Dr. ABIGAIL EGGINTON

As a lifelong ‘bookworm’, I often feel that the stories that were read to me as a child, created the person I became. When I was first introduced to Naturopathic medicine, I thought back to being read “Heidi”. This had been my first exposure to the idea that time in the mountains and in the fresh air could be medicinal but I think it resonated with enough logic that it had stuck in my developing mind.

Having grown up healthy and among healthy people, perhaps this belief system remained in the recesses of my brain until it was reignited by a college January-term class titled ‘Food in Chinese Culture’. The class was focused on food, but in China the relationship between food and health is not as strained as in our Western culture. My interest in Chinese Medicine was piqued and I followed my curiosity during a semester long independent study, researching the ancient Chinese Medicine texts. I was awed by the idea of feeding people food that was aimed to address their disease or pathology.

Though already on a pre-med track, I was inspired to find a way of practicing medicine that was more holistic and comprehensive than what I had seen in conventional medicine. As The Yellow Emperor’s Classics of Medicine says, “A good healer cannot depend on skill alone. The healer must have correct attitude, sensitivity, compassion and a sense of responsibility.” I wanted to work with patients in a way that I wasn’t sure conventional medicine had the space or time for.

Though I loved studying the 5 elements of Chinese Medicine and their relationship to disease, the ancient descriptions of pathology – “a wind in your spleen” – seemed so far from our modern medicine and the cures – shark fin – so distant, that I sought a holistic approach to medicine more in line with our modern day lives. When I discovered Naturopathic Medicine with its fusion of ancient Eastern health systems and evidence based medicine, I knew I had found my calling. The Naturopathic philosophies were in line with my values and seemed to encapsulate how I viewed our greatest healing potential.

In my own health hurdles, I’ve seen first hand the power that healthy and clean food and fresh air can have on our body’s ability to heal and our mind’s perspective of our situation. Exercise, deep breathing and love make everything better. And laughter is the best medicine.

I come from a family of educators (no doctors!) and so the Naturopathic principle of Docere, ‘doctor as teacher’, is where my work is rooted. I appreciate having the time with patients to help them in understanding their health conditions and what can support them on their road to wellness. And as I support them on their journey, I hope that I can remind them of these basic tenets of health and wellness that we all need to be reminded of from day to day.