Our Hunky Naturopathic Doctor Is Here to Help

Meet John Dempster, a licensed (and very handsome) Naturopathic Doctor who practices in Toronto. The good doctor will regularly contribute to Blisstree about health and wellness issues. Find his practice here.

What the hell is Naturopathy?

Naturopathic Medicine (Naturopathy) focuses on treating individuals – not treating their labels.  Naturopathic Doctors (ND’s) treat the whole person. We look at how each patient’s physical body, nutrition, stress, genetics, toxicity, and other factors affect how they look and feel. ND’s are heavily trained in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathy, botanical medicine, and some physical therapies. Our #1 goal is to identify, address, and treat the root cause of disease. We don’t aim to suppress symptoms, but rather to uncover why those symptoms are present in the first place. Once you do this, you save the patient a lot of money, time, and pain!

Are you a real doctor?

I get this question all the time and I love it. ABSOLUTELY. However, to clarify, we are Naturopathic Doctors – not Medical Doctors. Much like MD’s, ND’s are trained as primary care practitioners capable of diagnosing and treating illness. In order to do so, we too have completed eight years of medical training entrenched in genetics, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology – in addition to studying all of our natural therapies. We have a thorough understanding of how to identify any possible interactions between prescription drugs and nutritional supplements. This is absolutely critical today, as many people self-prescribe supplements thinking that just because they’re natural, they’re safe to take with prescription medications. Many of my MD friends – who’ve witnessed any ND student study for and write our licensing board exams – don’t know how we do it. To make it as a licensed ND you’ve put in your dues and then some.

We hear Naturopathy can help with conditions as wide-ranging as allergies, PMS, depression, infertility, insomnia, digestive problems, diabetes, and hair loss. What can’t it help?

Naturopathic Medicine treats lots of chronic conditions. Ideally, it should be used in preventing or reducing  risk of chronic disease in the first place. But Naturopathy isn’t limited to chronic illness alone; it can often quickly and successfully treat minor acute medical issues. That said, if you’re in a car accident, or have a heart attack, you don’t come to my office; you go to the ER…stat!

What’s the most serious illness you’ve successfully treated with Naturopathic medicine?

I’ve seen patients turn around and do some amazing things when someone takes the time to thoroughly investigate the underlying causes of their illness. I’ve been fortunate to see many patients recover from life-threatening and debilitating illnesses and do extremely well. A large part of my practice is focused on cancer, I have patients who came to see me with a very dismal prognosis, and are now in full remission. It’s extremely rewarding.

How’d you do it?

Intravenous (IV) therapy is a powerful way of getting someone to feel better quickly. IV therapy is a big part of my practice and has helped many patients suffering from various infections and illnesses – not just cancer. We give each patient a customized solution of various vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients tailored to their specific needs. These “vitamin “drips” aren’t just for sick patients; professional athletes, executives, ‘anti-agers’, and weekend warriors love them! They’re a powerful and safe way to launch someone into a healing mode and get them feeling better quicker.

So, aside from these “drips”, can Naturopathy help us if we’re not technically “sick”?

Thanks for asking! Those types of people actually get and understand health, and what I try to encourage every day. Unfortunately, most people still think that you shouldn’t visit your doctor until you get sick. But this is changing, and it’s encouraging to see people take responsibility for their health. When a patient values prevention as part of their treatment, that’s very cool.

How many MDs or patients have you encountered who think Naturopathy is a scam?

I love it! This is an easy way to help you separate the ignorant from the educated. Those who dismiss Naturopathic Medicine and licensed ND’s by describing them as a “scam” clearly have not done their homework. The fact is that Naturopathic medicine has been making people healthy longer than Allopathic or “real” medicine. Naturopathy has been relatively unknown to the general public and doctors alike, but this is changing rapidly. More and more medical schools are educating students about the quality and level of training an ND receives, and how both sides of medicine can work together in an integrative approach. This is the future of medicine, and how we can best offer health care to patients all across North America.

How do you convince naysayers?

I don’t aim to convince anyone to use Naturopathic Medicine. What I find more constructive is to educate people about Naturopathy (without putting them to sleep describing the merits of dandelion leaves); how it can be useful; and who can benefit from it. I can’t count how many people I’ve treated who were skeptics at first, and have since referred their friends, co-workers, and family members to me!

Do your patients have to truly “believe” in Naturopathy in order for it to work?

Absolutely not. All anybody needs to be is open-minded and want to feel great and remain in good health. Even the biggest non-believers can come around. Once someone begins to feel better, the rest is history.

Dr. Dempster is a regular contributor to Blisstree. Find his practice here.