Colds and Flu's
In 1970 it took roughly 600 units of Penicillin to kill a bacteria, whereas now it takes 2.4 million units, however, it takes the same amount of vitamin C and Echinacea during the same time frame! The reason for this dramatic increase for the need of penicillin and now other antibiotics is a direct result of the over use of antibiotics since their invention over 50 years ago. Antibiotics don't just kill the bacteria in your body responsible for illness they also kill helpful bacteria within your body. Think of antibiotics as a weapon of mass destruction for fighting colds and flu's, that should only be used as-a last result. If you find yourself frequently getting sick, you may have an underlying immune deficiency problem leading to your susceptibility to colds and flu's. There are many home therapies and botanical medicines to address viral and bacterial infections today, think of these medicines as the smart weapons that only kill the bad bacteria within your body while at the same time strengthening your immune system.

Symptoms: muscle aches, runny nose, congestion, post nasal drip, cough, headaches, fever, chills, and fatigue.

Gastrointestinal
Over 60% of the US population has some form of gastrointestinal condition leading to pain and discomfort. Heartburn for example is very prevalent and typically treated with medications that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach, when in fact 80% of heartburn sufferers actually have too little stomach acid. Dietary interventions and nutritional supplementation can have a dramatic influence over gastrointestinal conditions and result in improved health. More info

Symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, IBD or IBS, blood in the stool, bloating, flatulence, belching, stomach pains, hemorrhoids, Colitis, Crohn's, heartburn, hypochlorhydria, and food allergies.

Ear Infections
Most ear infections today are misdiagnosed and poorly treated! The majority of ear infections are treated with antibiotics and ear tubes. Both antibiotics and ear tubes have several undesirable side effects. There are many effective natural alternatives and methods for treating ear infections, while reducing the number of potential side effects. Botanical medicine and dietary interventions provide the most benefit.

Symptoms: tugging at ears, painful ear, difficulty hearing, constant need to "pop" or clear ears, past use of ear tubes, red ears, and itchy ear canals.

Mercury Detoxification
Do you know what the #1 non contagious disease in the world is today? It's tooth decay. So it probably comes as no surprise that many of us have tooth fillings from cavities. By far the majority of those fillings were done with amalgams or silver fillings. Did you know these amalgam or silver fillings are all made with mercury a lethal metal! Over the course of your lifetime these fillings slowly release this poisonous metal into your body though normal chewing and swallowing. There are numerous health problems associated with these toxins, which often improve when these amalgam fillings are removed. Did you know that dentists have had an alternative safe fillings available to them for many years? Yet, most dentists continue to use amalgam fillings in our body because they are cheaper. Dentists have for many years ignored the fact that putting a lethal metal into your body is dangerous and even gone as far as trying to convince patients that mercury fillings are totally safe despite reports and findings to claim the obvious. The bottom line is nobody should have any type of lethal toxin put into their body's without their knowledge and least of all be told by someone we think we can trust that a toxin is safe for us! Naturopathic medicine can assist your own body's ability to remove mercury and other heavy metals from your body. Even after amalgam fillings are removed we still have mercury in our bodies. If you suspect you have any level of mercury or heavy metal poisoning I can run a simple test that will let you know if so and how much.

Symptoms: neurological disorders, local oral disorders from fillings, psychiatric disorders including irritability, outbursts of temper, stress intolerance, decreased simultaneous capacity, increased sensitivity to sounds and light, resentment of criticism, loss of self-confidence, timidity, excessive shyness, embarrassment with insufficient reason, self-consciousness, anxiety, indecision, insomnia, vivid dreams,
lack of concentration, memory loss, depression, fatigue.

Autism/ADD/ADHD
In the state of Oregon the rates of Autism spectrum disorders is higher than the majority of the country with it affecting 1 in 130 girls and 1 in 90 boys! Across the nation the rates have been growing rapidly, leading to the question, "What is going on?". Current research is validating some treatments while disproving others, and in all cases treating the whole person and starting with a good foundation of medicine has shown to be the most effective. Addressing the biological issues affecting the child or adults health results in improved health and increased ability to function.

Autism Symptoms: tendencies to solitude, failure to cuddle, lack of eye contact, speech and language problems, obsession with sameness, repetition, stimming, developmental difficulties.

ADD/ADHD Symptoms: hyperactivity, restlessness, emotional liability, short attention span, distractibility, lack of perseverance, failure to finish things, listening problems, poor concentration, Impulsiveness, difficulty awaiting turn in games or group situations; often blurts out answers before questions are completed, Memory difficulty, difficulty following multiple instructions, individual learning disabilities.

Arthritis and Disc Disease
The two main forms of arthritis are osteo (use/injury) and rheumatoid (auto-immune) arthritis. Corticosteroid injections, commonly used to provide temporary pain relief, actually degrade and destroy the joint preventing the body from healing itself. In both cases natural medicine is remarkably effective in assisting the body to repair, support and heal your joints for you. The first step in treating rheumatoid arthritis is determining what is causing the immune system from being over stimulated. Once the root cause is determined and effective treatment plan can be designed.

Symptoms: painful joints, swelling tenderness at joints, difficulty moving, back pain, herniated discs, shooting/radiating pains, muscle tension, "popping" joints, and sciatica.

Preventative Medicine
Most individuals spend more money on their car and wardrobe than their own health prevention, when in fact a healthy body is required for both! There is a vast difference between "not being sick" and "optimum health". Symptoms that you experience are actually clues to an underlying healing process, using a band aid type of treatment plan to relieve symptoms allows the underlying condition to progressively get worse with out your knowledge. Investigating the whole person leads to a comprehensive treatment approach to preventing illness and disease.

Symptoms: family history of diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, thyroid disease; frequent colds and flu's, fatigue, inability to stay healthy.

MS/FibroMylagia
MS/Fibro Mylagia conditions are usually treated with allopathic medications. However, there are many options for addressing the underlying cause leading to damage from MS/Fibro Mylagia. Supporting and protecting the affected tissues leads to a state of decreased pain and increased heath. Immune modulation and antioxidants are some of the most important factors to address.

MS Symptoms: vision changes, pain with moving the eye, tics, altered gait, Tingling or tightness in the extremities and the perception of a band across one's middle, urinary urgency, hesitancy, etc, emotional changes such as depression, apathy, lack of judgment, hysteria, Intention tremor, and others.

FibroMylagia Symptoms: tenderness of specific anatomical sites ("trigger points"), pain, numbmness and tingling chronic aching, stiffness, sleep disturbances, unrestful sleep or insomnia.

Pediatrics
Whether you are thinking about having your first child or you are on your fifth, it is always important to maintain good health, take the nutrients and vitamins that a growing baby will need and address any deficiencies or states of disease first. With all the new procedures, recommendations, and regulations present from the public health department it is extremely important to have an advanced medical order, outlining your wants, needs and desires. No family is the same so the recommendations shouldn't be either, we will tailor our treatments and health recommendations for you and your children.

Symptoms: well baby checks, immunization information and education, cold's/flu's, childhood illnesses.

Alternative Vaccinations
Would you knowingly give yourself or your child mercury, antifreeze, horse blood, or chicken embryo? Did you know that if you've ever had a vaccine then there is a very good chance you've been given a thimerosal (mercury) vaccine which includes dangerous toxins and animal tissues! Thimerosal vaccines contain some very odd ingredients used as fillers and preservatives such as aluminum, formaldehyde, MSG, phenoxyethanol (antifreeze), thimersoal, human diploid cells, and a variety of animal tissues. Vaccinations and immunizations are used on a mass scale to reach the few who really need them. In some cases it is prudent to vaccinate, however, there are 5 basic things you can do to help support yourself and your child while doing the least amount of harm:

1. Use naturopathic medicine to build the immune system safely without toxins.
2. If you do decide to vaccinate, then require that your doctor use only thimerosal-free vaccines and be sure the vaccine is taken from a single-dose ampoule vaccine. Multi-dose vials generally contain thimerosal as a preservative.
3. Boost the immune system before vaccinating. It is known that certain vaccinations and the viruses in them delete vitamins from the body. Properly boosting these vitamins before vaccinating can reduce the strain on the body.
4. Wait until your child is at least six months old before considering any type of vaccinations. This gives your child a little bit of time to develop a protective layer around the brain and peripheral nerves called the myelin sheath.
5. Give your child just one vaccine at a time. The current vaccination schedule is not necessary for everyone and can overload your child's fragile immune system. Request single antigen vaccines, and get them at least one month apart.

Please feel free to call and schedule a free 15-minute appointment to discuss safe vaccinations if you have any concerns you feel your current doctor may not be addressing. The Dramov Naturopathic Medical Center only uses thimerosal-free vaccines.

 

IV Therapies
IV therapies are very important as primary and complimentary therapies. IV therapies are capable of giving our body's levels of nutrients that are not possible with oral treatments. IV therapies can be used to address a whole host of illnesses and are extremely effective when used appropriately. Some of the conditions addressed are: angina, chronic fatigue syndrome, degenerative joint disease, detoxification (chemical and heavy metal), immune support for colds, flu's, and infections, and many more!