Amy Bader, ND

Amy Bader, ND, practices naturopathic medicine in Portland, Oregon, and will soon begin practicing...read more

What’s Bugging You? (The One Supplement You Can’t Do Without)

I have just been cornered at a dinner party. “We heard you’re a naturopathic doctor. What supplements should we take?” There it is: the most-asked question. The answer to the question comes easily to me. “Bugs,” I say. I see strange looks on all their faces. “Seriously, you should take bugs.” The bugs I am referring to are the healthy bacteria which live in our gastrointestinal system. We call them gut flora or probiotics. Our intestinal tracts are home...Read entire article »

Inflammation: Good, Bad or all Hype?

We all know the golden rule of real estate: location, location, location. In naturopathic medicine, the rule is inflammation, inflammation, inflammation. In its beginning stages, inflammation is the body’s healing response to an injury, irritation or microbial invasion. For instance, if I catch a cold, my body creates inflammation in the form of a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. As annoying as these symptoms are, they are signs of a healthy body healing itself. However, when the inflammation...Read entire article »

How the 6 Principles of Naturopathy Transformed a Science Geek into a Doctor

I am a geek. I mean that in the best way. In my quest to become a doctor, I studied with a vengeance. I loved it! The more I learned, the more impassioned I grew. Biology, physiology, biochemistry and physics (my favorite) made sense to me. These sciences reinforced one another and collectively served as a foundation from which all other information was cultivated. With this knowledge I learned—and now wholeheartedly practice and teach—naturopathic medicine. I want to share...Read entire article »