How to Choose a Naturopathic Doctor?

When choosing a naturopathic doctor, you want to make sure you’re selecting the best one for you. Similar to finding any other health provider, you want to make sure you’re comfortable with them and the services they provide. Consider Integrative Naturopathic Medical Centre for your naturopathy. 

Naturopathic doctors are an important part of the healthcare industry as they offer holistic approaches to treating a person’s ailments. Naturopathy is based on the principle that the body can keep itself healthy and fit if given the right environment. A naturopath will primarily support this process instead of interfering with it. 

Below are the keys to finding the right ND for yourself.

1. Number of years practicing medicine

While it’s true that some doctors enter the field with little or no training, most have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, followed by four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and a three-year naturopathic medical degree program. A minimum of five years of education is beneficial before entering into practice.

2. Licensure

The first step is finding out if a naturopath is licensed in your state. You can check the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) database to see if a practitioner is licensed. Most states have licensing laws for naturopaths, but the requirements vary from state to state. To practice in a specific state, naturopathic physicians must graduate from an accredited four-year college and complete 3,200 hours of post-graduate training. They must pass both written exams and hands-on tests. In addition, they must also pass an FDA registration exam that tests their safety knowledge.

3. Look for a naturalist. 

A naturopathic doctor should be certified by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) or licensed by their state board of medicine. AANP-certified doctors must also pass anatomy, physiology, and pathology exams. The best way to find one near you is to go to the AANP website at www.naturopathic.org and click on “Find a Doctor.”

4. Reputation 

The best thing to do is ask around. Do some research and find out how well other people think about the naturopaths in your area. By asking others about their experience with a particular clinic or doctor, you will get a much better picture of whether it is worth your time and money to visit them.

5. Knowledgeable about your condition

A good ND will have spent a significant amount of time studying human physiology, biochemistry, and other relevant areas. They will be able to explain why a treatment works for you and what the side effects might be; however, if a doctor knows little about your medical history or current condition, they should refer you to someone who can help.

6. Check for patient reviews. 

Patients often leave comments whether they are satisfied or not. The first thing you want to do is check out reviews on Google. Many people say it’s all bogus, but you’ll find some honest reviews there. You can also ask your friends and family if they know anything about individual doctors. You want to ask them what they thought about their treatment and the overall experience.

Besides, you can also get valuable information about a practitioner from previous patients on websites such as Yelp (www.yelp.com) or Angie’s List (www.angieslist.com). Read what people say about their experiences — both the good and the bad — then select several potential candidates to contact directly and ask them questions about their experience with the practitioner before making a candid decision. 

7. Referrals

The first thing you should do is ask for references from friends or neighbors that have gone through ND treatment to give you an idea of what to expect during your initial consultation with your doctor.

After finding out more about NDs from your friends, schedule a consultation with one of them. Be sure to ask questions about their background and practice their alternative methods. Researching the techniques used in NDs will help you find the right person for your needs. Naturopathy is divided into three primary modalities: homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and herbalism.

Knowing how to pick a naturopathic doctor is just as bright as picking one you can trust for your needs. If you are not sure exactly how to find the top-rated ND, then ask around and start researching the internet. Regardless of what you do, when you start trying to find the doctor you want to go with, keep in mind that not all NDs are created equal. It would be best if you kept looking until you found someone that is a good fit.