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Frequently Asked Questions

Naturopathic medicine is a holistic practice of medicine that blends natural therapies with current scientific advances in health. It covers all aspects of health, from prenatal to geriatrics, and emphasizes whole-person wellness. The medicine is tailored to the individual and promotes self-care and prevention. There are 7 guiding principles that define naturopathic medicine:

What is naturopathic medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a holistic practice of medicine that blends natural therapies with current scientific advances in health. It covers all aspects of health, from prenatal to geriatrics, and emphasizes whole-person wellness. The medicine is tailored to the individual and promotes self-care and prevention. Some of its guiding principles include finding the underlying cause of your illness, doctor as teacher, wellness focused rather than disease focused, relying on your body's own healing capabilities, and using gentle, natural approaches whenever possible.

How is a naturopathic physician different from a medical doctor?
A naturopathic physican completes a rigorous 4-5 year doctorate program, including medical science and diagnostic coursework similar to a medical doctor. Extensive clinical training is required including on-site at the university's affiliated student clinic as well as off-site internships and preceptorships with various types of doctors including MDs and NDs. Residencies are not mandatory at this time, but many are available for further training. A naturopathic physician is trained as a primary care general practitioner with expertise in natural and holistic medicine. Naturopathic physicians perform physical examinations, laboratory testing, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, and other diagnostic techniques. They take the time to listen and get to know the whole person, then adapt natural treatment approaches to fit a person’s needs. They seek to identify and treat the underlying cause of illness, thereby providing lasting results. Naturopathic physicians cooperate with all other branches of medical science, referring patients to other healthcare practitioners for diagnosis and treatment whenever appropriate. For more information on the education and licensing of an ND, click here.

Who should see a naturopathic physician?
Naturopathic medicine is effective for everyone, including children. It addresses both chronic and acute complaints. There are many different reasons why you may choose to see an ND:
* You are looking for more natural approaches to treating your health concerns.
* You have a chronic complaint and have investigated other medical options without success. Naturopathic medicine offers a different approach that may help.
* You just don't feel well, but others doctors have not been able to pinpoint anything.
* You are hoping to complement your current medical care with supportive therapies.
* You want to create a solid foundation for lifelong wellness for yourself or for your child.
* You want to get to the underlying cause of your illness rather than merely treating the symptoms.
* Your are interested in speciality lab testing that looks at biochemical, nutritional, and hormonal imbalances.
* You are confused about all the hype over various nutritional supplements, including antioxidants, vitamin D, etc. and need professional guidance about what is really necessary.
* You feel you are suffering from environmental sensitivities.
* You are hoping to reduce the number of prescription medicines you are taking by making diet and lifestyle changes and adding key nutritional supplements (NOTE: Only your prescribing doctor can reduce or discontinue your medications. Please consult with them prior to discontinuing any medications.)
* You want information about healthy eating, exercise programs, and how to reduce your environmental toxin exposures.
* You are interested in a detoxification program.
* You want to achieve balance in all realms of health including physical, mental, & emotional.
* You want to optimize your health and live a long, healthy life.

This list is just a sampling of reasons why you may choose to see a naturopathic physician.

How much do you charge?
I strive to keep my prices reasonable while ensuring that I can continue to help people. I work hard to keep my office overhead low so that I can offer you competitive prices. For more information about fees, click here. You can also call the office for more specific information. If you would like to come, but feel the cost is prohibitive, please call me and we can discuss special payment plan options.

Will insurance cover your services?
Most Idaho insurance plans do not currently cover naturopathic services. However, there are several that do. Please check with your individual insurance plan. I can not directly bill your insurance, but will provide you with an insurance coded bill at your visit if you would like to submit for reimbursement. If you have a health savings account, you can use this tax-exempt money to pay for naturopathic services and products. The state of Idaho is currently outlining the specific laws surrounding licensure of naturopathic physicians. When these are completed, NDs will be recognized as primary care physicians in this state. This is usually when insurance plans start to include our services on a more regular basis. In order to remain competitive, insurance carriers will also start to cover naturopathic care as the demand increases. In many states including Washington, Oregon, and Montana, many insurance programs cover naturopathic medicine. Stay tuned for progress in the state of Idaho!

How many visits will I need before I start feeling better?
Many people ask how many office visits will be needed. This is a difficult question. For many, wellness is a lifelong journey, especially for those with chronic complaints. It can take time to undo some of the deeper imbalances in your body, although there are many things we can do to help with the symptoms in the meantime.You may start off with more frequent visits and eventually come only once or so a year for maintenance. For others, you may only need to be seen a few times before you notice a change and may then choose to stop coming. However, Dr. Wiegand's approach is to provide you with the guidance and support needed for lifelong balance rather than offering a quick fix solution. You will feel best if you choose to take care of yourself in every stage of health, rather than only in those times when your health is really suffering.

How do the nutritional supplements you sell differ from those in the grocery stores and why are they more expensive?
Vital Health's natural dispensary is made up of carefully selected supplements and products that may be prescribed for you as part of your treatment plan. These products come from companies that are geared towards physicians and often require a prescription from a licensed provider. They are different than most of those that are mass marketed to customers and found on store shelves; these may contain fillers, binders, preservatives, and forms that are not bioavailable. In addition, because of the lack of regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, some of these do not always contain what the ingredient list promises.

Dr. Wiegand has done extensive research in selecting the products in her dispensary. The companies must meet stringent quality assurance guidelines and have a proven record of effectiveness in the industry. Supplements have been chosen that contain organic ingredients and that are free of preservatives, synthetic fillers, coatings, allergens, and dyes. Because of the higher quality ingredients and the stricter manufacturing and quality assurance guidelines, these supplements tend to be more expensive than those you find online or in grocery stores. That being said, if there are cases where a suitable alternative is found that will be just as effective, you are more than welcome to substitute. Please check with Dr. Wiegand if you are unsure about an effective substitution.