Hi Class,
This post is in response to an earlier post about "Neropathic Medicine help patients." Think you meant Naturopathic Medicine. Naturo pathic medicine is characterized by belief that the body has the ability to heal itself. They promote treating the actual cause of the disease instead of the symptom. For example, around this time of the year many people catch the flu. Medical doctors will observe the symptoms which may include running nose, coughing, sore throat and etc. And from here the doctor will prescribe a medication that will suppress (stop) the symptoms. On the other hand, a Naturopathic doctor will treat what is causing the disease. Maybe the individuals diet is poor in nutrients and their immune system has worn down, allowing them to be more susceptible toward becoming victimized by a virus. Naturapath's encourage a balance lifestyle of a natural food regimen, exercise and maybe even meditation.
In addition to having a naturopathic view of healing I also believe that healing and the state of health should be approach from a cultural perspective. I think that culture should use natural healing methods that come from their culture.
I agree with your comments and I think part of the problem with the healthcare system is that it focuses on treatment rather than prevention, which also indirectly becomes more expensive over a person’s lifetime. Many medical staff will prescribe medication as a first option rather than finding alternatives; however, this is not only their fault. I think it is also because pharmaceutical companies contribute a large amount of income to doctor's offices, hospitals, and clinics; therefore, it is mutually beneficial for medical staff to prescribe medication that is advertised by pharmaceutical companies. Also, I think that medical staff do not have enough time to talk with and get to know patients and are so overburdened with malpractice insurance and fear of being sued for negligence, that they look for quick fixes rather than "stepping outside the box." This is where DOs (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) come in to play, but unfortunately they are few and far between and not given the same respect as MDs.
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