Welcome to Health Roots Natural Medicine, a holistic medical clinic in Portland, Oregon, offering the best of modern and traditional primary care.  Dr. Mindy Cash and Dr. Ann Holland are board certified naturopathic physicians and licensed acupuncturists who utilize a broad spectrum of conventional and alternative treatments for the whole family.

Naturopathic doctors use the following diagnostic and treatment modalities:

In 420 BC, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said, "Leave your drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient with food." Many of the chronic health problems that plague Americans today are the result of poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, and gastrointestinal problems develop as a consequence of the food we choose. By changing our diet and adopting a healthier lifestyle, we can often change or reverse the course of an illness and restore health. Naturopathic doctors are trained in assessing nutritional status and recommending dietary changes and vitamin and mineral supplementation.

Botanical medicine (phytotherapy) has been used for thousands of years. Current scientific studies have validated the use of many plants as medicines. Today, 80% of the world's population uses plants to treat illness. Plants are used medicinally because they do not have high toxicity, accumulate in the body, or cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms. Herbs are used to enhance immune function; improve digestion; normalize bodily functions; destroy bacteria, viruses, and fungi; soothe irritated tissues; calm nerves; and relax muscles. Examples of botanical treatments are teas, poultices, and tinctures.

 

In the 18th century, Dr. Samuel Hahneman discovered that substances that cause specific symptoms in large doses could cure those same symptoms in infinitesimal doses. For example, when a healthy individual is given quinine in large doses, it produces symptoms of malaria. Yet, when very small doses of quinine are given to an individual with malaria, it helps ease the symptoms. This is known as the Law of Similars. Homeopathic medicines, known as remedies, are produced from animals, plants, and minerals. The naturopathic doctor prescribes remedies based on an individual's unique symptoms or characteristics. This means that two people who have the flu may receive different remedies because their symptoms are different. It requires training and skill to determine the appropriate remedy. When the appropriate remedy (called the similimum) is given, it can produce powerful and effective results. Homeopathy is used to treat all forms of acute and chronic illness and injury and is safe for children, pregnant or lactating women, and the elderly.

- Diagnostic radiology and other imaging techniques
- Physical medicine (i.e., ultrasound, micro current, manipulation)
- Minor surgery
- Naturopathic obstetrics (requires additional training)

Chinese medicine is an ancient medical system based on the Daoist view of a universe where everything is interrelated. Through thousands of years of observation and practice, the Chinese have developed a unique method of understanding the structure of the internal organs and the body's physiological processes. Today that medicine is called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Chinese medicine is designed to promote and maintain health through diet and exercise. If illness occurs, it is treated with acupuncture, herbs, and Qigong. Chinese medicine practitioners diagnose and treat all types of illness and disease. It is undeniably a valid and effective form of medicine.