faqs

What should I expect from my first consultation?

You should expect your initial consultation to last anything from 1-2 hours. Aliza will ask you a series of in-depth questions about your health, your concerns and your diet and lifestyle. Please bring along or email in advance any copies of tests you may have had performed and the name/dosage of any medication, herbs or nutritional supplements you may already be taking.

How many appointments will I need?

The number of appointments you will need depends on the nature of your condition, how your body responds to treatment and to your personal commitment to get healthy. It goes without saying that if you follow your prescribed treatment protocol diligently you will see more marked and rapid improvements to your health and therefore need fewer appointments. If you have been unwell for a long time you are likely to need several follow-ups to monitor your progress, make any amendments to your treatment plan, and for support. If you are after a simple Wellness programme or for guidance on how to eat healthily, you may only need one follow-up appointment, or a review every few months, depending on your needs and preferences. Weight-loss patients may need significantly more support and this varies on a case-by-case basis.

Your long-term plan will be discussed during your initial consultation.

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

It is the use of well-researched herbs and therapeutic dose supplements – all of which have been shown to be effective in clinical trials- for the treatment of disease.

Does natural medicine work and why would I use this form of treatment?

Natural therapies can be extremely effective, but often take longer than conventional medical treatment to take effect. You may well ask then, why bother taking the natural route? Naturopathic medicine treats the root cause of the symptom or disease, whereas orthodox medicine deals simply with the symptom. Putting a patch over the symptom gives immediate but often only temporary relief. Furthermore, long term or regular use of pharmaceutical drugs often lead to side effects sometimes requiring additional medication to off-set them.

Poor nutrition, emotional stress and environmental toxins are often the root trigger of disease, so it makes sense that a healthy lifestyle is the best way to achieve health. If you were to put diesel fuel into a petrol car it wouldn’t work. Similarly, if you don’t fuel your body with the nutrients that are essential to its functioning it will not work well either.

I’ve tried multivitamins before and they didn’t do anything for me. Can you explain why?

All supplements are not created equal. Sadly, many of the supplements that can readily be bought on the High Street either do not contain absorbable forms of vitamins/minerals or are too low dose to have a marked effect on the body. With supplements, more often than not, you get what you pay for and that is why they vary so wildly in price. A trained naturopath or nutritional therapist will usually prescribe what is known as a therapeutic dose of a good quality product for as long as it is needed to bring the patient’s body into balance. High doses of supplements or herbs should not be self-prescribed as they could be dangerous.