Summary
Natural medicine is now an official medical specialty in California. Beginning January 14, the state began issuing licenses for doctors to practice naturopathic medicine, a whole-body approach to treating patients. While many doctors with traditional medical degrees are critical of naturopaths, patients seems happy to have a new choice in health care. Several Californians told San Francisco reporters that they already feel much better with their new doctors.
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Your health care options increased a few weeks ago and you probably didn't know it.
On January 14, California began licensing a new kind of medical practitioner using an old kind of medicine.
Supporters of naturopathic medicine say it's a valuable alternative, but critics say a visit to a clinic practicing such an approach might make you sicker.
Dr. Carl Hangee-Bauer is one of the state's first licensed doctors of naturopathic medicine.
He claims such fears are simply unfounded.
"Californians have a choice to choose a primary care practitioner who specializes in and is trained in natural medicine and that's a huge step," he said.
"We'll treat people with anything from the common cold to chronic illnesses."
She says she simply wasn't happy with the way traditional physicians were treating her chronic intestinal illness.
They can diagnose disease, dispense herbs and supplements, and recommend diet or lifestyle changes.
"It was a frustrating thing for a long time to feel like I had these services I could offer to the public that I couldn't offer because of the legal obstacle in the way," he said.
But Dr. Jack Lewin of the California Medical Association warned patients to use caution when considering naturopathic medicine over traditional medicine.
"If you want to be a physician and do what physicians do -- you basically need to go to medical school and take the residency training required," he said.
About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health author and award-winning journalist with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he has created several downloadable courses on survival and preparedness, including his widely-downloaded course on personal safety and self-defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2010, Adams launched TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video site featuring videos on holistic health and green living. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams also serves as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a non-profit consumer protection group, and regularly pursues cycling, nature photography, Capoeira and Pilates. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
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Wednesday, February 16, 2005
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