Dr. Bogus says. . . Welcome to my Blog! I'm excited to be a part of the blogging world. I would first like to say that there are specific topics I'd love to cover and I'm working on a list so that you can have an idea of what will be the topics of discussion in the future. The topics will focus on specific examples of how I apply the naturopathic tenets in practice.

I'd like to start by letting you all know that there are 6 tenets in naturopathic medicine, all which I follow. They are the following;

1- The healing power of nature- this means that our bodies and the environment around us are very smart and there is an innate ability for these systems to create balance. When encouraged in the correct way, our bodies can heal on their own.

2- Identify and treat the cause of disease- this means that as a naturopath I do not treat symptoms. I try to find out why someone is having symptoms and try to help that person correct the cause of discomfort and disease. On a needed basis, I will help people to alleviate symptoms (or palliate) until the cause is found.

3- First do no harm- there are many levels that this tenet can be interpreted. I don't want to harm my patients. I also don't want to mess with the innate ability of individual's body to correct the problem on their own. Doing no harm may mean following the standard of care to some doctors. When a doctor only focuses on one symptom in the body instead of the whole being, the natural healing process in that individual can be negatively influenced (this is called supression). I like to go beyond the minimum of care and look deeper into the whole person. With this holistic approach, the unnecessary measure of supression is not a factor in the treatment plan.

4-Doctor as teacher- I love this one! By educating our patients on natural processes of the body and the effects of different situations and drugs on the body, we empower our patients to make educated decisions for them selves. They are able to be fully prepared to face the challenges and outcomes of their own decisions. By educating others and doing so in a non-biased way, we truly place power back into the patients' hands.

5- Treat the whole person- another great concept. There is no way to just treat parts of a body. Our entire system is interconnected into a complex but beautifully intelligent way. When a doctor leaves part of the system unattended to, it can disrupt the entire system. As a naturopath, I try to the best of my ability to treat each person wholly, as a complete, individual system.

6- Prevention- The prevention of disease and the attainment of optimal health in patients are primary objectives of naturopathic medicine. In practice, these objectives are accomplished through education and the promotion of healthy ways of living. Naturopathic physicians assess risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease, and make appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness. Naturopathic medicine asserts that one cannot be truly healthy in an unhealthy environment and is committed to the creation of a world in which humanity may thrive.

This is a background of why I love this medicine. There is more to come so I hope you continue to join me in this little venture.