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What to Expect

What to expect at your first visit

The first visit with a Naturopathic Doctor is approximately one hour in length. It is best to have all the intake forms filled out in advance of the appointment as sometimes they can be quite lengthy.

During the first visit the ND will try to get as complete a picture of your health as possible, through extensive discussion of your past and current health, as well as your family health history, and your current lifestyle factors. A general physical exam may be conducted when necessary.

Naturopathic Doctors aim to treat the whole person through individualized treatment, therefore it is very important for them to understand not only physical aspects of one’s health status, but also the mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors that contribute to illness.

What to expect at subsequent visits with your ND

A comprehensive treatment plan will be given to you at the next appointment and a time-line will be suggested as to frequency and number of subsequent clinic visits. All treatment plans are individualized and customized to your health concerns/goals. The aim of naturopathic medicine is to treat the cause of disease, by identifying and removing the cause of illness, rather than suppressing symptoms.

Naturopathic Doctors strive to support the innate healing power of the body, and treat using methods and medicines that minimize the risk of harmful side effects. Your ‘treatment plan’ may be made up of a combination of a number of different types of therapies or treatments that NDs practice, including; nutritional counseling, botanical medicine, traditional Asian medicine/acupuncture, homeopathy, and lifestyle counseling.

Throughout subsequent visits, your ND will follow-up with your treatment plan and adjust and alter it where necessary. Your ND will teach you about your health concerns as well as about ways to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Empowering you with knowledge about health is a major goal of Naturopathic Medicine.