Naturopathic Medicine
What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathic Principles
What Naturopathic Doctors Do
What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care which underlines the prevention and treatment of disease, maintenance of optimal health, and promotion of the natural self-healing process which naturopathic doctors refer to as the "vis medicatrix naturae," the healing power of nature.
It combines centuries-old natural, harmless therapies with current advances in the study of health and human systems, covering all aspects of family health.
Naturopathic medicine has been shown to be effective for treating most health problems, both acute and chronic. Some of the therapies most commonly utilized by ND’s include nutrition, homeopathy, herbal medicine, oriental medicine, massage, hydro therapy, counseling and stress management.
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Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic doctors follow six key principles in their practices:
The Healing Power of Nature. Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in each of us which is both ordered and intelligent. ND’s act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and enlarge this self-healing ability.
Identify and Treat the Cause. ND’s seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than to only eliminate or suppress symptoms.
Do No Harm. ND’s follow these precepts to avoid harming the patient:
Utilize methods and substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnoses and treat.
Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms.
Acknowledge, respect and work with the individual’s self healing process.
Refer for appropriate treatment when naturopathic therapies are inappropriate.
Doctor as Teacher. ND’s educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of a good doctor-patient relationship.
Treat the Whole Person. ND’s treat each patient taking into account individual physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, genetic, environmental, social and other factors.
Prevention. ND’s highlight the prevention of disease, evaluating risk factors, heredity, and vulnerability to disease and making appropriate interventions in corporation with their patients to prevent illness.
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What Naturopathic Doctors Do
Naturopathic doctors (ND’s):
Are primary practitioners trained to be experts in natural medicine.
Concentrate on whole person wellness; treatment to each individual patient and highlights prevention and self care.
Attempt to find the underlying causes of the patient’s condition rather than focusing on symptomatic treatment.
Believe strongly in integrative medicine and cooperate with all other branches of medicine, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis and/or treatment when appropriate.
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