Nobody ever comes to see the doctor with just one concern. More often than not, the list of health issues can be overwhelming to the patient and practitioner, leaving little time to address each concern in adequate detail. In Naturopathic Medicine, addressing the whole body is a key component of the initial visit and an important part of unveiling the root cause. How do we determine Root Cause?I consider this to be like peeling back the layers of an onion to find out where the problems began. Because our bodies are so great at compensating when distressed, it is sometimes difficult for us to see how constant bloating and joint pain can be linked. Over time, our bodies run out of resources and the compensation becomes severe, drawing from many systems and taxing our energy. The good news about this long chain of events is that hitting the root cause can be a simple solution to all the downstream health effects and overall, very little treatment is required. Detailed questions about diet, digestion, sleep and stress are crucial to determining root cause because I believe they are the fundamentals of wellness and the building blocks of good health. Take digestion for example; we know that the food we put into our bodies is very important for our energy. You can eat all the salad and vegetables in the world, but if digestion is not optimal, nutrient breakdown and absorption will suffer, ultimately causing discomfort and deficiencies. The same goes for the absorption of vitamins, supplements and even medications. Perhaps doses of medications could be lowered if the digestive process was optimized and the drug could be used efficiently. The second area to consider in terms of root cause is sleep. Another one of our fundamental health needs that allows us to repair and restore what has been depleted during the day. Research has shown that majority of Canadians are functioning with less than the recommended number of sleep hours, which has led to increased rates of depression, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and reduced well-being overall.
Naturopathic Doctors are at a great advantage in managing these health concerns because of the diversity of our tools and our ability to see the connections within the body. If you are struggling with a laundry list of concerns that seem to be progressing, get yourself to an ND and get started on your root cause treatment!
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AuthorDr. DeSouza shares new research and discoveries along her journey. Archives
November 2018
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