We recently connected with Dr. Ciara Lumaj and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Ciara, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Veering away from conventional medicine, I decided to pursue a Naturopathic Doctorate (ND) instead of Medical Doctorate (MD), meaning I would take sacrifice recognition/licensing in all states to only on a state-by-state basis causing massive limitations on my scope of practice. Why would I do this? Because naturopathic medicine prompts creativity, innovation, and recognizing that the standard approach of “one-size-fits-all” is not what heals one from disease, rather, it can momentarily stop a process.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a first-generation Albanian-American, my parents immigrated in the 1980s, bringing with them their deep-rooted notions of health and well-being. Instead of TVs and video games, we were sent outside for the whole day to dig in the dirt and see how many worms we could find. When we were sick, tea and honey and 10+ hours of sleep would do the trick. My mom’s passion for natural remedies/medicine consistently grew as well as mine, making the choice to move to Seattle, WA and study naturopathic medicine at Bastyr University the natural choice.

SO what does naturopathic medicine even mean? It combines traditional healing methods and practices with evidence-based research to address the root causes of health issues and support the body’s innate healing abilities. We use six guiding principles to aid in clinical practice: Do No Harm, Healing Power of Nature, Identify and Treat the Causes, Physician as Teacher, Treat the Whole Person, Prevention.

Let’s take break that down: A huge focus is on prevention, and as the pandemic taught us, preventing disease is often our best bet. Checking in on your life: What are sleeping habits? How do you manage stress? Where are areas of your daily life that could use some adjustment to optimize your well-being? Personalized medicine.

Another focus is treating the whole person, often times in the conventional approach, you’re probably being deduced to just the physical being ~ which is necessary at times; however, prevents the ability to get to the root of disease. For example, you’ve got horrible reflux after eating, perhaps your MD prescribes an antacid medication like Pepcid, which could help but does have side-effects. I’d want to know – Do you eat when you’re stressed and in a rush? What foods are triggering? Is there another disease process causing reflux? Because you are a whole person, with a mental, emotional, spiritual state that will always be influencing your physical body.

The first visit with a Naturopathic Doctor can be an hour to two hours long, because this allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of your medical history, explore the factors that have contributed to your symptoms and conditions, and collaborate with you in setting goals. Our ultimate aim is to empower you as the primary driver of your health and healing journey, while the doctor assumes a supportive role in facilitating your path to wellness.

And the most exciting part, your treatment plan is tailored for you and we’ve got a toolbox filled with different modalities like nutrition, hydrotherapy, botanical medicine, homeopathy, and more. My personal favorite is botanical medicine – using plants as medicine as they can not only heal physical complaints, but also spiritual and energetic.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In March 2020, all of our lives changed, yet my family and I experienced a distinct impact. Just a couple months later, my beautiful mom was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer that originated in her uterus and metastasized throughout her body. Balancing the demands of my second year, I made the decision to attend my classes and clinic remotely from my family’s home in Michigan. This allowed me to accompany my mother to doctor appointments, assist with her treatments, provide support to my family, and cherish the precious, albeit limited, moments spent by her side.

In April 2021, shortly after celebrating her 52nd birthday, my mother passed away. During this time, I was in my third year of medical school, and just one week after she passed, I had to return to Seattle to resume my studies, unable to stay and mourn with my family. The strength and resilience displayed by my mother throughout her battle with cancer were unparalleled. Despite the pain and discomfort, she never surrendered to despair, fulfilling her maternal responsibilities with unwavering dedication, and refusing to let the disease define her. Inspired by her, I persisted in my medical education, shifting my focus towards oncology, driven to aid those who have been diagnosed with cancer, who have fought their battles, or who have been affected by this relentless disease.

In March 2023, marked the significant milestone as I achieved my naturopathic doctorate (ND) from Bastyr University. With great excitement, I am preparing to embark on the next chapter of my career at Origins Integrative Medicine in Santa Barbara, CA. I will be specializing in integrative oncology, women’s health, and digestive health, where I aim to provide comprehensive and integrative care to individuals seeking support in these areas.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

School can impart certain knowledge and skills to individuals, but there are aspects that remain beyond its reach. To me, passion stands out as a highly desirable attribute that sets individuals apart. Passion is an intrinsic force that drives one to dedicate sleepless nights to research, question, and delve deeper than any textbook ever could. It ignites an insatiable curiosity that leads to an exploration of every conceivable option when faced with complex cases lacking a known etiology. Furthermore, passion is palpable to patients themselves. They can discern whether one’s pursuit of medicine is driven by monetary gain, personal ego, or the accumulation of knowledge, or if it stems from an steadfast and genuine passion that drives one to go to any lengths for their well-being.    

Contact Info:

• Website: drciaralumaj.com
• Instagram: ciara_lumaj
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciaralumaj/
• Other: originsintegrative.com