FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. It is based on the healing power of nature and it supports and stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself. Naturopathic medicine is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention using natural therapies including: botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation, traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, lifestyle counselling and health promotion and disease prevention.
How does Naturopathic Medicine compare to Conventional Medicine?
Both are doctors, both provide primary care and both are similarly trained. The primary differences between naturopathic and conventional medicine are the philosophical approach and the therapies used. Naturopathic doctors (NDs) treat patients as individuals by addressing the physical, environmental, lifestyle, attitudinal, and emotional aspects of health. This allows naturopathic doctors to find and treat the cause of the disease using a variety of therapies. Conventional doctors generally address and treat the symptoms of disease and use pharmaceutical therapies or surgery.
What can Naturopathic Medicine do for you?
Naturopathic medicine treats all forms of health concerns — from pediatric to geriatric, from irritating systems to chronic illness and from the physical to the psychological. Naturopathic medicine is beneficial for the following types of patients:
- Patients that are looking for disease prevention and health promotion strategies.
- Patients that have a range of symptoms that they have been unable to address on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners.
- Patients that have been diagnosed with an illness, often serious or chronic and are looking for treatment options. Naturopathic medicine is very effective for improving quality of life for those with serious and life threatening illnesses.
- Patients that are looking to combine conventional and naturopathic treatments with the aim of minimizing side effects of drugs, surgery or conventional treatments.Patients that have a range of symptoms that they have been unable to address on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners.
- Patients that are looking to combine conventional and naturopathic treatments with the aim of minimizing side effects of drugs, surgery or conventional treatments.
How long does it take to feel better?
The majority of Dr. Perkins patients start to feel improvements in the first 4-6 weeks of starting treatment. Each person is unique and the time it takes to restore their full health can differ. There are never any guarantees to the outcome of treatment. In Dr. Perkins experience, the toxicity of the body must be reduced, the vital force must be stimulated, metabolic, vitamin and mineral imbalances corrected and stress must be dramatically reduced. When these factors can be established the body will heal itself and vitality will be restored.
Do you direct bill to insurance companies?
At this time we do not direct bill but we are investigating the possibility of providing this service to our patients in the future.
Does Dr. Christine treat children?
Dr. Christine treats all people – old and young. Her eldest patient to date was 96 years old and her youngest has been a few hours old. Naturopathic medicine is safe and effective for all people, regardless of their age.
Does Dr. Perkins treat ___________? (Fill in the blank with any disease or condition)
Dr. Christine treats all people. She does not treat diseases. The symptoms of a disease that a patient presents with are only the messenger that identifies imbalance in the body. There are times that patients require both conventional medical treatment and Naturopathic treatments in order to establish normal balance again. And she is trained to identify when more than one type of treatment or medical professional is needed for her patients.
CONNECT WITH DR. CHRISTINE PERKINS
RADIANT HEALTH & WELLNESS
Located in Building 1 of the Rockyview Health Centre
#308, 1011 Glenmore Trail SW
Calgary, AB T2V 4R6
☏ 403.454.0255
✉ drchristine@radianthealth.ca