The "house doctor"
at the new Nature's superstore on Northeast Fremont Street
thinks Portlanders should eat more meat. Still, it's a little
stunning to discover that this naturopath is a closet fan
of Burger King Whoppers. His individualized approach to medicine--your
headache may be much different than mine--has more to do with
common sense than New Age mysticism.
Willamette Week: What kind of education do you
need to be a naturopath?
Jeffrey Baker: Similar to medical school. It's a
four-year program. The first two years are science and conventional
diagnostics--how to take a blood test, read an X-ray, etc.--just
like traditional medical school. The main difference is
that we come from a different perspective: that the body
is able to heal itself.
Do you actually perform regular physical exams?
Not here at Nature's. Essentially I'm here for information.
At my practice (the Tabor Hill Clinic, 2002 SE 50th Ave.),
I give regular physicals. I'm licensed as a primary-care
physician, so I take blood pressure, etc.
Do you make over or under $50,000 a year?
Under.
What do most people ask you here at Nature's?
'Why am I so tired?'
Why are they?
One reason is because there are so many vegetarians in
this area. People load up on carbs and don't eat enough
protein. A couple of chunks of tofu a day isn't gonna cut
it. Being a vegetarian is problematic.
Are you pro-Zone?
I don't preach the Zone per se, but it's got a lot of good
points and I've seen it help a lot of people. The Atkins
[diet], on the other hand, can be really dangerous.
What do you usually eat for breakfast?
A protein shake.
Do you ever eat energy bars?
No. They're too carbohydrate-heavy. If I had to have one,
though, Balance bars are probably the best.
Do you drink alcohol?
Occasionally.
Is it a waste of money to self-prescribe vitamins and
herbs?
Potentially. Just like conventional drugs, herbs and vitamins
are very specific and individual. The increase in the commercialization
of naturopathic medicine has empowered people, but it has
also encouraged them to take a conventional approach. When
you take ginseng for "energy," you're using herbs like conventional
medicine and treating a symptom, rather than looking into
your individual needs.
Pot: friend or foe?
I have a patient using cannabis medicinally, and it's keeping
her off narcotics.
Do you see more men or women?
Most of my patients are women. One of the biggest issues
many of them have is hormonal birth control. I see birth
control pills as being the culprit for a lot of women's
health problems.
What do you prescribe the most?
I'm an herbalist, so I prescribe from about 70 or 80 different
herbs. Usually I'll put together four to six herbs in a
formula. The ones I use commonly are liver supporters like
milk thistle and dandelion. Also hawthorn, which is the
most comprehensive herb for dealing with hypertension and
other heart problems.
Is there a wonder herb that everyone could use?
Ashwaganda. It's a tonifying herb that just helps you deal
with American culture. It's particularly helpful for weight
loss and managing stress. I put it in 70 to 80 percent of
my prescriptions.
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Willamette Week | originally
published October 13,
1999
|
