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Art Shows at CWC

Congratulations to Nancy P. McGinnis , the winner of our recent art show.

Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a form of primary health care which blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. Its roots are based upon the healing power of nature, and it upholds time-tested strategies that support and stimulate the body's ability to heal itself. Naturopathic medicine is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention using natural therapies such as: botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation, health education and lifestyle counseling.

There are six basic principles of naturopathic medicine:

• Primum No Nocere - First Do No Harm
  • The most important aspect of treating a patient from a naturopathic perspective is to avoid suppression of symptoms. Natural therapeutics aim to rebalance the body with the least invasive treatments possible. The physician must get at the underlying cause of the health concern, and not focus on mere palliation of symptoms. Symptoms are seen as expressions from the body as a way of healing itself. It is essential for the physician to support this process in order to facilitate true health.
• Vis Medicatrix Naturae - The Healing Power of Nature
• Our bodies are designed to be in a state of balance thus achieving optimal health. If there is a threat against this balance, the body has the inherent ability to restore and maintain health. This is done through an ordered process and done the way nature intended. The physician’s role is to remove obstacles to health so this natural process is allowed to occur.
• Tolle Causam - Identify and Treat the Cause
• Our present healthcare system is based on treating symptoms and not the true cause of disease. Symptoms are merely the body’s expression of disease, as well as it’s attempt to heal itself. By treating only the symptoms without finding the cause of imbalance, it is possible to cause suppression and perhaps drive the disease deeper. The underlying cause of disease must be found in order to restore health. To achieve this, all aspects of a person must be evaluated including the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level.
• Principiis Obsta: Sero Medicina Curatur - Prevention
• Prevention is always the best medicine, and it is truly the cornerstone of naturopathic care. It involves the study and knowledge of health as well as the process of disease. Preventive medicine requires making daily choices for our well-being: eating foods that nourish our bodies, exercise, sunlight and fresh air, developing beneficial relationships and supportive communities, and living in harmony with the Earth. The physician can accomplish this through a thorough health history, physical exam, and laboratory testing. Appropriate interventions are then discussed and the patient is educated on ways to obtain health and prevent disease.
• Docere - The Physician as Teacher
• The word docere means “to teach”. The physicians primary function is to provide knowledge and educate, thus empowering and motivating people to assume more personal responsibility for their health. This relationship is a vital part of the patient’s ability to heal and accomplish the measures necessary to achieve improved levels of health.
• Perturbato Animo Sicut in Corpore Sanitas Esse Non Potest - Treat the Whole Person
• Each patient is viewed to possess unique and individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and spiritual factors that effect their overall state of health. As naturopathic physicians, we are taught to view a person as a whole, and help to restore the imbalances that may be occurring on one or more of the above levels. Only when balance is established, can total health be achieved.

NATURAL THERAPIES

• Botanical Medicine
  • Botanical medicines derive their restorative properties from plants and herbs. They have been utilized as food and medicine for thousands of years. Herbs promote the natural functions of the body by working to strengthen and build the body from within. When used correctly, they are a safe, gentle and effective therapy and do not produce harmful side effects. Naturopathic physicians are professionally trained herbalists; they study both the historical uses of plants and their modern pharmacological mechanisms.
• Clinical Nutrition
  • Proper nutrition is essential for cells and organ systems to function optimally. Naturopathic doctors assess an individual’s nutritional status and prescribe dietary modifications and vitamin or mineral supplements to maintain health, prevent and treat disease.
• Homeopathy
  • Homeopathy is a therapeutic method based on the principle “like cures like” or the Law of Similars. Homeopathic medicines, known as remedies, are very minute, diluted quantities of a substance that will produce the same characteristics of the disease when given to a healthy individual in its undiluted form. Remedies are prepared from animals, plants, and minerals. The appropriate remedy can create profound effects on both a physical and emotional level.
• Hydrotherapy
  • Hydrotherapy is the use of water in order to maintain health or treat disease. It is one of the most ancient methods of treatment and has been historically used by many different cultures around the world. Hydrotherapy employs all forms of water- hot, cold, ice, steam- and modes of application- bath, shower, sauna, poultice, fomentation, wrap, irrigation. These treatments support the body’s own physiological processes and help to boost the immune system, detoxify wastes, improve digestion and circulation, and nourish the neurological system. It can be used to treat both acute and chronic conditions.
• Physical Medicine
  • Physical medicine refers to a broad range of techniques and therapeutic approaches. This includes physiotherapy ( ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation , micro current, diathermy), therapeutic exercise, massage and deep-tissue work, muscle energy and joint mobilization techniques.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What Can I Expect at a Visit?
  • Naturopathic treatment plans are customized to the individual. Each patient has a unique health story: history, genetics, dietary habits, lifestyle and associated health concerns. Dr. Von Deesten will work with you to determine the common underlying cause(s) of your health concerns and to create an individualized treatment plan to stimulate and support your body’s innate healing ability.
    
    Your first visit will last 60-90 minutes. This comprehensive first office visit will include a full discussion of your health expectations and goals, your health and medical history, a physical exam and an initial treatment plan. If necessary, I will order additional laboratory testing.
    
    Follow up visits range from 30 -60 minutes depending on your needs.

 

• Will My Visit Be Covered Under Insurance?

• At this time, naturopathic medicine is not covered by major insurance carriers in the state of Maine. Although I do not bill insurance directly, I will gladly support you in your efforts to receive insurance reimbursement.

 

• Who Can Benefit From Naturopathic Care?

• Naturopathic medicine can be safely used to treat a broad range of concerns, it is beneficial for the following types of patients:
  • Patients that are looking for disease prevention and health promotion strategies.
  • Patients who have a range of symptoms that they have been unable to address on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners through routine medical care, and desire a more individualized approach.
  • Patients that have been diagnosed with an illness, often serious or chronic, and are looking for complementary treatments. Naturopathic medicine is very effective in improving quality of life for those with serious and life threatening illnesses.
  • Patients who are looking to combine conventional and naturopathic treatments with the aim of optimizing health, recovery, and reducing pain while minimizing side effects of medications, surgery and other conventional treatments.

My Philosophy and Approach

The Naturopathic approach recognizes that each individual is a unique and whole person exposed to many factors that influence their state of health. Health can be described as feeling vital mentally, emotionally and physically. It is not purely the absence of disease. Naturopathy combines the science of medicine with the healing power of nature by utilizing therapeutic methods which strengthen, support, and act in harmony with the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

As a primary care physician, I am trained and licensed to perform physical exams, review your medical history and records and attain appropriate laboratory tests to properly diagnose and treat your concerns. Licensed naturopathic doctors offer the highest level of expertise in natural medicine with extensive education in the safe and proper use of nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, lifestyle counseling, and physical medicine.

I am also able to prescribe a limited selection of pharmaceutical interventions when necessary. I welcome working with other doctors, and will not hesitate to refer to specialists when appropriate. By collaborating with other practitioners, I strive to provide the best possible care for my patients.

My goal is to empower my patients to achieve optimal wellness by identifying and addressing the underlying root cause of imbalance, removing obstacles to health, restoring the body’s vitality using safe, effective and natural measures, and to provide my patients with the knowledge to take an active role in their own well being.

 

If this sounds like you or someone you know, schedule a free 15 minute consult with Dr. Von Deesten to see if the naturopathic approach meets your needs.

Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. ~Hippocrates