Acupuncture

For thousands of years in the Eastern world, acupuncture, through the manipulation of qi, has been a successful therapy for almost any condition.  It is defined in the Vermont laws as "the insertion of fine needles through the skin at certain points on the body, with or without the application of electric current or the application of heat to the needles or skin, or both, for the purpose of promoting health and balance as defined by traditional and modern Oriental theories."  The needle positions are selected by the practitioner depending on the signs and symptoms with which the patient presents.  Acupuncture is mainly used by Dr. Wdowin in the treatment of pain, although it is useful in treatment of many other conditions ranging from anxiety to hormonal imbalances and infertility. 

Environmental Medicine

Environmental Medicine seeks to assess if a person's chronic health problems may be a result of toxin buildup in the body. Current studies show that all US residents carry a body burden of such toxins. This modality uses questionnaires, health history, geographical places of residence and laboratory markers to get a general assessment of toxic burden. Protocols and depuration therapies are then employed to reduce the toxic burden and restore health.

Depuration Therapies

Depurate is defined as "to make or become free of impurities." We use chelation therapy, far infrared sauna, and other research supported depuration techniques to safely remove heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium etc.), pesticides (2,4,5,TD or Agent Orange, DDT etc.), benzene, toluene, PCBs, phthalates, dioxin, and numerous other toxins and their metabolites from the body.  Pollutants have been linked to medical conditions such as neurological degeneration (e.g., Parkinson's), developmental issues such as autism, many forms of cancer, musculoskeletal diseases (e.g., fibromyalgia), autoimmune disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), kidney disease, heart disease, and others.  

Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine has been used throughout human history, making it the oldest form of healthcare.  In the early days of herbal medicine, much of the medicinal knowledge was developed through trial and error and passed down by word of mouth to the younger generations.  As these practices evolved, information was methodically collected and stored in the form of well defined herbal pharmacopoeias.  Chemistry always chases nature and today many pharmaceutical drugs are based on either an action or a constituent of an herb. Many pharmaceuticals, however, cause side effects not associated with the origonal herbal formula. Largely because of this, and concerns by consumers, resources supporting research in the effectiveness of herbal therapies has dramatically increased in recent years.

Intravenous Nutritional Therapy

Research and clinical experience has shown that most patients with chronic diseases require more than dietary changes and oral supplementation to dramatically improve their condition.  Intravenous nutrition guarantees that the administered medications bypass barriers to absorption and penetrate deeply into cells to support efficient metabolism and promote tissue repair.  Dr. Wdowin uses intravenous therapies to treat a variety of diseases and has seen success with conditions ranging from allergies to cancer to weight management.

Lifestyle and Dietary Recommendations

Often the most inexpensive and most successful therapies are the most simple, i.e., you are what you eat. Throughout history we have known that diet and exercise play a large role in our overall health.  Today, research suggests 40-70% decreased risk of all cancers can be attained through lifestyle and dietary changes.

Naturopathic Manipulation

Naturopathic manipulation is defined by law to sound very different from chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, although in practice they are very similar.  Similar enough that Dr. Wdowin trained under three chiropractors during medical school. All three techniques deal with subluxations, or misalignments, of the skeletal bones-- primarily the vertebrae of the spine. When these subluxations occur, pressure can be applied to nerves, vertebral disks, and blood vessels causing tingling, pinching or burning pains. Subluxations can also affect muscles and joints, producing pain, inflammation, joint immobility and/or instability.  If left untreated, fibrotic or degenerative conditions can lead to chronic pain, degeneration, and a loss of mobility.

Orthomolecular Medicine

Orthomolecular medicine, as conceptualized by double-Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling, aims to restore the optimum environment of the body by correcting imbalances or deficiencies based on individual biochemistry, and using substances natural to the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements, and essential fatty acids.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology, or the use of prescription drugs, can be a very effective and powerful tool. As a naturopathic physician, I believe in a therapeutic order where pharmacology is used when necessary, but is reserved for use after other, less potentially harmful therapies have been applied.