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Ask Water’s Edge Natural Health Care’s Medical
Director Marina Abrams, M.D., N.D., M.S.A.O.M.,
what the biggest misconception that people have
about naturopathic care and she says it’s the idea
that it’s not science-based.
“Even though naturopathic care is more accepted
now, I still see new patients who don’t think we rely
on lab work or have science-based training. We rely
heavily on lab work and everything we do is based
and founded on the understanding of science,” says
Abrams. “Another misperception is that natural
medicine uses remedies made out of untested,
dangerous supplements. The natural medications
we use are all the highest quality scientifically tested
products available to naturopaths.”
A licensed primary care physician, naturopathic
physician and acupuncturist, Abrams says some of
the women’s health issues her clinic addresses include
menopause, PMS (premenstrual syndrome),
abnormal menstrual cycles and infertility—issues
that many women put on the back burner while
they care for others.
“Most women tend to be very nurturing toward
their families and friends. We give our love and care
to everyone but ourselves,” says Abrams. Which can have dire consequences if they overlook
symptoms for too long.
“Lack of energy is something women often face. Day after day they’ll ignore it and think ‘oh, I’m just
tired because I’m doing so much,’ until one day they
just don’t want to get out of bed,” says Abrams. “You simply don’t have to put up with being constantly
tired, depressed, or having severe hot flashes and night sweats. It is all treatable.”
Laurie Cullen, N.D., is a faculty member at Bastyr
University’s Bastyr Center for Natural Health, a
teaching clinic that is open to the public. She has
lectured across the country on women’s health issues,
and says it is common to see women who have
ignored the symptoms of PMS or its more severe form, PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder),
until a loved one asks them to get help.
“They’ll ignore the symptoms until it gets so bad
that their loved ones will say, ‘I can’t handle being
around you during that time of the month.’ I also
see a lot of women who ignore acute vaginitis or
try to treat it with over-the-counter remedies which
might be doing more harm. Women will also dismiss
breast pain or chronic pelvic pain as something
they just have to live with,” says Cullen.
Whenever possible, Cullen approaches treatment
as a team effort, empowering the patients to make decisions
on how they want to proceed with their care.“Most of the patients I see are in the teaching
clinic with my students. I direct my students to
determine a diagnosis, incorporating labs or imaging
if necessary. Then we determine a direction for
treatment,” says Cullen. “I like to teach the patients
what their options are, so they can decide as to how
they would like to approach their care. They are
more likely to adhere to a treatment plan because
they bought into it.”
Which may or may not include prescription
medications.
“If you came to me and your cholesterol was
230, I would have to take into account all your risk
factors. That may require a more aggressive treatment
with medications to get the numbers down,
or, if your risk factors are not as great, we may try
to lower the numbers with diet and exercise,” says
Cullen. “I have to meet my patients where they are
mentally, emotionally and physically.”
Abrams agrees. “Our goal is to help the body restore its vitality—if
I can do it in the most natural way like diet, exercise,
homeopathy, highest quality vitamins, and minerals
that’s my goal. But, if needed, we can also turn to prescription
drugs like antibiotics or anti-hypertensives.
That’s the beauty of naturopathic care. We have so
many wonderful tools to help our patients.”
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