8 Weeks to Vibrant Health
Chapter 18: Where to Look for Help
You now have many tools to help you achieve vibrant health, including books, newsletters, and websites. You can subscribe to my free e-letter on drcass.com, where you will find the latest health updates.
Contents:
- How to Find an Understanding Doctor
- Practitioner Organizations
- Diagnostic Testing Laboratories
- Specialized Labs
- Compounding Pharmacies
- Products
- Suppliers
- Informational Websites
- Cancer Information
- Newsletters and Journals
How to Find an Understanding Doctor
An ever-growing number of doctors in all specialties are coming to realize the role that nutrient deficiencies and toxicities can play in your health. If you are looking for one who shares this point of view, we have listed organizations of alternative physicians later in this chapter. If you are considering natural hormone therapy, be sure your doctor is familiar (and skilled) with its use.
You would need an M.D. (doctor of medicine) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) to write prescriptions for certain lab tests and for medications such as bio-identical hormones. Laboratories such as Life Extension allow you to order blood tests through their physicians, who are also available to help you interpret the tests. (Other tests — saliva, urine, and blood spot — can be ordered directly from the various labs listed later in this chapter.)
Besides medical doctors, these are some of the health care practitioners that you might consider consulting. Some of the more common alternative medicine practitioners may be covered by your medical insurance.
Osteopathic physicians (D.O.s) learn spinal-manipulation techniques and nutrition along with conventional medical training. However, many prefer to practice as conventional medical doctors, so ask before you make any assumptions. See osteopathic.org.
Naturopaths (N.D.s) study natural medicine in four-year accredited programs, which are making an enormous contribution to research and education in the field of natural medicine. Unfortunately, naturopaths are not yet licensed in all states. See naturopathic.org.
Be aware that there are nonlicensed naturopaths from correspondence programs. While they can also be helpful with your nutritional needs, their lack of licensing leaves you to determine their quality.
Doctors of Oriental medicine (O.M.D.s) are licensed in all states to practice herbal medicine and acupuncture. Acupuncture can be an excellent way of regulating imbalances. See acupuncture.com.
Chiropractors (doctors of chiropractic, or D.C.s) can also be helpful–not simply in dealing with spines, bones, and muscles, either. Many are skilled in clinical nutrition as well as subtler forms of healing. See amerchiro.org.
Nutritionists are varied in their training and experience and should each be taken on their own skills, the recommendations of others, and their affiliation with medical practitioners to whom they refer patients when appropriate.
Herbalists, like nutritionists, vary in their training and skills. Their background is more grass roots, based in traditional folk medicine. The American Herbalists Guild is a well-respected organization whose membership is by invitation and peer review (americanherbalistsguild.com).
It is of greatest importance that you like and trust your health care professional. You should feel both free to ask questions and confident that you are being taken seriously. The relationship is a sacred one, based on the ancient tradition of priest-healer, and is the basis for your healing process. Trust your own intuition, both in terms of who you choose to work with and the direction in which they take you.
A good doctor will pay attention to your ideas and be willing to learn from you as well. This is a new model, a partnership in healing. Your doctor is the resource, the expert, in medical information and practice, and you are the expert in how you feel. The idea is to respect each other’s roles in this relationship and to each do your part in your path to vibrant health.
Practitioner Organizations |
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