The Stigma of Holistic Doctors and Crohn’s Disease

Unfortunately, there is a stigma in our society about seeing Holistic or Naturopathic Doctors. Overall, the consensus is that those types of doctors are quacks, uneducated, and quite dangerous. I used to think of these things myself.

But it wasn’t until four years into my Crohn’s disease journey, that I became intensely aggravated with my progress, or shall I say, lack thereof. For four years, I suffered.

Yes, for four years I blindly listened to my well-qualified and well-meaning Gastroenterologists. I was told that if I took the proper medication, I will be okay. I was also told that diet had zero effect on my condition and that I could continue eating what I was eating.

Crohn's treatments were not working

For four years, I did just that. I continued eating my very American diet, which consisted of tons of processed foods and I took all the medicine they told me to take. In those four years, I was put on all the biologics available for Crohn’s and I responded to none of them. With only slight periods of feeling “ok”, I can truly say I was flaring horribly for four years straight.

I landed in the hospital all the time, needing IV steroids, iron, and blood transfusions; only to be pushed back out into the world, to come back again in a couple of months. I was miserable. I decided there was no way I could go on like this. So, I did the dreaded thing, I went to Google.

Seeing a Naturopathic Medical Doctor

I started to do my own research. I purchased books. I reached out to others who had Crohn’s and I did the unthinkable: I made an appointment with a Naturopathic Medical Doctor.

Why I didn’t do this sooner? Well, it was because of the stigma surrounding this type of medical practice. But when you are sick for four years straight, you start to become more open to more options.

My first appointment with my N.M.D. lasted almost two hours. He sat with me and educated me on Crohn’s. He talked about the importance of gut flora, diet, stress levels, and beyond. For the first time, I felt heard. I felt like I was important and not a number. I felt like I could actually get better.

Do natural treatments work for Crohn's?

This particular N.M.D. used muscle testing to check for all sorts of things in my body. One of those being bacteria and yeast overgrowth, something my Gastroenterologist never did. Sure enough, I had terrible overgrowth of the two in my colon. This was just one of the things I was tested for but, to say the least, I was prescribed natural supplements to eradicate the critters and in a couple of weeks, I truly felt brand new.

Yes! I would be plagued with debilitating abdominal pains which obviously had to be the overgrowth because in a couple of weeks my pain was gone!

I was so astounded with my progress that I felt it was too good to be true. How could I possibly feel so much better so quickly when I have been working with some of the best Gastroenterologists in the country? How could they miss this?

Well, I think the answer is the following: they are trained to view the body in one way. And that way is certainly okay, as for many, this type of treatment proves to be helpful. But, for me in particular, something was being overlooked which caused me tremendous abdominal pain and it took a Naturopathic Medical Doctor to discover it.

Naturopathic doctors can be helpful for Crohn's

I guess my point is that if things aren’t working for you on your Crohn’s journey or if you are not finding relief from pain or seeing results, it’s okay to reach out to different types of doctors. Now of course, always do your research, as there are quacks in every field. But my point is, don’t let the stigma in our society towards natural medicine, keep you from trying it.

As for my personal journey, it wasn’t until I reached out to Holistic Doctors, that I began to see results. My body responds really well to the treatment and in turn, I am able to find incredible relief from this horrific disease.

So I encourage you to not lose hope. If you feel like you have been on the hamster wheel with your doctors, make an appointment with a credible Holistic/Naturopathic Doctor and see if there is something they can do for you. You deserve to have the chance to heal your body. If it worked for me, it may work for you.

Have you ever seen a Holistic/Naturopathic Doctor? If you have, share below!