A comprehensive practice based on educating patients to take responsibility over lifestyle, diet, and habits, while utilizing supplements and alternative therapies until one’s body restores its own ability to achieve equilibrium. More about More about Naturopathic Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine Video
Naturopathic Medicine Practitioners
Dr. Melody Hart, ND, PhD, (630) 262-5055, Geneva
Specializing in Holistic Solutions to Chronic Health Conditions, Ondamed scans/ treatments and alternatives to mammography. Empower individuals to take command of their health and fitness while simultaneously optimizing health and vitality. Empowering thru educating, not medicating. Profile
Dr. Elizabeth Laskonis (Lee), ND, (815) 385-9435 or (815) 861-9871, McHenry
We get to the root of the problem. We eliminate it, and then rebuild the body, thereby not only treating symptoms, but actually correcting the problem, using simple non-invasive methods. Profile
More About Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine is the comprehensive practice based on educating patients to take responsibility over lifestyle, diet, and habits. It is based on the premise that the body can ‘heal itself’ and uses the body’s intrinsic ability to do so. Naturopaths prefer to use natural remedies like herbs, essential oils and foods, rather than synthetic drugs or invasive surgery, it is a blend of centuries-old natural, non-toxic therapies, combined with modern advances and understanding of health and the human body. Naturopathic medicine covers all aspects of family health from pre-natal and newborn care, to geriatric treatments. It focuses on ‘whole’ patient wellness, the treatment is tailored to the specific patient and emphasizes self-care and illness prevention.
Naturopaths aim to find and identify underlying causes for illness, rather than simply treating the symptoms, and they tend to cooperate with other branches of more traditional medicine, referring patients to other expert practitioners and healers as required or appropriate. Naturopathic practitioners emphasize a holistic approach to patient case, and sometimes recommend that their patients use conventional medicine along with their own prescribed naturopathic remedies.
Naturopathy is practiced in many countries, but is subject to different regulatory standards depending upon which country you are in. The scope of practice for Naturopathic doctors varies amongst different jurisdictions, and Naturopathic doctors who are trained at an accredited North American School are entitled to use the designation ND or NMD. However, it is important to note, that in unregulated jurisdictions, naturopaths may use the ND designation or other titles anyway!
History of naturopathic medicine
The first naturopathic college in the United States, was the American School of Naturopathy, founded by Benedict Lust in New York in 1905. Lust had been trained in Germany by Father Sebastian Kneipp. Naturopathy has been around for centuries however and Hippocrates is seen by many as the first advocate of naturopathic medicine (before the term officially existed).
Naturopathy took a dip in popularity in the 1930s, as penicillin and synthetic drugs like antibiotics and corticosteroids were developed and became available for use. Naturopathy began it’s modern renewal in 1956 when the National College of Naturopathic Medicine was opened in Portland, Oregon. It offered 4 year naturopathic medical training. Today there are 6 accredited naturopathic medical schools in North America.Principles
There are six core values to naturopathy, of which there are multiple versions, and mission statements from Naturopathic schools, but they basically cover the following:
1. First, do no harm; provide the most effective health care available with the least risk to patients at all times (Primum Non Nocere).
2. Recognize, respect and promote the self-healing power of nature inherent in each individual human being. (Vis Medicatrix Naturae).
3. Identify and remove the causes of illness, rather than eliminate or suppress symptoms (Tolle Causum).
4. Educate, inspire rational hope and encourage self-responsibility for health (Doctor as Teacher).
5. Treat each person by considering all individual health factors and influences. (Treat the Whole Person).
6. Emphasize the condition of health to promote well-being and to prevent diseases for the individual, each community and our world. (Health Promotion, the Best Prevention)Modalities
The focus of a naturopath is on ‘natural’ health, and as a result there are not specific methods that practitioners utilize in the treatment of their patients – they tend instead to use a wide variety of natural & alternative treatment modalities. The main treatments utilized however, are, acupuncture / oriental medicine, botanical medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, physical medicine (may include sports medicine, manipulative therapy etc), nature cure (exposure to natural elements such as sunshine and fresh air) and psychological counselling (meditation & relaxation). Some naturopaths also use color therapy, iridology, kinesiology and reflexology as other treatment options.Practitioners
There are two groups in North America calling themselves “naturopaths”. There are traditional naturopaths, who are not primary care physicians, and then there are naturopathic doctors, who have been trained in traditional medical practices along with training in the traditional naturopathic approach.
What is Thermography?
A whole-body temperature scan.
No Pain and No Radiation.
The measurement of the skin temperature, or heat over body organs, gives us a functional perspective based on physiology and stress response. Thermography allows your body organs to communicate their capacity to function or regulate under stressful conditions.
Thermography can reveal organs where the greatest dysfunction lies – such as in the liver, pancreas or intestines – or whether other factors such as dental or psychological issues are indicated. It can also reveal where a “disease influence” may be located, whether it is in the teeth or in another focus area such as the sinus, lymph, ovary/prostate or intestine.
Thermography shows future or developing disease tendencies, facilitating early detection of breast or prostate cancer. Thermography has been used as an adjunct diagnosis to mammography. Conditions of allergy, candida, autoimmune disorders like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, hidden infections including the teeth and much more can be identified.
How Thermography Works
Thermography measures the amount of body heat in targeted areas – such as the breast or intestines – as delivered to the skin from a combination of cellular metabolism and the nervous system. 112 points are scanned and placed into a single display image yielding a scan of 15 major organs and their functions while registering the amount of capillary heat conduction through the skin. By studying the skin temperature patterns from the client’s body, the diagnostician gains a direct index of the metabolic activity in the various parts of the body. Disturbances in the energy conversion process and reduced responses to the stress stimulus show up in the scan as inflamed, degenerative, or blocked. Thus areas of inflammation, hidden infection or degeneration, plus the probability of malignancies or tumors can be interpreted.
Organs / Tissue Analyzed
• Liver
• Gallbladder
• Pancreas (exocrine and endocrine)
• Small Intestine
• Colon
• Prostate
• Uterus
• Ovaries
• Tonsils and Lymph
• Thyroid
• Heart • Spinal Column/Axis/Atlas
• Teeth
• Breast
• Global Temperature
• Blood Pressure/Circulation
• Nasal Sinuses
• Maxillary Sinuses
• Vestibular System
• Immune System
• Brain Toxicity
The Procedure
You will be asked to sit in a fairly cool but not uncomfortable room for 10-15 minutes. The first skin measurements are taken with the gentle touch of a temperature probe on particular points on the skin of the face and the neck. Then you are asked to remove your clothes from the waist up, thereby subjecting your body to a controlled “stress”. It does not really feel like a stress, however, since the temperature is not cold (only about 69-72 degrees Fahrenheit. The remaining measurements of the chest, abdomen and back are made. You are then asked to stand as you are, exposed to the room air for 10 minutes to complete the stress effect. According to clinical research, it takes 10 minutes for your body to stabilize and acclimate to the regulatory changes from the internal organs upon the skin. The measurements are repeated and the test is concluded. The results are given immediately after the test.
Preparing for the Test:
Avoid anything that would heat up your body the morning of the test -
including exercise, showers, hot drinks or heated car seats. DO NOT wear makeup, creams or deodorants.
For more information about thermography and other naturopathic services visit
www.hartcenter.com/.