Gary Ferguson, ND : Avante Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska

Naturopathic Medicine

"Naturopathic doctors practice as primary care providers. They make a conventional Western diagnosis using standard diagnostic procedures such as physical examination, laboratory tests, and radiology. However, they also make a pathophysiologic diagnosis using physical and laboratory procedures to assess nutritional status, metabolic function and toxic load. In addition, a considerable amount of time is spent assessing the patient's mental, emotional, social and spiritual status.

Therapeutically, NDs use virtually every known natural therapy: dietetics, therapeutic nutrition, botanical medicine, physical therapy, naturopathic manipulative therapy, lifestyle counseling, exercise therapy, homeopathy, psychological and family counseling and hydrotherapy.

Naturopathic medicine concentrates on whole-patient. Wellness, the medicine, is tailored to the patient and emphasizes prevention and self-care. Naturopathic medicine attempts to find the underlying cause of the patient's condition rather than focusing solely on symptomatic treatment. Naturopathic doctors cooperate with all other branches of medical science referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate."

Gary Ferguson, ND

Gary Ferguson completed his Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM) in 2001 and has been a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in the State of Alaska since that time. Additional training includes a 10-month Fellowship with I.H.S. Healthy Native Communities. He presents at local and national conferences on such topics as Stress and Chronic Disease, Holistic Healing for Addictions, Diabetes Wellness, and Stress Management. He serves as a board member for Access Alaska, The Aleut Foundation and First People Visitor Center; He is a Steering Committee member for Take Heart Alaska and the Alaska Tobacco Control Alliance. He is also a Workgroup member for the NIH/CDC National Diabetes Education Program American Indian and Alaska Native Workgroup.

Dr. Ferguson is also currently the Director of Wellness and Prevention at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium where he uses his training as a Naturopathic Doctor to assist the Alaska Tribal Health System in creating healthy communities.

Dr. Ferguson's comprehensive lifestyle approach is one of empowerment with his patients. He likes to spend longer sessions with clients. "I see myself as a Lifestyle Coach, helping patients understand the links between nutrition and lifestyle, learning behaviors that help them achieve a greater degree of wellness." He uses Chinese and Western herbal formulas along with nutritional approaches as his primary therapeutic modalities.