What can naturopathic care do for me?
Chad Aschtgen, N.D.As part of its Integrative Cancer Care program, Providence Regional Cancer System offers naturopathic medicine services. Naturopathic doctors emphasize a holistic approach to care that incorporates diet, nutrition, exercise, botanical therapies and vitamin and mineral supplementation. As a board certified naturopathic physician specializing in integrative oncology I see cancer patients at Providence. Want to know more? Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get from patients.
Q. How can I benefit from naturopathic care?
A. Many individuals want to improve their general health in order to remain as strong as possible throughout their cancer treatment. Others want help managing side effects or adverse effects of treatment. Almost all are seeking professional advice on which natural therapies are safe and effective for their unique circumstances.
Q. What types of cancer patients do you see?
A. I work with patients at every stage of diagnosis and treatment – newly diagnosed patients, those in the middle of treatment and those who have completed their therapy. Different care strategies can help people enhance their health at any stage during and after cancer treatment.
Q. How do you help patients reach their goals?
A. I counsel each patient on diet, nutrition and lifestyle changes that can improve his or her health. Many patients also have questions regarding vitamins and mineral supplementation. I help them prioritize each supplement appropriately, while weighing the benefits of supplements vs. healthy nutrition habits. A handful of supplements will never make up for a poor-quality diet.
I also ensure that each supplement a patient is taking will not interfere with his or her current course of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Although many herbs provide a tremendous benefit, some have the potential to alter treatment effectiveness. For example St. John’s wort, which is a commonly used herb, may potentially decrease the cytotoxic, or cell-killing effect, of a particular type of chemotherapy.
If you would like to learn more about naturopathic medicine services at the Providence Regional Cancer System call 360.412.8951.
Reader Comments (2)
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