Natural health offers a variety of foundational health support that can not only help us with current health concerns, but supports overall health and well-being. It is not the same as visiting your primary care physician and many are surprised to see there are so many differences. From cost to service, natural health continues to a source of advocacy, solution and realistic support in helping you feel your best.
It is important to understand that at the core of why this happens is your natural health practitioner is looking at root causes to support your whole body, mind, and spirit. They are concerned at what is a discomfort for you, but they are looking wider and deeper at how to support that while addressing prevention and support you as an entire person. That is something allopathic healthcare has simple never been able to accomplish.
As you prepare to look for and include natural health support in your healthcare journey, these are some things to know and consider.
What Services are Available
This of course varies depending on the type of natural health practitioner you are seeing. Like doctors, some are very specialized or focus on a specific area. Most however are general and can help with a lot of different types of problems and health needs.
You can see a natural health practitioner for things like:
Skin problems
Health concerns and problems
Lifestyle change coaching
Diet and weight support
Sleep issues
Emotional and behavioral support needs
Maintaining good health help
Pain and discomfort
Stress and anxiety concerns
and more!
Natural health practitioners are here to help you find solutions to health questions, problems and goals that are based in nature. The aim is to find the most natural means available to support vitality and good health.
We focus on the body as a whole. This means while we address current discomfort you may be experiencing, we are looking at what that discomfort is not only doing physically but emotionally and spiritually as well. We look beyond the discomfort to find the root cause and help you find a way to heal from the inside-out.
You can see both your doctor and a natural health practitioner. It is important to advise your doctor of all supplements you are taking, including natural ones. Natural health should compliment any care you are receiving from your doctor. In many cases, once a person begins using a natural health practitioner they find the conversations with their doctor to be much more meaningful and in-depth. That’s because you learn what’s going on in your body and understand there may be more than one way to support and resolve that need.
Cost
Most natural health services and products are not covered by insurance plans or health savings accounts. This means you will likely encounter an out of pocket expense for your consultations and products. While this may seem like a barrier to using these services, also consider that most natural health care services are significantly less than an office visit to your primary care doctor.
On average you can expect a consultation to cost $0 – $200 per visit. Yes really in some cases it is $0.00. Most natural health practitioners are more than happy to answer a question or two for you before booking a consultation. Also, your services are much more than a quick 10 minute visit as you’ll soon read about below. The information you receive through a consultation is so much more robust than any doctor’s office you ever visited.
Who Can Use Natural Health Services
The wonderful part of natural health is it is available for everyone from the very young to old. There is no age restrictions unless set by the natural health practitioner.
For children, the parent or guardian will be asked to be present through all consultations and services.
Natural health is for anyone seeking a more natural option in their health care journey. We believe the body has abilities to heal itself and our role is to support those needs and promote self-healing. By focusing on preventative health we can avoid many illnesses and diseases. We can also support many illnesses and diseases with natural means that compliment a doctor’s care plan.
If you are victim of abuse or other trauma, it is also acceptable for you to have another person you feel safe with in the consultation with you at all times. You are in control of your consultation.
Finding the Right Practitioner for You
There are many natural health practitioner types from holistic healers, lifestyle coaches, traditional naturopaths and more working in the space of natural health. Doing your research on the type of service you are interested in and what your needs are can help you find the right practitioner.
It is important to get to know your practitioner and have trust in them. If you feel uncomfortable, pressured to buy products or it just doesn’t feel right, then they are not the one for you.
Service Settings
Many natural health services can be delivered in an office setting or store. There will be rooms for client consultations where your privacy is provided.
Just like doctor offices, natural health offers many services that can be done through the Internet using Zoom or another service. Check with your natural health practitioner before booking to see if these are options. There can be a cost difference for online versus in-person as well.
There are usually websites where you can book your appointment, fill out intake forms and pay for your services and products. Check with your natural health practitioner to see what they offer.
Before Your Visit
It is common to receive a form asking for information in advance of your appointment with a natural health practitioner. These forms provide insight about you, your health care state, interests and health goals. If you can return these forms prior to your visit, do it. That will give your practitioner time to review them and be prepared with questions during your appointment.
There will be a lot of common information you would expect to provide to a doctor asked for on these forms. Describing your current concerns, medications, supplements, and history are common. In addition to the basics however, are questions about your stress, diet, sleep and other about your information. Additionally, there will be questions about how you feel. As in how you really feel and we do really care about those answers. You are more than just your physical body and knowing how you feel is important to helping serve you the best we can.
Be aware there will be some questions that you could be embarrassed to answer. Such as how often you have a bowel movement and what it looks like typically. These questions are important to understand how your body is functioning and if there is something going on that aligns with the concern you are experiencing.
The more complete you can fill out these forms, the more value you will see from your appointment.
You may be asked to not brush your teeth 30 minutes prior to the appointment and to avoid gums and mints. This is to help with any analysis needed of your tongue. Additionally, if you can avoid wearing perfumes and nail polish this is also helpful in looking at your skin and emotional health.
Your First Visit
If people knew what I’m about to tell you, then I cannot imagine anyone ever agreeing to sit more in a doctor’s waiting room than they do with the doctor ever again. This is where care and service really come alive in a natural health practice.
You can expect to spend 45 minutes to 1.5 hours in your first consultation appointment with a natural health practitioner. This is significantly longer than any doctor will spend with you in their office! Most people are surprised this time duration but once you realize the amount covered in this time you’ll know why.
The information forms you completed will be used to review with you what’s going on with your health and where you would like help and support. Several questions will be asked as analysis is done to triangulate body systems and symptoms to your concerns. This is extensive and will take time to go through together. We want to hear from you, in your words what’s going on and how it is impacting your health. All information shared is private.
Additionally, your goals, lifestyle and other questions will be asked to determine what else could be influencing your concerns. This information also helps determine if there are other potential risks that need support. This is a great forum to ask questions, any questions you have about natural health.
Your natural health practitioner may ask you to do some tests, like a urine test. They may also perform muscle response testing, biofeedback testing or other non-invasive test. Unlike a visit to your doctor’s lab, these tests are usually included in your visit charge.
Depending on complexity, you may not get all the answers in your first visit. All information collected in your consultation will be used to develop recommendations to help you. Your natural health practitioner will use the information gathered to research sources and confirm their observations. It may take some time to build all that information, but they will send it to you within a couple days of your visit if that is occurs.
You are able to ask any questions you think of during and after the consultation. Again, we are interested in helping you and do not mind questions.
At the end of the consultation, your natural health practitioner will propose a follow-up visit to see how you are doing with the recommendations made and work with you on further health needs and interests.
Please know a natural health practitioner cannot diagnose or prescribe. They will not advise you to stop following your doctor’s orders or prescription medications. Any changes to your current doctor defined health care plan need to be worked out with your doctor.
The Plan
After your consultation information and research is done, your natural health practitioner will review with you their observations and thoughts. They will also provide you with any resources they used and public articles for more information. Together, you will work out a plan that feels good to you and is directly aligned to the concerns you expressed in your information.
They will then recommend what they think may help you. Unlike your doctor’s visit where you walk out with a couple new prescriptions, your natural health practitioner will look for the least expensive and most natural options. This can be as basic as working to increase your water intake daily to taking a supplement. They may also recommend additional services such as massage, acupressure, red-light therapy or acupuncture and acupressure.
Again, here we see a distinct difference in cost and service from your regular doctor’s visit. This experience truly puts you in the controls of your health and determining what is right for you.
Following Up
A day or two after your appointment, expect a call or text from your natural health practitioner. This is our chance to check in with you about your consultation visit and if you have any other questions. Seriously, we care that much! Likely you will hear personally from the practitioner directly too.
Some practitioners offer a service where you can have direct access to them in between your appointments for questions and help. Check with your practitioner if they have such a service. Depending on your concerns or goals this can be invaluable support. There will often be a charge for this type of service that ranges in the $20-$150 range depending on connection forum, frequency and type of responses provided.
Many natural health practitioners also have social media groups that are private that you can join for community support. These are great forums to connect with other clients and get access to education and support.
At your follow-up appointment, you may again be asked to update information collected from the prior consultation. This is to help identify changes and progress made during the time.
The average follow up appointment duration can be 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on complexity, number of concerns and questions. Your natural health practitioner will let you know what they suggest but you are always free to book a time duration that is right for you.
If something doesn’t seem to have worked or didn’t produce results expected, your natural health practitioner will talk to you about what to try next. We are all unique and there is not always a one sized fits all solution that works for everyone. Again, this is a huge difference with allopathic medicine where common medications are prescribed to everyone.
Product Recommendations
You may be able to purchase products from your natural health practitioner in their office or through their website. Natural health practitioners are picky and they only use brands and products known to be highly natural and that they have had personal experience using.
Products you can expect to find recommended include essential oils, Bach flowers, supplements, foods, and most importantly filtered water. Water quality is super important to our daily health!
If the natural health practitioner does not have products available through them, they may provide recommendations on where to get them. You can also use shopping sites like Amazon.
You are free to choose where and if you purchase any recommended products and services. Natural health is about empowering you to make the decisions right for you so this is not a prescription or order you must follow.
Follow the directions on the bottle for use. Your natural health practitioner should also remind you of this at the time you discuss products recommended for you.
How to work with me
If you are interested in working with me on your health journey, please book a complimentary 15 minute consultation to see if it is right for you. I’m happy to answer any questions you have and help you find the right support for your health and well-being.
Citations:
Wilson, Debra Rose. Healthline. 2019 May 28. What is Allopathic Medicine? Retrieved, February 28, 2022, from: https://www.healthline.com/health/allopathic-medicine
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