June 19, 2009 | 
Email This Post
Here’s to very good health the nutritional and natural way!
In an overview of their medical practice with Rebecca Porrino, ND and Marcus Porrino, ND, Dr. Rebecca told me, “The cornerstone of Naturopathic Medicine is encouraging the body’s own ability to heal itself. Rather than treat illness, we like to treat health.”
I asked how they would define health and a healthy body.
“As I see it,” Dr. Marcus responded, “health is an individual’s ability to meet an obstacle, negotiate it and return to the original path the individual was on. The obstacle might be bacteria, a virus or emotional trauma. A healthy body will meet it, deal with it and return to balance.”
The doctors helped me understand that when your body is compromised, you’ll get hit with whatever comes along. And when you’re hit with the obstacle, you’re thrown off balance. Trying to get back into balance, your body starts producing symptoms in order to try to heal itself.
So I ask you, dear readers: How do we typically respond to these symptoms? Do we run to the medicine cabinet or to the drug store in a desperate effort to get rid of the symptoms?
Naturopathic doctors see it this way; the body says: “Hm-m, here’s a virus invading where it doesn’t belong. I need to get rid of this virus. A few things I might try …
• raise my temperature to chase the virus away
• create some mucous to trap the thing and flush it out
• use diarrhea to get it out of here fast.
“Dang! Here comes the Tylenol again,” the body might shout. “It won’t let me do my thing!”
Dr. Rebecca was quick to add, “Medically trained, we understand fevers can get too high and all of that. We take each situation individually and work to help each body restore balance. Sometimes medications are necessary, but always, always we consider natural medications first.”
Let’s look at the medical training mentioned. “Our training was an amalgam of cutting edge medical science and research, blended with time-tested natural therapies from centuries back and all around the world” was Dr. Rebecca’s summary.
After four years of pre-med, Marcus and Rebecca both matriculated to Medical School at the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM), the oldest accredited naturopathic medical college in North America. The Porrinos proudly refer to this Portland, Ore. school as the grandmother of all such colleges, as it gave birth to all others that graduate licensed naturopathic doctors.
The two met as study partners in their first year at NCNM. So intense was the work, between 7:30 in the morning and 10 o’clock at night, students were encouraged to form study groups. Even food preparation encountered groups of five so each person took responsibility for just one day a week, Monday to Friday.
Following four years of med school (the first two of which teach pretty much the same science as MD med schools), they spent a year in residency. No question in my mind that they are fully trained doctors, In fact, there’s no question in the minds of authorities in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Arizona and Hawaii, where NDs are defined as physicians and their fees are paid by insurance carriers and Medicare.
In the tradition of going to see for myself so I can tell readers about my experiences, I made an appointment with Dr. Porrino. Aware that since the 1970s, I hadn’t been in a doctor’s office where the physician had a real awareness of my health history, and longing for reliable guidance on my intake of appropriate vitamins and supplements, I filled out the extensive intake form, submitted it ahead of time as requested, and headed to the office on Seventh Street West at Napa Street with excited anticipation.
When was the last time any doctor met with you for an hour and a half to learn about your body and the myriad life experiences that have affected its health? I left that office with a never-before-experienced confidence that I will, with very competent coaching, help my body restore itself to balance and good health.
For a good friend of mine, such restoration will take a lot longer and will require much more determination and effort because her body’s been compromised by the “big three” of cancer treatment: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. When I phoned to check in with her last week, I heard a new vitality in her voice even before she told me she’d also visited Dr. Porrino.
She spoke of the great satisfaction when someone actually listened to her. And how gratifying to see her intake sheets heavily marked with orange highlighter signaling the doctor had already been working with her case before she even walked in the door.
People are often surprised that, as one client put it, “This is a one-stop treatment center!” where the doctors can do blood work and various procedures including IV therapy, body work and minor surgery.
These folks are like the old-fashioned family doctor with far more effective tools in their “little black bag.” They even make house calls!
Sonoma Naturopathic Medicine: 707.996.9355, SonomaNatMed.com
We welcome your feedback. For general feedback or to contact one of our columnists, please visit the Contact the Columnists Page at www.sonomasun.com.
1 views