Saludos! Welcome to the first of our series: health professional spotlights! What exactly is this series you ask? This is a series we created in response to our feedback surveys some of our comadres filled out and it’s all about health professionals that we do not often think of as our go-to for preventative care and treatments but are available to us all. We will be interviewing and sharing their responses to important questions that will help you learn about these health professionals. Who knows, learning about these health professional can help you or someone you know and become apart of your health and wellness.

Before we continue it’s important to note that it’s important that you speak with your primary care doctor before trying anything new.

Today’s health professional spotlight is Dr. Leat Kuzniar, a practicing Naturopathic Doctor in New Jersey. Here’s a quick snapshot of who Dr. Kuzniar is:

• What did they study: NDs are graduates of a 4 year doctorate program natural medicine
• What do they do: They provide their patients with holistic primary care
• How do you pay for their services: Paying for ND services varies from state to state but can include a combination of insurance coverage and out-of-pocket payments
• How are they different from MD (medical doctors): Keep reading to learn more!

1. What is a Doctor of Naturopathic medicine?

A naturopathic doctor is a graduate of a 4 year doctorate program in natural medicine. NDs (or NMDs) are trained in holistic primary care. We employ nutritional medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathic medicine, and sometimes acupuncture and physical manipulation to help to address our patients’ health concerns. We focus on preventive and participatory medicine.

2. What do you wish everyone knew about your profession?

Very often, simple, natural approaches can be used to address the underlying cause of many health conditions without having to take prescription medications.

3. What makes what you offer to patients unique from other health professionals?

A more holistic view of the patient and a focus on the underlying cause (as opposed to merely treating the symptoms).

4. What conditions/symptoms do you most encourage patients to seek naturopathic care for?

I love engaging in preventive care with my patients but, often they come in with a list of symptoms which have often been poorly addressed by conventional medicine. I see a broad range of patients with a broad range of health conditions.

5. What are the limitations in the care you can provide to patients?

When patients are in an acute state (for example when they have broken a limb), naturopathic medicine is not the best approach. The patient will need to be treated acutely first.

There it is, from an ND herself all about what NDs can provide for you. In summary NDs can replace or complement your primary care services. They are trained in many of the same areas as Medical Doctors but have greater emphasis nutrition and alternative care options. Do you think that you’d be interested in visiting a Naturopathic Doctor for your next doctor’s visit? Let us know what you think!