Today I met with a patient who told a story which is all too familiar.  That is the story of meeting with doctor after doctor over 10 years and walking away with the same or worsening symptoms while being told that everything is "normal."  

Why does this happen?  How can this be?  

I believe it occurs for two reasons.  One is that the body is really good at compensating and keeping things "normal" in the blood.  That is why bloodwork results often come back "in range" even when you feel terrible.  The second reason is that conventional medical training focuses on the extreme of medical conditions.  This means that for someone whose symptoms or lab results have not met the threshold for a medical diagnosis, then the only option is "normal."

My approach as a naturopathic doctor is completely different.  I look for changes in the body that indicate imbalances in the way the body responds to stress.  We all have stress, and the body is uniquely prepared to deal with stress.  The thing is that after years of stress and compensation, depending on each individual's genetic tendencies, symptoms begin to appear in the body.  

If you don't feel "normal," then very likely there is some imbalance in your digestion, immune system, hormones and/or neurotransmitter levels.  You might be reacting to foods you are eating or needing to detoxify.  

I do what I do because I can clearly see that there is more going on then just what comes up on a blood test.  And the symptoms you are experiencing are not unrelated.  They are all going on in one body, and they are very likely related to one cause.  I help people to figure out what that cause is, and to use natural therapies to address it.