What is a naturopathic doctor (ND)?

Naturopathic doctors complete their training at accredited naturopathic medical colleges. They work to diagnose, prevent, and treat both short-term and chronic health issues, with the goal of helping your body do what it's already built to do: heal itself.

Rather than just treating symptoms, naturopathic doctors dig into what's actually causing them. From there, they build a personalized plan to guide you on your health journey.

Naturopathic medicine is guided by the Therapeutic Order:

1. Remove Obstacles to Health: Health is considered the natural state of the body, and it can be disrupted by factors that lead to disease. The first step towards regaining health is to eliminate these disturbances, which may include poor diet, digestive issues, chronic stress, toxin exposure, and hormonal imbalances. 

2. Stimulate the Self-Healing Mechanisms: Naturopathic doctors use various therapies to help activate and strengthen the body's self-healing abilities. These therapies may include clinical nutrition, botanical medicines, and homeopathy.

3. Strengthen Weakened Systems: This step focuses on repairing and enhancing specific tissues, organs, or systems that need attention. Naturopathic doctors use lifestyle interventions, dietary modifications, botanical medicine, nutritional supplements, and homeopathy.

4. Correct Structural Integrity: Physical therapies such as spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and craniosacral therapy are utilized to improve and maintain the structural integrity of the skeletal and muscular systems. 

5. Use Natural Substances to Restore and Regenerate: The primary goal of naturopathic medicine is to restore health rather than simply treat diseases. When addressing specific pathologies, naturopathic doctors use safe and effective natural substances that do not introduce additional toxins or burden the body further.

6. Use Pharmacologic Substances to Halt Progressive Pathology: Naturopathic doctors are trained in pharmacology and can prescribe pharmaceutical drugs when necessary, depending on state regulations. They may prescribe these medications themselves or refer patients to conventional medical colleagues. Dr. Nanci is able to prescribe hormone therapy in California only.

7. Use High Force, Invasive Modalities to Halt Pathology, e.g. surgery, radiation, chemotherapy: In situations where life, limb, or function must be preserved, naturopathic doctors refer patients to specialists such as MDs, DOs, PAs, or NPs. Concurrently, they may provide complementary or supportive therapies to reduce side effects and enhance the effectiveness of these invasive procedures.

What are the principles of naturopathic medicine?

First Do No Harm

Core to all medical practice is the desire to help the human form and condition. NDs typically approach care by utilizing the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies. NDs will refer when the patient’s presentation is outside their scope or level of skill.

The Healing Power of Nature

NDs recognize the value of our natural world in assisting the healing process. Not only do NDs utilize substances that originate in nature, but they also incorporate a healthy natural environment as foundational to human health. Naturopathic doctors recognize and harness the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself in order to guide patients to wellness and total health.

Identify and Treat the Causes

There is a time and place for symptom suppression, however most naturopathic patients will benefit from identifying the underlying causes of illness and removing obstacles to cure.

Doctor as Teacher

Naturopathic doctors elevate patient health literacy. That means that NDs are part of the team helping patients have a better understanding of what it takes to be and stay well. Through education and a trust-based relationship, patients better understand the steps they need to take to achieve and maintain health.

Treat the Whole Person

Naturopathic doctors understand the interconnectedness of our body, our environment and our lifestyle on total health. It is only through this whole-person-based approach that NDs seek to restore balance and health.

Prevention

Naturopathic medicine affirms that it is better to prevent illness and suffering whenever possible. Through their comprehensive practice, NDs combine all six principles in order to identify potential areas of imbalance and teach patients how to get well and stay well.

What can I expect during an appointment with Dr. Nanci?

Unlike a typical conventional appointment, you can expect to spend considerably more time with Dr. Nanci exploring your full health history, current symptoms, lifestyle, and goals. This thorough approach allows her to understand the root causes behind what you're experiencing, not just the symptoms on the surface.

From there, Dr. Nanci will provide natural, personalized recommendations tailored specifically to you. These may include dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, herbal medicine, and nutritional supplements, depending on what your body needs and what will support your unique health goals. No two treatment plans look exactly alike, because no two patients are exactly alike.

In which states does Dr. Nanci see patients?

Dr. Nanci provides holistic health care across the United States, but at this time, she's not licensed to practice in every state.

If you reside in California or Wisconsin, Dr. Nanci can act as your naturopathic doctor and provide full medical treatment. She is able to prescribe hormone therapy, if appropriate, in California.

If you reside in Illinois, Michigan, or Ohio, Dr. Nanci can still work with you as a health consultant, drawing on her full expertise to guide your health journey. In these states, she's not able to act as your doctor, so you'll need to remain under the care of a primary care physician.

​​​​Are all services virtual?

Yes. This allows you to meet with Dr. Nanci from the comfort of your own home or wherever is convenient. You can choose to meet over Zoom or by telephone. You must be physically present in your home state during your appointment.

Do you accept insurance?

Go Natural Health is a cash-based practice and does not accept insurance. Payment is due at time of services rendered. If you have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible savings account (FSA), you may be able to use it for appointments, labs, and/or supplements. You will need to check with your provider. If you live in California and have insurance coverage for naturopathic medicine, a superbill can be produced for you to submit for possible reimbursement.