A Naturopathic Doctor, or ND, is a licensed physician that abides by a different philosophy of practice than traditional MD’s and specializes in holistic or naturopathic medicine. The ND philosophy is that the nature of pain is to resolve, and when the pain is not going away, this is an indication that there is a deeper issue at play. They examine the patient holistically–by considering their entire being: biochemical, physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual. They do this to identify what the “root cause” of the issue is, so that it can be treated and healed, rather than “shutting off” symptoms and potentially driving the illness deeper into the body.