This weekend, the pre-med clubs organized a conference focused on alternative medicine. Lots of naturopathic doctors and researchers were brought in to speak on their profession. The eastern, holistic healthcare was very different and refreshing from the modern, evidence-based medicine preached in western society.
Lots of cold cut wraps were served for lunch, as well as leftover breakfast foods.
I attended a session conducted by a naturopathic doctor based from Toronto. We started off with a health assessment activity by looking at your tongue. Depending on its shade and texture, you could be depressed, high blood pressure, sick, healthy and various other conditions. She also described how she got started, and her current business. Usually her patients are also concurrently seeking care from a doctor, so the care she provides supplements the physician. It’s important the naturopathic directions cannot interact/defeat the physician’s prescriptions. Thus, they mainly recommend dietary changes (think paleo, keto, low sugar etc.)
Overall, it was very interesting to hear her talk about the naturopathic perspective of healthcare. In my opinion, despite having difference efficacy compared to pharmaceuticals, patients demonstrate greater compliance in the treatment plans.