. However; many naturopathic doctors chose not to be contracted with insurance do to the high cost associated with the billing process. Although your insurance might not cover your visit, you will be happy to know that seeing a Naturopathic Medical Doctor can actually lower your healthcare costs! Click the link to find out how.

You may have noticed that it takes longer than ever to schedule a first appointment with a new health care provider. You’ve also likely spent more time in the waiting room than face-to-face with your physician. In the United States, consultation time in a conventional doctor’s appointment averages about 20 minutes. In contrast, naturopathic doctors (NDs) spend between one and two hours face-to-face with patients in an initial appointment, and 30 to 60 minutes in subsequent appointments.

There are many factors that affect your health. Naturopathic doctors, who are trained to treat the whole person, take the time to explore as many of these factors as possible.

The extra time naturopathic doctors spend with you is focused on identifying the underlying cause(s) of your health concerns, and empowering you to engage actively in restoring and managing your own health. (https://naturopathic.org/page/FAQ)

There are a number of situations where naturopathic and conventionally trained doctors working together deliver care for some patients. Examples include:

• People with one or more chronic diseases or lifestyle-related conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or hypertension, which require a high level of patient engagement in their own health as well as time to realize the full benefits of recommended treatments

• People with cancer or other diseases where commonly used medical treatments can cause significant side effects that can undermine health

• People seeking relief from chronic pain without using highly additive opioids

• People who want to build and maintain a foundation of optimal health and well-being

• People with symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress who have exhausted options with conventionally trained medical doctors and still do not have an actionable diagnosis or are not improving with current treatment. (https://naturopathic.org/page/FAQ)