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  Fundamental MedicineTeresa Gryder, ND
Fundamental Medicine is the Future of Medicine
There is nothing more basic than living well and preventing disease and injury. My goal is to help you attain a state of health that helps you live long and well, without need of doctors, medicine or hospitals.  I am willing and able to use methods from conventional medicine as well as alternatives; some combination is usually better than either alone.

Conventional doctors (MD's) are required by their employers and by insurance to practice within a certain standard of care.  Their standard of care dictates short visits addressing billable codes.  It is not about you. It is also not about the evidence.  The scientific evidence in medicine these days is mostly funded by and for the benefit of pharmaceutical companies.  It is not about you.  If Dr Gryder believed that studies evaluating drugs were the only relevant science, and if Dr Gryder accepted insurance, she would be limited in the same way.  By practicing outside of the existing medical system she is free to address your situation fully, taking the time that is needed to really understand, and using everything we know from science to provide you with ways that you can improve your own situation without resorting to drugs or surgery.  She can also help you prepare for surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and other challenges of modern medicine, so that you get the best possible results.

Dr Gryder is different from most naturopaths in that she is a science-minded skeptic. She is not selling one line of supplements, or suggesting one treatment for everyone. She is dedicated to finding out the truth about medicine. She spends her "free time" filtering through the claims on all sides, reading incoming studies, working to understand which treatments really are most effective. She will discuss any and all treatments with you, but she will only give or recommend treatments that have the best chance of resolving your concern. She does not give placebos or suggest evaluations that have been proven ineffective. She knows that effective treatments can come from any tradition, just as ineffective ones can. Fundamental Medicine is a return to the basics: those small changes that we can make in our lives that best support health and vitality, and help us throw off the challenges that life brings. Changing your life isn't easy, but it is worth it when it brings you greater health and happiness than you ever thought possible.


Training and Licensing of Naturopaths
In order to be licensed and legally practice medicine, a Naturopath must graduate from a credentialed 4-year school and complete many hours of clinicals and preceptorships.  This is preparation for a general primary care practice. The first two years of naturopathic training are the same as that for an MD, covering biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, physical exams, lab diagnosis and palpation lab.  The remaining years are when ND training diverges from the conventional path, covering alternate diagnostic approaches and treatments and spending countless hours with real patients learning what it means to be someone's lifeline.

There is no way that one person can ever know everything there is to know about human health and illness. There is no way that anyone can learn it all in school. The best physicians are the ones whose eyes, hearts and minds remain open, and who continue to learn for the duration of their careers. I have been a student of medicine since I was young, and I am grateful to have finally found a field that permits me to practice building health, as opposed to attacking disease.

The following states have licensing laws for Naturopathic Physicians: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Washington DC., Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington,  and the United States Territories or Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. We're getting close to having licensing laws passed in other states, and in some states we're not so close. There are Naturopaths practicing in all 50 states and around the world, but without a medical license our practice is restricted.  It is hard to assess the skills of a Naturopath in states without licensing, because anybody can claim the title.  It is wise to investigate the qualifications of your physician, including their education, licenses and certifications.   A legitimate Naturopath will have a license, even if they are living in a state that will not license them.