Innovative Health Guide!
Nearly $1.5 billion per year is spent on alternative medical treatments. With more than twenty-five years of experience in the healthcare profession, as a registered nurse, health educator, associate professor, and a board certified traditional naturopath, Dr. Mundorff explores a variety of medical options designed to promote a natural lifestyle in Take Control: A Guide to Holistic Living. Writing in a style that healthcare professionals and laypersons alike will understand and identify with, Mundorff will help you take control of your health by discovering the practical effectiveness of alternative medicine in conjunction with modern medicine. Informative, insightful, and humorous, Take Control allows you to gain control of your health by becoming a self-advocate in your care.
Self-Advocacy and Informed Consent
Self-advocacy is the ability to represent yourself. However, there are many who are not able to advocate for themselves, such as: children and the elderly. In health care a patient cannot adequately advocate for themselves if they do not have complete and accurate information (informed consent). If you have ever had surgery you might think of informed consent as the pre-authorization form that you signed before surgery. Informed consent is more than just a form, it clearly documents your procedure(s), justification for the procedure, expected utcomes, potential dangers, and any other critical information the doctor has discussed with you regarding the procedure. Your signature says you understand what is going to happen. So never sign an informed consent until all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction. Advocacy Explored
What kind of health care consumer are you?
1. Do you visit the doctor the minute you get sick?2. Do you come prepared with a list of questions?
3. Do you wait until you are so ill that you can hardly move?
4. Do you let him know when you don't understand?
5. Do you ask for clarification?
6. Are you complacent, aggressive, inattentive, unsure? Who cares?
What is the role of the health care provider?
You might think this is a silly question, but you will be surprised at some of the answers. I have heard everything from:
"he knows everything about the human body, he fixes, cures, to doctors today don't know a damn thing."
Doctors are human beings like the rest of us, that being said, they have bad days, they get sick, fatigued, stressed, they have family problems, etc.
They make mistakes. How do you know when they are making a mistake?
Sometimes you don't know, and that is scary. My sister didn't know that she was misdiagnosed until it was too late.
The only way to catch a mistake is to be active in your care. Ask questions, get a second opinion, go on the Internet and do some research on your initial diagnoses. I just read about a man in England who gave up everything: his job, life savings, possessions becuase he was told he had pancreatic cancer and would die. A year later he was still alive and guess what? THEY MADE A MISTAKE! Oh it was a good mistake, he didn't have cancer. But what about his job, his life savings, his possessions? Oh it is arguable, he got a second chance at life. Absolutely, I would be thrilled as I am sure that most of you would be. The problem here is that they made a mistake. Could the mistake have been avoided? Perhaps. I don't know the full story.
That brings me to your role as the patient or client.
1. Are you a compliant patient?
2. Do you agree to be compliant, but then don't?
3. Do you respect your doctor? Trust him? HOnest with him? If not, then why is he your doctor?
4. Do you respect your doctor? Trust him? If not why are you going to him?
5. Are you comfortable discussing personal matters with him?
6. Do you feel you have no other choice but to see this person because they are your primary care doctor?
You do have choices. Even if your health plan has a list of participating doctors, you can still choose.
Finding the Right Partner in Health Care
It is an intimate one. You tell (or should) your doctor things you would never dream of telling someone else. Things like sexual encounters, drug usage, bowel habits, mental health. For some it is no big deal to answer but for others you might have well stripped them naked because of how vulnerable they are feeling.The relationship between doctor and patient should be one of mutual respect and trust.
Types of Doctors:
There are a variety of classifications for doctors. Some are general practitioners, while others are specialists. Your job is to find out who is going to be best suited for your particular situation. For example, if you have a history of heart disease, then one of your doctors should be a cardiologist.
The following are important considerations, regardless of the type of doctor you choose.
There should be:
1. Mutual respect.
2. Time for a thorough exam.
3. Age appropriate diagnostic testing.
4. Time to discuss your concerns and answer questions.
5. Timely follow through.
6. The ability to say, "I don't know." For the patient this means some guidance until they do know. For the doctor, this means, I don't know what is going on with you and discuss what the plan of action is going to be.
7. Timely referrals to specialists or special testing.
8. Your doctor should be accessible. If it takes two months to get in to see him because his practice is so full, then find someone else.
This list is not all inclusive, but enough to give you a start on self-advocacy. Remember, you do have choices and you do have control over your own body.
Take control: Be a self advocate!
Alternative Health Practitioners
Beware - There Are Quacks Out There....And I Don't Mean Ducks!
For every excellent alternative practitioner there might be three practitioners who have violated the oath "To Do No Harm," and they have given the profession a very bad name.They are the great pretenders...non-health care practitioners who claim to be experts in their field of health. They are the ones who claim to have found the miracle cure for everything from, excess belly fat to cancer. Don't you think if these claims were really true that it would be all over the newspapers and television news? If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is just that....too good to be true!
We have to arm ourselves with knowledge. We have to be prepared to find the great pretenders in our communities. We have to find a way to keep our communities safe. But how do we do this? What can you do to protect yourself, your loved ones, your friends, and your patients? The first thing you want to do is contact your local regulatory agency to find out what your state government's policy is regarding alternative practice licensure.
If you come across a practitioner who claims to be an expert, but doesn't behave like one, then listen to what your gut is telling you-if something doesn't feel right about the practitioner, your instinct is usually correct. Help educate your family, friends, and patients. We need to advocate for each other. Please don't justify your apathy by thinking that someone else will take care of the problem. We all have to speak in harmony - we have to be one voice. Don't be afraid to speak out. Keep speaking until someone listens. You might just be saving someone's life in the process!
In health and wellness,
Linda
Books to Help you on your Journey to Healthier Living
Ok, these books are good reading!
Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/12/2008)
Spontaneous Healing : How to Discover and Embrace Your Body's Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal Itself
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
The Healthy Kitchen
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 10/12/2008)
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 10/12/2008)
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition
Amazon Price: $122.50 (as of 10/12/2008)
What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathy is a philosophy and practice that seeks to improve health and treat disease chiefly by assisting the body's innate capacity to recover from illness and injury. Naturopathic practice may include a broad array of different modalities, including manual therapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, counselling, aromatherapy, wholefoods, massage therapy and others.Practitioners tend to emphasise a holistic approach to patient care. Naturopathy practiced in many countries around the world in one form or another, where it is subject to different standards of regulation and levels of acceptance.
Licensure for this area varies with some holding degrees as Doctor of Naturopath (N.D.), Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine(N.M.D.) Still many have other health care degrees: D.C., D.O., M.D., and R.N., just to name a few.
The philosophy of the Traditional Naturopath is in the innate ability of the body to heal itself. Bacteria and viruses, which are always present, seldom cause problems in a healthy body. Traditional Naturopaths believe that an illness occurs when the body is in imbalance. This imbalance is often due to: poor nutrition, lack of exercise, stress, and other lifestyle choices that may interfere with the optimal functioning of the body.
While conventional medical treatments may rid the body of symptoms, these treatments alone do not bring about true healing. Rather than trying to attack specific symptoms and diseases, Traditional Naturopathy offers a holistic approach to the individual that supports the body in finding its way back to balance.
Traditional Naturopathy is not a medical practice. While prescribing drugs and pharmaceuticals, performing surgery, and other invasive procedures clearly have their place in the hands of properly trained medical doctors, these practices are outside the scope of Traditional Naturopathy and are at odds with its fundamental principles. Instead focus is on educating the client on making healthier livestyle choices and on the use of naturopathic modalities such as light, water, herbs, healthy foods, and exercise to cleanse and strengthen the body and support its natural healing process.
Learning Links
Great places to visit
You will find very useful information at these links. They are so chock-full of information that I would plan to visit for awhile!
http://squidoo.com/SusanneFloe/
Food for Your Health and Looks.1 point
http://www.squidoo.com/medicalwebsites/
Guide to helpful medical information sites on the more...1 point
Health Insurance Ratings
Learn what type of insurance is the best to get, w more...1 point
Medical Billing Jobs From Home
Medical billing services are showing up all over t more...1 point
What is Holistic Medicine
Getting rid of pimples does not have to be hard. B more...1 point
Naturopath Doctor
A good naturopathic doctor, while very skilled, ma more...1 point
Find Articles - News, Magazine back issues & Reference on all topics
Contains articles from the back issues of over 900 more...0 points
N C H S Home
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Bridges To Health | Live The Natural Life!
We define holistic health as treating the whole pe more...0 points
American Association for Health Freedom - Leading advocates for: alternative medicine, dietary supplements at federal and state level
Non-Profit Soapbox - changing the way organization more...0 points
Paying for CAM Treatment
This fact sheet answers some frequently asked ques more...0 points
Complementary Alternative Medical Association
Committed to educating the consumer, practitioner more...0 points
www.healthradio.net
Listen to Dr. Mundorff's interview with Dr. Meg Jo more...0 points
Health Insurance Ratings
Learn what type of insurance is the best to get, w more...0 points
Another Fine Title By Dr. Mundorff
But This One Was Written Under Her Previous Name......Linda Rener
Memories Of My Sister: Dealing With Sudden Death.
This book is a tribute to Rener's sister, Judy who died in October, 2000 after a bizarre bout with a skin rash. Rener's sister had been to several doctors who were perplexed by her condition. Judy continued to follow the advise of her physician, even though her condition was worsening. Judy died six months after being diagnosed with dermatitis. The cause of death was major infarcts to the brain as a direct result of respiratory failure. The autopsy never revealed what caused her illness. Rener strongly believes her sister would be alive today if she were more proactive in her health care. This is a powerful and emotional book filled with helpful advice on dealing with the enormous pain surrounding loss.
Living Healthy is Easier Than you Think
whole foods, drinking plenty of fresh water, taking brisk walks, getting at least eight hours of sleep per night; and dealing with our feelings rather than suppressing them. I am an advocate of fresh herbs (herbology), massage therapy,
yoga, and Pilates. Naturopaths believe in the natural force or vital energy that
resides in all living things. In Eastern practices this vital force is called chi and
it flows through channels called meridians. It is by tapping into this vital
energy that natural healing can take place. The body has an innate ability to
heal itself, but in order for the body to heal, it must have the right tools to function
properly. The body cannot perform nightly maintenance such as cellular
regeneration, detoxification, immune boosting, mitosis, and other functions
designed to maintain the body in optimal shape, if other issues such as insomnia,
stress, poor nutrition, and suppressed emotions sidetrack it.
-Linda
Emotional Healing
Learn to distinguish the true feelings beneath your anger
Anger is a barrier to expressing true feelings. It surfaces when it is too painful to express or when one is out of touch with their true feelings. Anger is a safety-net for many because the layers of pain run too deep. The mind protects us from those experiences and uses anger as a way to smoke screen others.Let Dr. Mundorff show you how to:
Learn to differentiate between feelings.
Learn to let go of anger.
Replace angry barriers with the true emotions hiding beneath.
Letting Go.....
A self-help CD by Dr. Linda Mundorff
Copyright 2006, Dr. Linda Mundorff, All Rights Reserved.
Get your copy today! Visit: www.freewebs.com/bridges2hlth/
Great Stuff on CafePress
Self-Care and Natural Remedies
Self-care and the use of natural remedies is a growing trend, and some unqualified practitioners are aware of this. As a matter of fact, pretty much anyone can take a few classes in growing,harvesting, processing, and storing herbs and call themselves an herbalist, dispensing both advice and herbal remedies. In 1999 the first Physician Desk Reference (PDR) for herbs was released and made
available to the general public. The reference has thousands of different botanical classifications, instructions on preparing the herbs, administration routes, dosages, side effects, and other significant information regarding herbal usage.
A growing problem is that most people think that herbs can't hurt you. In the 1980s, I remember a company selling an herbal remedy that was purported to be a great diet aid. People lost weight all right, but many ended up in the hospital
because they had such severe diarrhea from the product that they couldn't keep any kind of food or liquid in their system! And what about plant
allergies? If you have seasonal allergies to grass, for example, who's to say you don't have any other potential plant allergies?
-Linda
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