WHAT IS NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE?

Naturopathic medicine draws on the wisdom of many cultures, including the teachings of Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, the wisdom of Hippocrates and other traditional systems of medicine. Around the turn of the 20th century (=1900’s) naturopathy flourished with over 10,000 naturopathic physicians and more than 20 naturopathic colleges.

As Americans became more science-centered in the mid 1900’s, the traditional methods of botanical medicine and healing through nutrition fell by the wayside. While modern medicine evolved to rely heavily on pharmaceutical and surgical techniques, the older practices of encouraging the healing wisdom of Nature continued to demonstrate success in long term prevention of illness and recovery of health.

The profession is enjoying the growing appreciation of a medicine that works through encouraging the healing force of the body. Rather than entraining dependence on expensive prescriptions, naturopathic medicine seeks to encourage patients' inner knowledge about their own best care and to remind patients of the language of the body so they can improve their own health through responsible choices.

HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?

The focus in Chinese Medicine is to restore healthy movement of energy or Qi. The practitioner will assess through questioning, observation and palpation where the movement of Qi is obstructed or impeded. Treatment is focused on removing blockages, expelling pathogens, and restoring the flow of Qi or vital force, thereby supporting the body’s inherent ability to heal itself. Acupuncture is a key tool in facilitating the flow of Qi and supporting healthy balance in the body.

The acupuncture practitioner uses small, sterile, disposable needles. They also use techniques such as cupping and moxibustion to affect or improve Qi flow in the body. They can use acupressure instead of acupuncture for patients who are concerned about needles. Talk with your practitioner before your first treatment and be sure you are comfortable with the proposed techniques to be used. Generally, once people have had a good acupuncture treatment, they look forward to receiving acupuncture again. Some wise patients make a regular habit of receiving a Chinese Medicine assessment and treatment protocol monthly or seasonally for health support and to improve long term stress tolerance.

We all have direct and daily experience with the Sympathetic Nervous system, which drives our flight-fight-fright responses. In fact, we as humans and especially as Americans, are spending a steadily increasing amount of time in this state, much to the detriment of our health, both individually and I believe to the harm in our relations to each other. The response to stress and release of adrenaline causes a redirecting of resources from our healing and digestion- to mobilizing our bodies to fight or run. This continued focus on perceived threats, which can be experienced even simply by thinking about possible dangers- separates us from our calm, and distracts us from our hearts. 

WHAT IS CRANIAL THERAPY?

The goal of “Parasympathetic toning” is a listening, receiving and synchronizing of the system to a quieter more peaceful rhythm. The patient can be fully dressed, and the practitioner’s touch is very light at different contact points, namely along the cranial bones, along the spine and as I often say “along the joints and hinges”. Reiki and acupressure are also incorporated in my work, and this treatment may be included with an acupuncture treatment.

The goal is to help calm the nervous system so that the body can drop into a deeper state of relaxation and safety, which is where healing can occur. The ultimate goal is to help the individual experience this sensation regularly, and as we string together moments of calm, like lily pads across a pond, we reconnect the person’s inherent ability to find and cultivate calm in themselves. We must feel it, to know it, to find it.

People often describe the sensation of the treatment as feeling loved, cared for,  calmed and soothed. When we get tummy rumbles we know we are on the right track! This is the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest and digest system, the healing and rebuilding system.

This can be helped in ourselves by meditation practices, breath awareness practice, art and mindfulness practice, appropriate botanicals and as always in Naturopathic Medicine, identifying and treating the root cause of disharmony. Healing starts with listening to the body. It is amazing what can occur when we recognized and honor our innate healing system. Cranial therapy and parasympathetic toning is an important tool and access point to increase our healing potential.