Health benefits are about to expire – are you leaving yours unclaimed?
You work hard for your money. You make plans for your paychecks, whether you want to spend them right away or save for a later purchase. But money may not be the only thing you earn at your job. What about health benefits? Do you plan for those in the same way? If you’re like most Canadians, the answer is probably ‘no’. It’s important to remember that you’ve earned these benefits, and you might as well claim them while you can. Many extended health benefits now cover naturopathic medicine! CBC recently reported that paramedical benefits (such as naturopathic medicine health insurance benefits) have increased in usage over the last decade, but only a small percentage of those eligible are claiming them.
The benefit of health benefits
If you work at a company that offers health benefits for naturopathic medicine, there’s a reason your company is putting out money for that: preventative care. Naturopathic medicine aims to stop acute and chronic diseases before they even start. This means less sick days, less prescription medications required, and employees who are healthier and happier. That’s win-win for the employee AND the employer.
How does naturopathic medicine do this? It’s based on the principle of tolle causam, which is latin for “treat the cause”. Rather than treating symptoms over and over every time they pop up, naturopathic doctors identify the root cause of the problem and treat that, which in turn leads to the reduction or even the disappearance of symptoms.
Let’s use a migraine headache as an example. If a patient suffers from migraines, they could take a Tylenol when they feel one coming on. But when they come to see a naturopathic doctor, we try to figure out what’s actually triggering the migraine. It can often be a food sensitivity the patient never knew they had, and once the patient eliminates this food from the diet, the migraines go away. Stress is another common trigger for migraines. In this case the naturopathic doctor would provide the patient with stress management tools such as breathing exercises and meditation. Every patient is an individual, and naturopathic doctors treat them as such. You get a treatment plan created just for you, to treat your unique needs!
What if I don’t have any serious health problems?
Even if you don’t suffer from a chronic or serious condition like migraine headaches, there is always room for health improvement and illness prevention. When cold season is coming up (which is very soon, by the way!) you can see your naturopathic doctor for an immune-boosting treatment plan. If you foresee a stressful time coming your way (like the upcoming holiday season) then see your naturopathic doctor for a relaxation appointment. Having a rough week? Come to my clinic and I’ll provide some relaxing music, an empathic listening ear, some Chinese cupping or acupuncture, and guide you through a meditation. If you’re not using your extended health benefits to their full potential, then you are essentially losing money! To take full advantage of your health coverage, book with Dr. Corina Kibsey, N.D. today.
Image courtesy of: Vitaly
