Table Of Contents

Table Of Contents

About The Publisher

About The Author

3
5

Step-By-Step Guide To Appointments

Whats It Like To Be A Naturopathic Doctor?

Like What You're Reading? Spread The Word!

10
13

CHECK OUT MORE TITLES FROM OUR BEST BOOK SERIES!

14

Copyright 2010-Present. Hyperink Inc.

The standard legal stuff:
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic
or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
permission in writing from Hyperink Inc., except for brief excerpts in reviews or analysis.
Our note:
Please don't make copies of this book. We work hard to provide the highest quality content
possible - and we share a lot of it for free on our sites - but these books are how we support
our authors and the whole enterprise. You're welcome to borrow (reasonable) pieces of it as
needed, as long as you give us credit.
Thanks!
The Hyperink Team
Disclaimer
This ebook provides information that you read and use at your own risk.
We do not take responsibility for any misfortune that may happen, either directly or indirectly,
from reading and applying the information contained and/or referenced in this ebook.
Thanks for understanding. Good luck!

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

About The Publisher

Hyperink is the easiest way for anyone to publish a beautiful, high-quality book.
We work closely with subject matter experts to create each book. We cover topics ranging from
higher education to job recruiting, from Android apps marketing to barefoot running.
If you have interesting knowledge that people are willing to pay for, especially if you've
already produced content on the topic, please reach out to us! There's no writing required and
it's a unique opportunity to build your own brand and earn royalties.
Hyperink is based in SF and actively hiring people who want to shape publishing's future.
Email us if you'd like to meet our team!

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

Get free stuff!

This Best Little Book is part of a compilation called The Best Book On Naturopathy.
If you're interested in learning more, please click here. Even though the book is priced at $25,
as a token of thanks for already being a customer, email us after your purchase and we'll
refund you $12.50 - half of the cost!
Also, you can visit our website at http://www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com to learn more
about our authors, read additional content, and leave us comments!
Finally, email us to sign-up for our exclusive newsletter where you'll receive new insights
directly from our authors and more of The Best Little Book series!

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

About The Author

Motivated by a passion to incorporate a philosophy of
holistic well-being into Western Medicine, Julie strives to marry
both her Asian roots and Western cultural influences through the
study of Naturopathic Medicine and Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM).
A native of San Jose, CA, Julie Tran earned a BA in
Psychology from The University of Redlands in Redlands, CA.
During her undergraduate studies, she interned at the Loma
Linda Behavioral Medical Center as a Behavioral Health
Specialist. Inspired by the idea that there is more to healing than
just changing brain chemistry, Julie decided to pursue a career in
Naturopathic Medicine as an avenue to explore whole person
healing.
Her studies took her across the country to Bridgeport,
Connecticut where she earned her doctorate in Naturopathic
Medicine and two Masters; one in Human Nutrition and one in
Acupuncture; all from the University of Bridgeport. A firm
believer in Hippocrates who said Let food be thy medicine,
Julie trained with Dr. Peter DAdamo, ND, author of the New York
Times Bestseller, Eat Right for Your Type (The Blood Type Diet) at
the world renowned DAdamo Clinic. During this time she also
became a Fellow of the Institute for Human Individuality (FIFHI).
Julie is happy to currently be back home in San Jose, CA; where
she completed her Masters of TCM from Five Branches University.
Julie is a California Board Licensed Acupuncturist and
Herbalist and Nationally Certified Acupuncturist. She is also a
Certified Nutrition Specialist and a Chi Nei Tsang Practitioner.
Julie enjoys sharing her passion and educating others in
complementary medicine with specific focus on lifestyle choices,
qi gong, and holistic well-being. An avid researcher and clinician,
Julie enjoys writing articles and keeping patients abreast of new
treatment methods. When not researching or seeing patients she

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

enjoys relaxing, music and spending time with her husband.

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

Step-By-Step Guide To Appointments

Highlights
During a patients first visit, you should get a detailed medical history.
Check everything, not just obviously affected body parts.
Naturopathic medicine takes patience. Lifestyle changes take time to significantly
improve a patients health.
I spend most of the day with my patients. Because I take inventory of every part of the
patients health (mental, emotional, physical), an office visit can last as long as 1.5 hours for
new patients.
In between patients, I reply to emails and speak with patients on the phone. I also use this
time to order treatments, supplies, and supplements for patients.
Theres no single prototype of a visit because each appointment might differ depending on
the patients needs. Here are 2 examples of a first visit and a return visit.

A New Patient Appointment

The situation: A new patient with diabetes comes in for his first visit.
1. Paperwork
The new patient must fill out extensive questionnaires, just as he does for his general
physician. I ask for basic contact information, demographics, and health history. Health
history includes previous illness as well as medications and supplements the patient is
currently taking.
2. Question And Answer: Getting To Know The Patient
Once the patient comes in to see me, I ask about the history of his present illness. How long
have you had diabetes? What are the symptoms? Have you experienced fatigue, low blood
sugar, or numb feet?
My questions go beyond the basics. I want to know how they feel in different hypothetical
situations. I ask questions like: If you were out in the cold, would your symptoms be better or

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

worse? Would this change if you were in a warm place? What have you tried to alleviate your
symptoms? What were the outcomes?
The questioning period takes up the bulk of the time.
3. Physical Exam
I check everything. Even if the patient isnt complaining about a certain part of his body, and
even if hes just seen his regular doctor, I dont skip anything. I listen to the heart and lungs,
and listen to his bowel sounds, examine his eyes and ears, and more.
I do a whole physical for each new patient. Doctors sometimes miss things, so I have to do
my own thorough examination.
4. Homework Assignment
When a patient comes in with diabetes or obesity problems, I usually send the patient home
with a food diary assignment. He must write down what he ate for every meal and snack. He
also must record how he felt after everything he ate.
5. Question and Answer Round 2: Getting To Know The Doctor
Questioning goes both ways. This is not just a time for me to ask questions. Visits are
conversations, not lectures.
Docere: doctor as teacher. The mark of a good relationship with a patient is how comfortable
the patient feels asking questions. A visit is a chance for the doctor to educate the patient.
I want the patient to leave with no qualms or confusion about the health procedures. Many
patients are afraid to ask questions at visits with their regular doctors because theyre either
intimidated or they dont want to impinge on the doctor s time. I always leave time for the
patient to turn the scrutiny back on me.

The Return Visit

The situation: The same patient with diabetes returns after a week.
1. Reviewing The Food Diary
The patient walks me through the food diary. I look at how they ate during the week (and

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

whether this changed during the weekend).

I take stock of the nutritional content. Is he getting enough protein? Is he eating vegetables?
Should he be eating pie so many times a week? I need to find the nutritional gaps in their diet
and replace harmful foods with healthy foods.
2. Recommending Lifestyle Changes
I might suggest that he eat more vegetables and take a certain herb to stabilize the blood
sugar. The results might take a while because we need to see how these changes slowly take
effect on his body.

Stepping Back
Being a naturopathic doctor requires patience and determination. I absolutely love getting to
know my patients, but prospective NDs should keep in mind that naturopaths appointments
are also a huge time investment.
Because I look for the least invasive treatment, I dont always see results immediately.
Naturopathic physicians need to be flexible and willing to try different strategies with each
patient.

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

Whats It Like To Be A Naturopathic

Doctor?
Highlights
In collaborative practices, naturopathic doctors share the same patients and have access to
the same information.
Building a solid client base may take a few years.
Salaries vary widely between NDs. Those with established client bases can make
hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

4 Types Of ND Practices
1. Independent Practitioners
Some naturopathic doctors have their own practices. They have an office where patients come
to see them.
2. Collaborative Practitioners
A group of naturopathic doctors sometimes join to form a collaborative. They share the same
patients. A patient might see different doctors depending on the day he or she has an
appointment. Because they work together, all the doctors have to pool information and keep
each other updated on the status of the patients.
These doctors have to tell each other what the patient was complaining about, what the
follow-up treatment should be, and how the symptoms were affected by the treatment.
Collaborative practices are best for naturopathic doctors with excellent communication skills
and cooperative spirits.
3. Clinical Practitioners
Naturopathic doctors can also work in clinics. Some work in hospitals or cancer treatment
centers where there is an integrated or complementary alternative medicine wing.
4. Researchers

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

10

Some naturopathic doctors choose not to see patients and focus on research instead.

4 Ideas For Building A Client Base

1. Word of Mouth
People talk. Your best marketing resources are just a phone call (or Facebook message) away.
Enlist your friends and family to refer potential patients to you. Once you have a few faithful
patients, theyll start referring their own friends and family to you.
2. American Association Of Naturopathic Physicians Directory
Join the AANP, and you can request to list your name in their Find A Doctor database.
Potential patients can find you by name, area of emphasis, state, or country.
3. Use The Web
Put an ad on Yelp. Start a website. Make a Facebook Page for your practice.
4. Newspaper Ads
Dont forget about old school advertising! You might reach an older demographic with the
standard newspaper classified.

Working Hours For A Naturopathic Doctor

Any independent practitioner or collaborative practitioner can set his or her own schedule.
Clinical doctors will obviously need to adhere to the hospital schedule and wont be given the
same freedom.
Naturopathic doctors often try to be accommodating to their patients schedules. They might
have evening hours (5, 6, or 7 pm) for patients who work. Some also see patients on the
weekends, or they might take half-days on Saturdays.

Salary Potential
Heres the caveat: Money should never be your prime motivation. This is true for any
healthcare profession, and its true for naturopathic medicine. You can, however, make a
steady income with naturopathy.

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

11

The first few years will be very tough. You probably wont make much money, and you might
not break even. At the beginning, youre building a client base, paying off student debt, and
shelling out money for your new practice. Hang in there! After a few years, youll start to see
some monetary compensation for your labors.
On the low end, an ND might make 30 to 40K a year. On the high end, the sky is the limit! I
know one ND who makes 400K a year. Its all about building your client base. Do you have a
specialty? Can you do something that no other naturopathic doctor does?
Dr. Peter DAdamo is one of the most famous examples of a successful naturopathic doctor.
He gained acclaim for his book, Eat Right 4 Your Type. He has patients who come from all
over the world to see him. His patients schedule their vacation time around his appointment
availability.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are NDs who dont care about money at all. They
truly just want to help people find the best treatment for their bodies. They may conduct their
business through barter service. For example, they might say, Ill give you an acupuncture
treatment, and next time I need a massage, Ill come to you.
As a naturopathic doctor, you have countless options for building your practice. Do you want
to work with other doctors or alone? Do you want to build an international clientele or stay
local? The choice is yours.

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

12

Like What You're Reading? Spread The

Word!
We're a small startup, so we rely on happy readers to help us grow (hopefully, that means
you!).
Here are some specific ways you can contribute:
1. Share your success with us! Tell us how the book has helped you
2. Visit our website: www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com and comment on your favorite
article
3. Ask our authors a question! We'll answer the best ones directly on the site
4. Send us your feedback or ideas at feedback@hyperinkpress.com!
To make it worth your time (and to thank you for bugging your friends/family), email us after
you've done any of the above and we'll give you a special bonus as thanks. Trust us, it's
worth it!
Thanks!

CHECK OUT MORE TITLES FROM OUR

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

13

CHECK OUT MORE TITLES FROM OUR

BEST BOOK SERIES!
The Best Book On How To Crack The Case
Interview
Having trouble with case interviews? In Crack The Case
Interview, Abhinav Agrawal offers actionable advice on
acing your case interviews.

$25
BUY NOW
The Best Book On Goldman Sachs Sales & Trading
Internships
Want to work for Goldman Sachs in Sales & Trading?
Avnish, a former S&T intern, shares his recruiting
strategies and day in the life of.

$25
BUY NOW
The Best Book On Getting Consulting Jobs In India
Want to learn the secrets of landing a consulting job at
McKinsey, BCG, and Bain in India? A current Indian
consultant shares his advice to navigating the recruiting
process.

$25
BUY NOW

www.bestbookonnaturopathy.com.

14