Doctors draw on nature
By SARAH CODDINGTON - North Shore Times
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A Milford doctor prescribes both antibiotics and natural remedies to his patients.
Milford Health Clinic and family medical centre director Paul Butler believes that orthodox and holistic medical thinking should complement each other.
"General practitioners seem to be much more aware of the interest in natural therapies among the public," he says.
"Lots of people use natural remedies, whether it is eating honey or using massage therapies."
The diverse team at the general practice includes general practitioners, psychologists, massage therapists and yoga practitioners.
Dr Butler says studies have shown that about 20 percent of training doctors take a natural therapy course.
He has studied acupuncture and nutrition.
"Doctors working in secondary care and specialists - apart from a few I've met - are lagging in their awareness of the potentially very positive effects of combining natural therapies with conventional care," he says.
Dr Butler says a lot of illnesses can be cured with changes in lifestyle, diet and exercise.
He often uses a combination of natural remedies and prescribed medications on his patients.
He was recently appointed the chairman of the Auckland Faculty of the College of General Practitioners and is a trustee of the Wellpark College of Natural Therapies, a natural health training institute.
With a bit more research into holistic medicine Dr Butler believes natural therapies could boost New Zealand's economy and says the country is a large supplier of natural remedies.
"New Zealand has the ability to model wellness to the whole world and it's almost as though the world expects it of us," he says.
Dr Butler believes health is a "sustainability" issue and hopes New Zealand continues to look at medicine as a whole and not as separate parts.
"How can humans ever be well if the environment they live in isn't?"
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