Although I am a student of conventional medicine, I have always been curious about other types of medicine and their approach to illness and treatment. This week, I got a chance to interview Dr. Lemmo, a certified Naturopathic Doctor working in BC and the past president for the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Physicians. He also works at Inspire Health, a non-profit society that aims to provide an integrated treatment program for cancer patients.
What is Naturopathic medicine, and how does it differ from other alternative medicines, such as Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is integrative; it is a mixture of conventional medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathic medicine, traditional chinese medicine, acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, nutritional medicine, diet and lifestyle, and physical medicine (e.g. physiotherapy).
Why did you choose Naturopathic medicine as your career path?
As a child, I suffered from a lot of allergies, and in my teens, I ended up seeing a Naturopathic Doctor regarding the problem and that triggered my interest in the field. I enjoy having the freedom to explore the different medical arts, and the creativity involved in integrating them to provide care for the patient that is all-encompassing. My focus is Naturopathic Oncology which simply means that I use naturopathic medicine and its principles to assist and/or treat patients with cancer.
How does one become a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) in Canada?
To get your ND, you need to complete an undergraduate degree (about 4 years) and then complete 4-5 years of naturopathic medical education. Students of naturopathic medicine are exposed to a broad field of natural medicine and healing philosophies but are also trained in conventional medical care.
You currently work at Inspire Health. Can you talk briefly about the centre and how it came to be?
Inspire Health was originally founded by Dr. Roger Rogers in the early 90s and was previously called the Centre for Integrated Healing. It is a non-profit society that provides an integrated care program for cancer patients. Other than myself, our staff includes a massage therapist, an acupuncturist, as well as conventional doctors. We try to provide patients with a framework to explore different treatment options under collaborative guidance from different health practitioners. The goal is to put the patient in the driver seat, and to allow them to be in control of the course of their treatment.
How do you think medical doctors and naturopaths can work together for the benefit of patients?
NDs have the advantage of being trained in conventional medical care and diagnostics, offering patients the ‘best of both worlds’ type of approach. Consequently, in my practice, I help patients understand medical reports, lab test, imaging studies (CT scan, X-rays..etc.). I also integrate naturopathic principles into their treatment (e.g. optimizing their nutritional state, dealing with their emotional/psychological needs, finding the root cause of the disease…etc.). An equal partnership of both worlds can be created so that the patient ends up having the best care.
What do you think is the biggest misconception in the medical profession about naturopathy?
Some people are not aware that naturopathic physicians have had their own act in the government since the 1920’s- this is not a new profession. Also, all naturopaths in Canada are licensed and insured as primary care providers and have similar legal responsibilities as conventional medical doctors.
IMAGE CREDIT: http://www.robynnmorro.com.au/assets/images/naturopath.jpg
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This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 at 9:05 pm and is filed under Education, Health, Interview, People. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
that’s interesting to finally ready about naturopathy as it’s been something i’ve been meaning to look up. it sounds very holistic, interestingly enough, because i’ve heard that ND’s don’t garner the same level of respect generally as MD’s. it’s something i’d like to read a bit more about… cool post
Thanks for the comment Britt. Yeah, I guess because it’s not mainstream it doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
I didn’t know much about naturopathy prior to this interview either- I’m glad someone else benefited from this as well.
I’m so happy to see posts like this and I want to give you a big thumbs up. I think the peeps at a few other papers are going to give this article a hefty doze of hits, in fact I know they will as they’ve already told me over dinner. Brilliant initiative H, with love, Jark.