After helping tens and thousands of patients navigate through the complexities of Candida overgrowth, we understand the challenges you face.

Each month, we receive thousands of emails from individuals just like you, seeking guidance on how to find the right specialist or expert to address their Candida issues.

Realizing the need for a clear and concise roadmap, we’ve created this essential list of questions.

Think of it as a checklist, a tool designed to simplify your search and preparation for the right consultation.

Our aim is to alleviate the stress and uncertainty that often accompanies the process of seeking specialized care. This checklist is a distillation of our extensive experience, tailored to provide you with clarity and direction.

Before you step into the office of a Candida specialist, we encourage you to go through these questions. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions, ask the right questions, and ultimately find the expert who can best address your unique needs.

How to find the naturopath that is right for you and your case?

While searching for a naturopathic doctor that is right for you, consider the following points:

Is the ND licensed or board certified?

Practising NDs should have a license or must be board certified. Ensuring this will help you find out if the ND actually has the education that they claim to have.

Where did he/she go to school?

This is information that you should find out to know the quality of education that they have received.

What is their unique practice style and what kind of treatments they use?

What exactly do they practice? Acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, or a mix of a few different treatments? Would their practice style and treatments suit you – are you comfortable with them?

Are they evidence based? Do they use research based treatments?

A ND using research based evidence is trying to provide you something that you can depend on. When there is scientific evidence for something, it gives more weight to it. A good ND should be able to give you an opinion after weighing all the information that is available – the scientific and the natural.

Are they friendly?

It is rather important that the ND you choose is friendly, is a good listener and is sensitive to your concerns. They should not be afraid to field your questions/doubts and help you understand why certain things work in the way they do in a friendly manner. A good doctor knows that they are not “all-knowing” and would learn from every patient experience to enrich themselves with the knowledge from many – and thereby help even more people.

What is their area of specialization and expertise?

You would want to go to ND who specializes in candida issues and has ample experience with them if you want to get rid of candida overgrowth So, it may be important to find out the expertise of the ND for best results.

What about integrity?

You want someone who is not out there to cheat you, to make false claims. So do your own research and find out about the integrity of the ND. You can look at patient recommendations, maybe even find other patients and talk to them about their experience.

Are they up-to-date with latest research?

It is a really good sign that a doctor keeps up-to-date with the latest research. While a doctor can be really busy with their time schedules, it is their duty as a doctor to know what is happening currently in the field. They should not be giving you something that has long been proven to be ineffective or even bad. They should also be up-to-date on any cutting-edge test that could be used by their patients.

Do they go to events or give lectures?

A presence of ND (or any doctor) at lecture events or conferences shows that they are open to the world – that they are sharing information and also learning themselves from different points-of-views out there. Events and lectures are a great place for specialists to meet and exchange information. This is another way that they could be keeping themselves updated on the latest research.

Do they practice what they preach?

A good sign that your ND practices what they preach if you find them in good health, good weight, high energy levels etc. You would not want to use help of a natural health practitioner who is unable to take care of their own health.

Are they familiar with clinical pathology testing and how to read your test results?

Candida overgrowth, can only be ascertained with lab tests and your symptoms alone cannot say that you have the overgrowth. Hence it is very important that the ND knows about the clinical tests available for different ailments and conditions. Also important for them is to know how to understand and interpret the results that come back from the lab. They should be able to prescribe individualized treatment to a patient based on the test results.

Are they affordable?

Well, generally good NDs with demand and expertise can be expensive. However, one should always exercise common sense in judging if they are overpriced. Listen to your gut-feeling.

Do they have any online presence like on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter? Or a YouTube channel where they talk/share and answer questions related to their topic?

The presence of the ND on social media indicates that they are not afraid to share their knowledge – they are out there to help the patients by empowering them with information. That they also address at least some concerns of the people online shows that they are trustworthy. You can also judge their quality of expertise from the information they provide. Not only that, it shows their passion for giving out knowledge and their accessibility.

Once/if you have found a fair few potential NDs for your condition, try ranking them based on the above points and choose the one that gets the highest score.

Few extra questions

Since we wrote this guide we have had a lot of people ask us questions so we have added those here as well.

Are all NDs the same?

The basic education of all NDs would be the same however they may differ based on the additional naturopathic education that they received, for example traditional Chinese medicine or acupuncture. There are also additional speciality training and certifications that they may have. Also, different NDs may choose one or two different modalities while excluding all others – for example, dietary supplements and plant-based medicines. You might want to know the focus of your chosen ND as that will also help you find out the right ND for your needs.

Is your visit to the ND covered by your healthcare?

Most governmental health covers around the globe do not cover a visit to ND. However, several private insurance companies cover that. Whether you are covered would depend on where you are located and the healthcare insurance plan that you have. Call your insurance company to find out if you will be covered for a visit to the ND.

What a naturopathic physician can and cannot do for you?

You should be clear as to what your expectations should be from a naturopathic physician. Having been trained in naturopathic medicine, a naturopathic medicine can treat many acute and chronic ailments. A naturopathic physician can help you through certain ailments that sometimes a medical practitioner has a difficult time with, for example candida overgrowth issues. This would especially be true if they have enough clinical experience and have treated many patients of a similar type and have also researched the ailment well by themselves. The thing about naturopathic medicine is that being holistic in nature it needs you to learn to listen to your body. A good ND can actually empower you by educating and engaging you in your own health by understanding your body and listening to it.

Under situations like a broken bone or if you need surgery, the naturopathic doctor will not be able to help you. A good naturopathic physician will always refer you to conventional medical treatment whenever needed.

Where to start looking for NDs?

If you are in the USA, you can look up American Association for Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).

If you are in Canada, you can look up Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors.

If you are in the UK, you can look up College of Naturopathic Medicine.

If you live outside US/Canada/UK, then we suggest you look up your local Naturopath Association and get in touch with them.

If you are still not sure then drop us an email and one of our team members will be more than happy to help you find the right naturopath.