Naturopathic Medicine Analysis

Naturopathic Medicine Analysis Naturopathic medicine, sometimes called naturopathy, is a distinct system of primary care based on the principles of prevention, removal of the cause of disease, support for the healing power of the body, and treatment modalities based on state-of-the-art scientific research. Naturopathic physicians who complete 4 years of naturopathic medical school receive the doctor of naturopathy degree and are eligible to take national board exams in order to become licensed in various states. Naturopathic practice includes functional nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulation. The naturopathic approach to the care of our 60year-old white female diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung involves a multidimensional approach to meet her stated priorities of vitality/performance, relationships, longevity, libido, security, and recognition. Note should be made that the patient did not prioritize smoking or drinking as something she wanted to change. With this in mind, we will first look at her history. Our patient in the spring of 2001 complained of a nagging nonproductive cough and a sizable weight loss. She found out about the right-lung mass in September 2001. She did not feel comfortable enough to seek definitive care until late January 2002. In addition, she is a pack-a-day smoker for the past 40 years and continues to smoke at intake, and she has a 4 to 6 glass/day history of wine consumption and is characterized as alcohol dependent. Because she clearly feels comfortable working in an integrative setting, I would start with her needs around surgery. Working with her oncologist and surgeon, I would recommend that she be supported through her withdrawal period for nicotine and alcohol right before and after surgery. This would mean with the nicotine patch and/or other medications that may be necessary to curb the withdrawal of both nicotine and alcohol (due to being in the hospital) and to cause the least amount of postsurgical stress. If she chooses to stay off alcohol, I would recommend, in addition to social support, L-glutamine—an amino acid that could help reduce alcohol craving, since alcoholics have a biochemical lesion preventing the conversion of glutamic acid (to glutamine, which prevents entry of glutamic acid to the brain) and N-acetylcysteine (to help remove toxic metals and chemicals from the body and to deactivate acetaldehyde, which is a toxic waste product of alcohol metabolism and is present in cigarette smoke). Certainly, metastasis is a concern with surgery, necessitating that fractionated citrus pectin be considered, although studies have been done only on rats and in vitro. One to 2 tablespoons of fractionated citrus pectin in a small amount of hot water taken daily a month before (if available) and a month after may help decrease the risk of tumor cell implantation at distant sites. In addition, preparation for the surgery using homeopathic Arnica (and possibly homeopathic Staphysagria for “knife wounds”) right before and after surgery could be of benefit. When she has been granted oral intake status, oral supplements that promote wound healing could be provided as well as support for nicotine withdrawal in the form of Sulfonil (an organic sulfur product that attaches to nicotine receptors) and/or calming herbs such as chamomile, avena (oat straw), passionflower, and others. The choice to continue to smoke and drink after lifesaving surgery for lung cancer is ultimately the patient’s. Most practitioners have witnessed the seeming paradox of a patient with lung cancer smoking outside the doors of a hospital with chemotherapy running into one arm. Although we would all recommend that a patient stop smoking, a concept is emerging that suggests that the process of smoking provides a balance or homeostasis for a deeper need within the body and thus provides a greater benefit to the smoker. I would therefore not recommend that a patient quit smoking unless he or she really desires to do so. A connection could be suggested between exposure as a small child to air contaminants and emotional stress during World War II and her current smoking and alcoholic habits. Changing the type of cigarette or amount may not be of benefit to our patient. By lowering the smoke yields of carcinogenic polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, cigarettes have increased yields of carcinogenic nitrosamines. The latter have been shown to increase adenocarcinoma of the lung, most likely by patterns of deep inhalation to compensate for the lower nicotine levels. The type of cigarette (ie, less toxic chemicals, adhesives, organic tobacco, etc) may or may not be of benefit. As more and more research points to variation in polymorphisms within individuals, the measurement of our patient’s cytochrome P450 in phase 1 detoxification and glutathione (GSH) conjugation in phase 2 Recently Diagnosed Lung Cancer