Oct 6 – 12 is National Naturopathic Medicine Week

The United States Senate, for the second year in a row, has unanimously passed a Resolution  designating Oct. 6 – Oct. 12, 2014 Naturopathic Medicine Week.

In addition, Governor Brewer signed a resolution for Naturopathic Medicine Week for the naturopathic physicians of Arizona for a second year.

The resolution recognizes the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care and encourages Americans to learn about the role of naturopathic physicians in preventing chronic and debilitating conditions.

The 2014 theme is: EUREKA! The word means “I have found it” and is, according to legend, what Archimedes exclaimed when, after long study, he made a significant discovery.

Naturopathic medicine is a hugely significant discovery – and what I want the whole world to know about!  EUREKA! reflects Naturopathic education and training, patients’ realization of health, even AANP’s tagline: “Natural medicine. Real Solutions.”

EUREKA! also stands for the following:
Empowered patients
Underlying cause
Restoring health
Energy
Knowledge
Active lifestyle
! (so much more to learn about naturopathic medicine)

10 Reasons Why Naturopathic Medicine Lowers Health Care Costs

1. Offers more treatment options. Naturopathic physicians provide consumers with a broader range of safe, cost effective care.
2. Offers less expensive treatment. Naturopathic treatments are inherently less expensive than those in conventional medicine and many naturopathic treatments incur no cost whatsoever.
3. Reduces need for expensive surgical procedures. Naturopathic physicians often suggest non-surgical options to patients, while referring for surgery when it is indicated.
4. Decreases prescription drug costs. Naturopathic physicians typically prescribe less expensive botanical or nutritional supplements to effectively care for medical problems.
5. Decreases in costs associated with drug prescriptions About two percent of drug prescriptions result in hospital admission. Adverse drug reactions may add as much as $5 billion annually to health care costs and are considered the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S. 100,000 people died in 2003 of adverse reactions from correctly prescribed pharmaceuticals.
6. Reduces the incidence of iatrogenic (doctor-induced) illnesses. As many as one-third of patients admitted to hospitals contract another illness while there, resulting in longer stays. Fatal pharmaceutical adverse reactions combined with iatrogenic fatalities are the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S.
7. Lowers malpractice rates, resulting in reduced patient costs. Malpractice insurance rates are much lower for naturopathic physicians than they are for conventional doctors. Patients of naturopathic physicians do not have to absorb high malpractice costs.
8. Addresses the cause of illness thus eliminating expensive ongoing care. By addressing and treating the cause of disease, the need for repeated, expensive and often ineffective symptomatic treatment is eliminated. Naturopathic physicians use state-of-the-art diagnostic testing, thorough history and complete physical examination to diagnose underlying causes of disease.
9. Offers true disease prevention. Naturopathic physicians emphasize health-building practices, reducing the high future cost of preventable degenerative diseases.
10. Reduces insurance costs. Naturopathic medical billing is far lower per patient than conventional medical billing.

Resolution

This year saw the addition of Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Independent Angus King of Maine to Democratic sponsors Tom Harkin of Iowa and Barbara Mikulski (our lead sponsor once again). Thus, the effort was truly bipartisan.

Special thanks go to Drs. Jaclyn Chasse and Tina Beaudoin, and the members of the New Hampshire Association of Naturopathic Doctors, for their dedicated efforts to get Sen. Ayotte as a cosponsor.

Designating the week of October 6 through October 12, 2014, as  “Naturopathic Medicine Week” to recognize the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care.

Whereas, in the United States, 75 percent of all health care spending is for the treatment of preventable chronic illnesses, including high blood  pressure, which affects 68,000,000 people in the United States, and  diabetes, which affects 26,000,000 people in the United States;

Whereas nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese and, consequently, at risk for serious health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and depression;

Whereas 70 percent of people in the United States experience physical or nonphysical symptoms of stress, which can contribute to chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes;

Whereas the aforementioned health conditions are among the most preventable health conditions and are especially responsive to the preventive, whole-person approach favored by naturopathic medicine;

Whereas naturopathic medicine provides noninvasive, holistic treatments that support the inherent self-healing capacity of the human body and encourage self-responsibility in health care;

Whereas naturopathic medicine reduces health care costs because of its focus on patient-centered care, the prevention of chronic illnesses, and early intervention in the treatment of chronic illnesses;

Whereas naturopathic physicians attend 4-year, graduate level programs with rigorous admission requirements at institutions that are recognized by  the Department of Education; Whereas naturopathic physicians are especially skilled in treating chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders, because of their focus on whole-body medicine rather than symptom management;

Whereas naturopathic physicians are trained to serve as primary care physicians  and can help redress the shortage of primary care providers in the  United States;

Whereas naturopathic physicians are trained to refer patients to conventional  physicians and specialists when necessary;

Whereas patients of naturopathic physicians report higher patient satisfaction  and health improvement than patients of conventional medicine; Whereas the profession of naturopathic medicine is dedicated to providing health  care to underserved populations;

Whereas naturopathic medicine provides consumers in the United States with more choice in health care, in line with the increased use of a variety of integrative medical treatments; and

Whereas the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148; 124 Stat. 119) requires that insurers include and reimburse licensed health  care providers, including naturopathic physicians, in health insurance  plans:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate–

1. designates the week of October 6 through October 12, 2014, as “Naturopathic Medicine Week”;
2. recognizes the value of naturopathic medicine in providing safe, effective, and affordable health care; and
3. encourages the people of the United States to learn about naturopathic medicine and the role that naturopathic physicians play in preventing chronic and debilitating illnesses and conditions.

Naturopathic Medicine: The Future of Medicine

Naturopathic practitioners are doctor level expert providers of natural medicine and increasingly are receiving deserved recognition as such. Naturopathic doctors also work in international medicine, public health, in medical research and as writers and teachers in the field.

Currently, 20 states and territories license NDs to practice. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from an accredited four-year residential naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license.

Licensed NDs are graduates of four-year naturopathic medical schools with admissions requirements comparable to those of medical schools. Degrees are awarded after extensive classroom, clinical and practical study. Medical science coursework includes cardiology, neurology, radiology, obstetrics, gynecology, immunology, dermatology, and pediatrics.

Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and will have a specific scope of practice defined by their state’s law. The states that currently have licensing laws for naturopathic physicians are:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Kansas
• Maine
• Maryland
• Minnesota
• Montana
• New Hampshire
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington

Dr. Cheryl Kasdorf, Naturopathic Medical Doctor

I have been licensed to practice Naturopathic Medicine since 1998, after graduating Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. I have had the inclination to do things with the naturopathic philosophy all my life, even if I did not know how to explain it. The first doctor I went to after I moved to Arizona in 1977 was a Naturopathic Physician. I have consulted other doctors from time to time, but always had a Naturopathic perspective.

I am excited to see the studies that show Naturopathic Medicine will save money and give higher quality of health care. I experience that every day in my practice.

No matter what the condition, there is always something that a Naturopathic perspective can provide in improving your quality of life  – relieving pain, giving energy, improving digestion, elimination and sleep.

Please call me at 928-649-9234 to find out how I can help you.

For More Information:

›American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)   www.naturopathic.org ›

Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association (AzNMA)  www.aznma.org

›Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC)    www.aanmc.org

›Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME)  www.cnme.org ›

Naturopathic Physicians Research Institute (NPRI)    www.nprinstitute.org

Comment below about your experience with Naturopathic Medicine, how it was effective and how it saved you money!

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