Frequently Asked Questions
At Cutler Integrative Medicine, we are excited to answer all of your integrative medicine questions. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive and our answers to them. If the answer you are looking for is not on this page, please contact us!
What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative Medicine is the blending of the best from conventional medicine with the use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches and evidence-based global medical modalities to achieve optimal health and healing.
What is Environmental Medicine?
Environmental Medicine focuses on understanding how environmental factors influence our health and behavior. It’s the prevention and treatment of biological, chemical and toxin exposures by lowering the total toxic burden on the body through multiple depuration (cleansing) protocols.
Human adipose tissue from U.S. residents has revealed 700 chemical contaminants that have not been chemically identified while more than 80,000+ chemicals and toxins have been developed, distributed, and discarded into the environment over the past 50 years.
The majority of them have not been tested for potential toxic effects in humans and some of these chemical contaminants are commonly found in the job, at home, in the outdoors, in our foods, in our air, in our water, and even in utero which contribute to human disease. It is never a question if you are toxic, but it is a question of how toxic?
Why is Environmental Medicine important in our health?
“Virtually all-human diseases result from the interaction of genetic susceptibility factors and modifiable environmental factors.”
Centers for Disease Control. Gene-Environment Interaction Fact Sheet, DHHS, Washington, DC, 2000
“More and more studies are showing that gene-environment interactions during early development may have long lasting effects on health that do not show up until adulthood.”
National Institutes of Health. Genes, Behavior, the Environment, and Health. NIH Facts Sheet
“Most cancers are thought to be caused by a combination of factors related to genetics and environment (including behavior and lifestyle)”.
National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a distinctively natural approach to health and healing that recognizes the wisdom of the natural healing process. By emphasizing balance through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the patient, Naturopathic Medicine achieves a deeper level of healing.
Naturopathic Physicians are trained to serve as primary care general practitioners who are experts in the prevention, management, and treatment of both acute and chronic health conditions. The state of Michigan has legislation presented to License these doctors, so they can use their full scope of practice, as Michigan does not currently License ND’s.
Naturopathic Medicine is based on the following principles:
First Do No Harm – Primum non nocere
Naturopathic medicine uses therapies that are safe and effective.
The Healing Power of Nature – Vis medicatrix naturae
The human body possesses the inherent ability to restore health. The physician’s role is to facilitate this process with the help of natural and nontoxic therapies.
Identify and Treat the Causes – Tolle causam
Physicians seek and treat the underlying cause of a disease. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body’s natural attempt to heal. The origin of disease is removed or treated so the patient can recover.
Treat the Whole Person – Tolle totum
The multiple factors in health and disease are considered while treating the whole person. Physicians provide flexible treatment programs to meet individual health care needs.
Doctor as Teacher – Docere
The physician’s major role is to educate, empower, and motivate patients to take responsibility for their own health for knowledge is truly power. Creating a healthy, cooperative relationship with the patient has a strong therapeutic value.
Prevention is the best “cure” – Praevenire
Naturopathic physicians are preventive medicine specialists. Physicians assess patient risk factors and heredity susceptibility and intervene appropriately to reduce risk and prevent illness. Prevention of disease is best accomplished through education and a lifestyle that supports health.
Wellness – Etiam vel quam
Naturopathic physicians establish and maintain optimum health and balance. Wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought, and action.
What type of education and training do Naturopathic Doctors have?
To obtain a naturopathic medical credential (ND) that qualifies the recipient to sit for licensing examination – students must have the following:
Prerequisites including three years of pre-medical sciences at a University with a cumulative grade point average (3.00) on a four-point scale. Prerequisite courses: biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, english, psychology and humanities.
Successfully complete a 4-year, in-house, post-baccalaureate, graduate degree program in an accredited medical school program that includes more than 4,500 hours of classroom training and 1,500 hours of supervised clinical experience.
The accreditation standards for the education of NDs, MDs, and DOs are all examined under the same microscope by the U.S. Department of Education, and all three accreditors operate in accordance with the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors guidelines for effective practice. The standards that naturopathic medical programs must meet are equivalent in rigor to those of MD and DO medical programs.
Pass the NPLEX (Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations) board exams that are written after the 2nd year (Part I – Biomedical Science Examination) and 4th year (Part II – Clinical Science Examinations) of study. NPLEX is the standard examination used by all licensing jurisdictions for Naturopathic doctors in North America and is directed by the NABNE (North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners).
Meet the Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits as required by the state regulatory boards on an ongoing basis.
Naturopathic Doctors undergo training similar to medical doctors in addition to training in naturopathic disciplines. The four areas of training in the 4- year, full-time Naturopathic Medicine curriculum are: (Click Here For Complete Curriculum)
Basic Sciences:
This area of study incorporate anatomy, human physiology, histology, embryology, macro & microbiology, biochemistry, neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology and human pathology.
Clinical Disciplines:
This area of study includes gastroenterology, pediatrics, endocrinology, gynecology, emergency medicine rheumatology, radiology, naturopathic assessment and orthopedics.
Naturopathic Disciplines:
There are six major disciplines that define the areas of naturopathic practice. Each discipline is a distinct area of practice and includes principles of practices as well as therapeutic skills and techniques. They include: clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathic medicine, hydrotherapy, naturopathic manipulation and lifestyle counseling.
Clinical Experience:
All students must complete 1,500 hours of clinical requirements, have 700 patient contacts, and demonstrate proficiency in all aspects of Naturopathic Medicine prior to graduation.
What states or provinces license naturopathic doctors as primary care physicians?
Alaska www.akanp.com
Arizona www.aznma.com
California www.calnd.org
Connecticut www.cnpaonline.org
District of Columbia
Hawaii www.hawaiiND.org
Idaho www.idaanp.org
Kansas (785) 749-2255
Maine http://www.mand.org
Minnesota www.mnanp.org
Montana www.mtnd.org
New Hampshire www.nhand.org
North Dakota
Oregon www.oanp.org
Utah (801) 474-3684
Vermont www.vanp.org
Washington www.wanp.org
United States Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
British Columbia www.bcna.ca
Manitoba www.mbnd.ca
Ontario www.oand.org
Saskatchewan www.sanp.ca
When will Michigan license naturopathic doctors as primary care physicians?
That depends on the needed support from you. http://michnd.org/licensing/licensing.htm
Do insurance companies cover Naturopathic medicine?
Unfortunately, no.