Lara Litov, ND
1370 116th Avenue NE, Suite 201
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone 425-457-7799
Fax 425-614-0678
“I am forever grateful to Dr. Litov as is my family!”
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PL
“Dr. Litov figured out what none of my other doctors could and treated me successfully.”
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PK
“A wonderful and caring doctor”
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WK
“Thank you for the great care you have given me over the years”
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MB
“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
- Thomas Edison
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Healthcare Philosophy
Dr. Litov's practice emphasizes:
- Focusing on each individual’s unique path to health.
- Working not only with the symptoms and diagnosis of disease, but to unearth and treat the root causes in order to achieve a deeper level of optimal health.
- Looking beyond symptoms and disease to inspire, encourage, and empower patients to optimize their health potential.
- Utilizing primarily natural, non-toxic treatments to work with the body and mind to stimulate and nourish the person’s innate healing abilities, to achieve a better state of health and wellness.
- Respecting and employing both traditional and conventional diagnostic tools and treatments.
- Working as a team member with the patient and other health care providers in the community, and referring when appropriate.
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a system of health care that incorporates many treatment modalities and methods of diagnosis, combining wisdom and history with science. What makes naturopathic medicine distinct is the underlying philosophy that guides it and that is infused in the education and practice of naturopaths.
Principles & Philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine
Use the Healing Power of Nature
Access the body's own strong innate capacity for self-healing by setting up the right environments for healing to take place. This also refers to honoring, exploring, and utilizing the healing properties found in nature.
Find and Treat the Cause
Identify and eliminate underlying obstacles that create disease (don't just relieve symptoms). Symptoms will usually return if the root of the problem has not been addressed.
First, Do No Harm
Heal without the use of harmful substances or invasive procedures when possible.
Treat the Whole Person
We each have a unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, sexual, and spiritual makeup. All of these factors affect our health. Naturopaths honor and address these.
Doctor Is Teacher
Educate patients on how to achieve and sustain good health, empowering them to own the process of both getting well and staying well.
Prevention
It is important to prevent disease as well as treat disease.
Naturopathic Medicine...
- Is a system of medicine that honors, encourages, and utilizes the healing power of nature—both our innate ability to heal ourselves and the planets offerings of healing modalities.
- Is a Western-based system of medicine that sees the value and importance in various types of medicine and integrates conventional and various traditional types of medicine.
- Focuses on the underlying cause- the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.
Facts about Naturopathic Medicine
- Truth comes in many forms, and in medicine, both science and clinical (or observational-science) information are valuable.
- Naturopathic training not only emphasizes the scientific diagnoses and treatments of dis-ease, but also stresses the naturopath's role as a doctor or teacher.
- Naturopaths are dedicated to empowering people by educating them about health, disease, treatments, and prevention.
- In naturopathic medicine, the person—not the disease—is being treated.
- Naturopathic medicine is the only branch of medicine that formally trains doctors in dietary treatment and prevention of disease, herbs, and homeopathy along with conventional treatments.
- Naturopathic doctors believe that drugs and surgery have an important place in our health care world, but many things can be done before and/or after those actions are needed—not just prevention, but treatment using less aggressive methods.
- Training and internship for naturopaths includes using Western diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, minor surgery and homeopathy, botanical medicine, physical medicine (exercise, manipulation, hydrotherapy, muscular work), clinical and therapeutic nutrition, counseling, stress management, and teaching, as well as basic training in Eastern-based medicine such as Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine.
- Naturopathic philosophy is the key to this field of medicine and what sets it apart. A practitioner can use any of these modalities in numerous ways depending on the philosophy.