You suspect you might have a health problem. So you make an appointment with your family doctor. You are happy with that particular doctor because they know a lot. You can tell this from what they say, and the questions they ask. You wish you had that much knowledge. Then you wouldn’t need to wait for 3 hours for a 10 minute appointment (but thankfully, this doesn’t happen every time!)

But you live in Canada. Health care is free. So you share your brilliant doctor with others. And that means you go to your scheduled appointment and the doctor has been called away elsewhere. They left a message with you, but you didn’t get it. You return after they reschedule you, but you only have a few minutes before the brilliant doctor is called away again. You need a prescription filled. But you forget to ask a question. You desperately try to remember everything that has ever gone wrong with your body. You forget to mention half of them because you can tell your doctor is in a rush. But when you return home, you remember. Oh yes, there is that…oh dear, maybe I should have mentioned that. It might be important. You try to be helpful. You say that when you eat a certain food, you don’t like how your body feels. But your doctor is typing the last thing you said and doesn’t seem to have heard you. Oh oh. That’s not good. What if that’s the most important thing, and all of your health problems will be solved if that is taken care of?

I’m thinking about going to a naturopath. Not because my doctor isn’t brilliant but because I need more time with my doctor. A traditional doctor is great if you break your leg, because that requires a certain skill that only they have. However, for more subtle disorders, a naturopath can be a perfect solution. It is true that they are more expensive, but the upshot to that reality is that you share your naturopath with fewer people. I’ve heard that when you first visit one, they go over your complete medical history and it takes a couple of hours. But it’s time well spent. If you don’t have insurance that covers it, then you have to pay out of pocket. But if you have your health, you have everything. I’m going to make an appointment with a naturopath!