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Dr. Daemon Jones: My Journey To A Career In Naturopathic Medicine

 
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It has been quite a journey in becoming "Dr. Dae" (pronounced Dr. Day). In this first blog entry, I would like to share parts of my experience on this journey as I think it is critical to understanding my love and commitment to the practice of naturopathic medicine.

I never planned to be a doctor, instead I had set out to be a successful business person. I thought job stability and a good salary were the keys to happiness. After graduating from Northwestern University and accepting a position at a large international consulting firm, I was on the fast track to making my dreams come true. I was super excited by my new glamorous career even if it meant I would be working 12-14 hours a day, 6-7 days per week.

Well, after 2 years of working this kind of schedule, I was more than over my so-called glamourous career. At the tender age of 24, I had become completely miserable with my lifestyle and often found myself crying on the way to work. I realized my job was not only unsatisfying, it drained my energy, and my joy. Even though I had money, I didn't have time to enjoy it, or create the types of relationships or family time that would be truly fulfilling for me.

Around this time I was introduced to a different type of doctor - a naturopathic physician. She was recommended to me as a professional who could help me learn to manage my stress, my acne and my fatigue. I didn't know what she was going to do but I was so weary that I was game to try something new.

On my first visit, she asked questions about all aspects of my life- eating habits, sleeping habits, stress level, medical and social history. I soon learned that naturopathic physicians believe that the body has the innate ability to heal itself from any type of illness, mental, emotional, physical or spiritual. These doctors use safe and effective natural treatments to support the bodies ability to heal itself. What I learned from her was that my mind and body are all connected and are affected by the way I live my life.

Over time I became fascinated by how my body and life changed as I took her direction in changing my eating habits, my behaviors and using natural remedies.

The more I learned about the philosophy and treatment options available through naturopathic medicine, the more I began to contemplate a career change. For me, this kind of practice represented the opportunity to help patients learn about their bodies and their health. It was the opportunity to use non-invasive natural treatments and to help people get better and stay better throughout their lives. This inspiration was the key to my career change. It literally gave me a new purpose in life. I knew that it worked because it had worked for me. So I decided to go back to university and complete a full set of pre-med classes that are prerequisites to applying to naturopathic medical school.

It took me 2 years to complete my pre-med classes and get accepted to one of the 4 (now 5) naturopathic schools in the country. While naturopathic medical school teaches about balance, it is nonetheless an extremely rigorous program.

The first 2 years are basic sciences - building the foundation for understanding how the body works. The second 2 years are patient-centered. Students intern and learn to treat patients under the supervision of licensed naturopathic physicians and medical doctors. There is additional coursework to complete in herbs, nutrition, physical medicine, counseling, homeopathy, minor surgery, emergency medicine and pharmacology.

After graduation from University of Bridgeport's College of Naturopathic Medicine (UBCNM) and completion of the licensing exam, I moved back to the DC area and opened my practice. Five years later, I am introducing myself to you as Dr. Dae, naturopathic physician and author of Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living.

I am honored and excited to be able to share my thoughts, my vision and my perspectives on how people can and do heal their bodies, their minds and their lives.

BIO:
Dr. Daemon Jones completed her undergraduate education in economics at Northwestern University (graduated 1992). She completed her naturopathic medical training at University of Bridgeport’s College of Naturopathic Medicine (2002). Dr. Jones founded Healthydaes Naturopathic Medical Center in Silver Spring, MD (2003. As a naturopathic physician, Dr. Jones is turning her life’s passion – the pursuit of vibrant health – into her life’s mission for others. She uses private consultations, cooking demonstrations, lectures and workshops as a hands-on way to help people enjoy learning about improving their health. She is a faculty member of Smith Farms Center for Healing and the Arts and Food As Medicine Professional Training program. Dr. Jones is the author of Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Health published in 2007.

Visit Dr. Jones at her website:
www.healthydaes.org.

Share your naturopathic medical experiences with the EmpowHer community at https://www.empowher.com/share.

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