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naturopathic doctor news & review
Table of Contents | 2007 | December
December 2007 | Infections
Tolle Totem Lyme Disease as the New “Great Imitator:” Neurological and other non-arthritic cases (Shandor Weiss, ND) Tolle Causam Treating MRSA: History and a case study (Jacob Schor, ND) Primum Non Nocere Toxoplasma gondii: A Mind/Body Parasite? (Kurt Beil, ND, LAc):...
Botanical Medicines for Colds and Flus
Eric Yarnell, ND and Lauren Russel, ND The FDA has recently begun to take action to block the sale of symptom-suppressing cold and flu remedies for children. This is in part because the remedies represent a significant danger if overdosed, and in part because they...
Lyme Disease as the New “Great Imitator”
Shandor Weiss, ND, LAc Syphilis used to be called The Great Imitator, because the secondary and tertiary stages of infection led to and mimicked a host of other diseases. Many cases of bone, skin, heart, brain, mental and other illnesses caused by syphilis were missed...
Using Blood Chemistry to Screen for Infections
Dicken Weatherby, ND There are many ways to use blood chemistry analysis to screen for and track infection processes in the body. I use blood testing for everything from investigating the presence of a viral infection to finding out how the body is responding to a...
Viral Infections of the Skin
Juliette Soihl, ND Three viral infections of the skin commonly seen in general practice are Human Papillomaviruses (HPV), Human Herpesviruses (HSV) and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV). While differing in their presentation and etiology, clinically I have found similar...
Treating MRSA: History and a Case Study
Jacob Schor, ND This all has to do with a patient named Linda. I’ve known her since 1994; she’s 56 years old now. She is a gifted massage therapist with a following of post-traumatic stress disorder clients. In these intervening years, she returned to school and...
What is “Governance”… and Why Do Our Naturopathic Programs and Colleges Need Some?
David Schleich, PhD NDs by and large have come to understand the critical role played by governance in our colleges and programs. In the same way that natural medicine was much enhanced by improvements in accreditation, so too a growing sophistication in governance...
FDA’s New GMPs Will Not Ensure Quality Products
Rick Liva, RPh, ND Before I begin to outline the strengths and weaknesses of the new FDA Dietary Supplement Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), let me simply detail the problem that I think exists and the goal all clinicians should shoot for when choosing suppliers....
Homeopathy in Microbial Illness
Joe Kellerstein, DC, ND Studying homeopathic materia medica can seem like spending time playing video games: You think you’re making it to the next level, but really it’s only a fantasy. Well, get just one severe case of infectious disease while it’s hot, and life...
Moving Beyond the Mind in Medicine
Cheryl A. Kasdorf, ND I, the doctor, am getting sick, even though I don’t want to admit it. It is the night before I leave on a trip, a three-day drive to get to an important seminar. It is supposed to be a fun, relaxing summer vacation, too, but now this! It’s...
Book Review: The Healing Power of Flax- The Definitive Guide
Stacie Deyglio, ND Linium usitatissimum, the flax plant, has been a benefit to global civilizations for centuries. From its ancestral role as the textile resource of linen to the now modern health advantage of providing the richest vegetable source of alpha lipoic...
Book Review: Textbook of Natural Medicine (3rd Edition), Volumes 1 & 2
Stacie Deyglio, ND The third edition of the Textbook of Natural Medicine is a comprehensively researched and referenced natural medicine text including 90 contributors and more than 10,000 peer-reviewed literature citations. In this new, expanded version of the...
Addressing Traumatic Brain Injury
Kayle Sandberg-Lewis, MA, BCN In April 2000, Betty, a 41-year-old female, was riding her bicycle when a car going 40 mph hit her. Although she lost consciousness for a short while, she was up and walking around by the time EMTs arrived. She complained of feeling...
Toxoplasma Gondii: A Mind/Body Parasite?
Kurt Beil, ND, LAc Abstract Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoal parasite best known for transmission through cat feces and undercooked meat. While most infections remain asymptomatic, severe complications can arise in pregnant women, immunocompromised...
Treating MRSA
This all has to do with a patient named Linda. I’ve known her since 1994; she’s 56 years old now. She is a gifted massage therapist with a following of post-traumatic stress disorder clients. In these intervening years, she returned to school and earned a degree in...
Archived Case Studies and Featured Content
Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: An Evidence-Based Guide for Naturopathic Physicians
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can persist long after cancer treatment, affecting pain, balance, function, and quality of life. This review examines evidence-informed strategies for CIPN, including Mediterranean-style nutrition, exercise, acupuncture, duloxetine, cryotherapy and compression, while identifying commonly used supplements that lack benefit or may worsen neuropathy.
Care Beyond the Cure: An Integrative Approach to Palliative Care
Palliative care is not about abandoning treatment or losing hope—it is about adding another layer of support. This article explores an integrative, interdisciplinary approach that introduces symptom management, quality-of-life support, advance care planning, and emotional and spiritual care early in the course of serious illness.
When Rib Pain Comes from the Spine: Thoracic Radiculopathy and Targeted Platelet-Based Treatment
After 2 years of persistent right costal-margin pain, negative visceral evaluations, and unsuccessful conservative treatment, neurodynamic testing and targeted examination localized a suspected T10 radicular source with additional thoracic articular and peripheral neural involvement. A single image-guided, multi-structure platelet-based intervention was followed by substantial and durable improvement in pain and function.
When Pain Was Where Shame Lived: Abdominal Pain and the Mind-Body Connection
After imaging failed to reveal a significant structural explanation for severe recurrent abdominal pain, attention shifted toward chronic stress, body image, and the mind-body connection. This case explores the patient’s experience with craniosacral therapy and integrative care as her relationship with her body changed and her abdominal pain ultimately resolved.
Serial ctDNA in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma: Bridging Naturopathic and Conventional Oncology Care
Serial ctDNA testing provided an evolving molecular picture of advanced ovarian cancer, helping inform treatment decisions as the patient moved between naturopathic and conventional care. This case illustrates how multiple liquid-biopsy platforms can complement CA-125 while adding molecular detail relevant to treatment response and progression.
The Future of Precision Oncology: Molecular Profiling and Personalized Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
How can precision oncology move beyond simply matching a mutation to a drug? Through a case of KRAS G13D metastatic colorectal cancer, this article demonstrates how serial molecular profiling can help clinicians interpret tumor evolution and integrate genomics with metabolism, nutrition, immune-directed strategies, natural medicines, repurposed pharmaceuticals, and conventional oncology.
The Naturopathic Therapeutic Order in Cancer Care: A Framework for Integrative Oncology
How can naturopathic therapies be thoughtfully integrated across the continuum of cancer care? This article applies the Naturopathic Therapeutic Order to oncology, illustrating through a breast cancer case how foundational care, self-healing strategies, system support, symptom management, and conventional treatments can be organized within a comprehensive integrative approach.
Topical Calendula Oil for Cancer Pain: An Opioid-Sparing Analgesic Approach in Recurrent Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Can topical calendula help manage severe cancer-related anal pain? This case report describes a rapid, sustained reduction in pain following topical Calendula officinalis oil in a patient with recurrent anal squamous cell carcinoma, highlighting its potential as a well-tolerated, opioid-sparing adjunct worthy of further clinical investigation.
Viscum album for High-Grade Cervical Dysplasia: A Novel Direct-Application Protocol
This case report describes a novel protocol using direct cervical application of Viscum album in a patient with persistent high-grade cervical dysplasia who was awaiting LEEP. Although causality cannot be established, treatment was well tolerated and was followed by an unexpected absence of residual dysplasia on the excised specimen, supporting further investigation of localized Viscum album therapy as a potential adjunctive approach.
Micronized Progesterone in Advanced Endometrial Cancer: Two Integrative Naturopathic Oncology Case Reports
Could micronized progesterone have a broader role in supportive care for advanced endometrial cancer? These two case reports describe its integration primarily for sleep support in women with high-risk disease, alongside naturopathic and conventional oncology therapies, and discuss its potential hormonal and anticancer relevance as an area for further investigation.
Optimizing Preoperative Nutrition in Cancer Surgery: The Role of Tumor Type, Glycemic Load, and Hydration
Preoperative nutrition in cancer surgery is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. This article examines how tumor metabolism and malnutrition risk can guide protein intake, carbohydrate selection, immuno-nutrition, pancreatic enzyme support, and hydration strategies to better prepare oncology patients for surgery and recovery.
Mebendazole and Fenbendazole for Cancer: Examining the Evidence, Risks, and Potential Harms
Mebendazole and fenbendazole have attracted attention as unconventional cancer therapies, but how strong is the clinical evidence supporting their use? This critical review examines proposed anticancer mechanisms, reported outcomes, potential neurotoxicity and drug resistance, and the importance of informed risk-benefit discussions with cancer patients.
Integrative Supportive Quality of Life Care in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Following COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report
This case report describes the treatment and recovery of a 45-year-old woman with Stage II Classic Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed following COVID-19 infection. Alongside standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a structured integrative supportive care plan—including intravenous nutrient therapy, nutritional optimization, and restorative modalities—was implemented to reduce treatment-related toxicities, support immune resilience, and enhance long-term quality of life.
The Infection Nobody Thought to Look For: Post-Infection Autoimmune Conditions
Jaquel Patterson, ND, MBA, FMCP-M Emerging research links pathogens such as Epstein-Barr virus, SARS-CoV-2, Lyme disease, and other infections to autoimmune disease through molecular mimicry, chronic inflammation, and immune...
Micronized Progesterone in Advanced Endometrial Cancer: Two Integrative Naturopathic Oncology Case Reports
Could micronized progesterone have a broader role in supportive care for advanced endometrial cancer? These two case reports describe its integration primarily for sleep support in women with high-risk disease, alongside naturopathic and conventional oncology therapies, and discuss its potential hormonal and anticancer relevance as an area for further investigation.
Optimizing Preoperative Nutrition in Cancer Surgery: The Role of Tumor Type, Glycemic Load, and Hydration
Preoperative nutrition in cancer surgery is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. This article examines how tumor metabolism and malnutrition risk can guide protein intake, carbohydrate selection, immuno-nutrition, pancreatic enzyme support, and hydration strategies to better prepare oncology patients for surgery and recovery.
Mebendazole and Fenbendazole for Cancer: Examining the Evidence, Risks, and Potential Harms
Mebendazole and fenbendazole have attracted attention as unconventional cancer therapies, but how strong is the clinical evidence supporting their use? This critical review examines proposed anticancer mechanisms, reported outcomes, potential neurotoxicity and drug resistance, and the importance of informed risk-benefit discussions with cancer patients.
Integrative Supportive Quality of Life Care in Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Following COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report
This case report describes the treatment and recovery of a 45-year-old woman with Stage II Classic Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed following COVID-19 infection. Alongside standard chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a structured integrative supportive care plan—including intravenous nutrient therapy, nutritional optimization, and restorative modalities—was implemented to reduce treatment-related toxicities, support immune resilience, and enhance long-term quality of life.
The Infection Nobody Thought to Look For: Post-Infection Autoimmune Conditions
Jaquel Patterson, ND, MBA, FMCP-M Emerging research links pathogens such as Epstein-Barr virus, SARS-CoV-2, Lyme disease, and other infections to autoimmune disease through molecular mimicry, chronic inflammation, and immune...
Paresthesias, White Matter Hyperintensities, and Possible Preclinical Multiple Sclerosis: The Emerging Role of Environmental Mycotoxin Screening
Saied Mushtagh, ND Patients with paresthesias and nonspecific white matter hyperintensities often present diagnostic challenges when imaging is inconclusive for multiple sclerosis. This review examines differential diagnosis, neurologic risk stratification, and...
Rethinking the Thyroid Panel: Thyroid Antibodies, T3, and Brain Fog
Andrea Sulyok, ND Can patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis experience persistent cognitive symptoms despite normal thyroid hormone levels? This article examines the potential roles of thyroid antibodies, tissue-level T3 activity, and objective brain...
Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Autoimmunity and Chronic Inflammation: A Collaborative Case Report
Fatima Hamade, PharmD, BCACP This case report explores the use of compounded low-dose naltrexone (LDN) as an adjunctive therapy for persistent autoimmune symptoms, highlighting its proposed immunomodulatory mechanisms, individualized dosing strategies, and the...
ClarityTx Launches Clinical Decision-Support Platform for Integrative Medicine
ClarityTx, a healthcare technology company, announced the launch of its clinical decision-support platform designed specifically for integrative and functional medicine practitioners. Created by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, the platform helps practitioners...
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Mitochondrial Perspective on Recovery and Root Causes
Wiet van Helmond, Classical Homeopath Drawing from decades of clinical experience and a representative case study, this article explores how mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, post-viral illness, psychosocial stress, and individualized homeopathic...
Custom Publishing
Co-Prescribing Probiotics with Antibiotics: The Case for Omni-Biotic AB 10
Omni-Biotic Human clinical trials demonstrate that functionally targeted Omni-Biotic AB 10 prevents diarrhea, reduces C. difficile risk, and eliminates multidrug resistant organism colonization in the gut. Introduction Antibiotics are among the most...
Quantum Energy Effects on Cell Recovery Rates
Robert Sheaff, PhD, and Ian Mitchell This study investigated whether quantum field exposure generated by Leela Quantum Bloc Technology influences cell recovery rates in human cell lines. A series of double-blind experiments were conducted using Human Dermal...
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Sports Medicine: Clinical Applications in Concussion and Musculoskeletal Injury
Joseph Thomas, MD, MBA, Fellow of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine In collaboration with Oxygen Health Systems Abstract Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has gained traction as an adjunct in sports medicine, particularly in concussion management and musculoskeletal injury....
Featured News
ClarityTx Launches Clinical Decision-Support Platform for Integrative Medicine
ClarityTx, a healthcare technology company, announced the launch of its clinical decision-support platform designed specifically for integrative and functional medicine practitioners. Created by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, the platform helps practitioners...
Naturopathic Medical Education: A Comprehensive Curriculum
Colleen Huber, NMD April 9 2026 The following is a comparison of my conventional medical education and subsequent naturopathic medical education. I wrote this in 2015, and now update it in April 2026, only with updated curriculum links and screenshots from the various...






















