What is a Naturopath, and what does one actually do? How does a "Traditional" Naturopath differ in philosophy and scope of practice from other types of so called "alternative" practitioners? What can I expect to gain by seeking out and consulting with a practitioner like Shauna? Are my health freedoms and choices in the United States and beyond really under attack? These are just a few of the questions and answers that are addressed by Shauna K. Young, a Certified Traditional Naturopath (CTN) with a PhD in Natural Sciences, in this unconventional and revealing look at a medical art and health option that is being exponentially embraced by the public, and is therefore under increasing scrutiny and literal attack from a number of forces within the government and other medical communities. With the way that the healthcare (or rather "sick-care") industry functions in this country and elsewhere today, books and other sources of information addressing these issues are vitally important. Even though these works are certainly not fun and sometimes even a trial to read, they are necessary for gathering the kind of information not being readily or voluntarily disseminated by the Allopathic medical and pharmaceutical powers-that-be. This is NOT one of those books.... Just from the lighthearted title alone, it should be easy for the potential reader to anticipate that this is not going to be a "hard" study, or that taking on this book will prove to be one of those tasks you feel you probably should do, but don't really want to do. Rather than shrink from the label of "Quack" that is so often attributed to anyone who dares to challenge conventional thought or tread outside the confines of the dogmatic and exclusionary medical paradigm, this book embraces it - taking it more as a compliment in being recognized as freshly different from the stagnant norm. While there is undoubtedly a lot of extremely useful and easy to understand healthcare and wellness information in this book, that education is probably not the primary impression the reader will be left with. No, instead this book is purposely conversational in tone to be easily understood. It is presented as more of a memoir and cautionary tale than a medical lecture. This book is like no other - Part informational, part personal memoir, part plea for people to wake up and take charge of and protect their own health freedoms, this book shines always with humor, love, intelligence and passion. It will definitely make you laugh, and maybe cry, but mostly it will make you think. After reading this, hopefully there will be many more people out there who will believe and assert that their own health shouldn't be up to anyone else, and that they should always defend personal options and choice when it comes to their own bodies. Rather than "live and learn", this book instead encourages people to "learn and live"!
About the Author: Dr. Shauna Young is the owner and Medical Director of the Assertive Wellness Research Center of Durango, CO, which first opened its doors in 2001. To date, her center has had the distinct pleasure of seeing thousands of clients who have had the confidence to travel from every U.S. State and even several foreign countries based almost exclusively on referrals from other practitioners and satisfied clients. In 2005, after four years of clinical observations and experience, Shauna began specific research regarding her theorized negative effects of excess and stored manganese on the human neurological and sensory input systems and its possible symptomatic connections to Autism and other neurological, learning and behavioral disorders in both children and adults. The unique success of this clinical research, originally referred to as "The Popeye Protocol" and currently as the "Spectrum Balance(R) Protocol", led to her receiving speaking engagements and Distinguished Awards of Excellence in both May of 2006 and May of 2007 from the internationally-recognized Global Foundation for Integrative Medicine. Shauna holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Natural Sciences and based on the merits of her research, theories and doctoral thesis on Manganism as it relates to Autism, was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Natural Sciences from the University of Natural Medicine in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In February of 2008 she was also knighted into the international Sovereign Medical Order of the Knights Hospitaller in recognition of the unique impact of her work with Autism and for positively advancing the field of natural medicine in general. Shauna serves as the Chief Medical Advisor for the NoHarm Foundation (www.noharmfoundation.org), a Colorado not-for-profit organization formed with the primary goal of releasing this vastly important information with the intent of ushering in a new paradigm in research and providing real help for countless suffering children and adults. This information to date has been downloaded and utilized at no cost to families living in more than 60 countries. For a number of years now she has been an international lecturer on many aspects of natural medicine, the "Spectrum Balance(R) Protocol", Autism Spectrum Disorders and many other health related topics. Shauna is currently working on her second book that will specifically highlight and chronicle her research and uniquely successful work with Autism Spectrum Disorders.