NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of health care designed to assess, treat and prevent disease. It incorporates techniques that range from traditional to cutting edge and uses medicines that are energetic as well as those which are highly supported by scientific research.
The Naturopathic Philosophy
1. Respect the healing power of nature. The body has the inherent ability to ward of disease and heal itself. The practitioners' role is identifying and removing obstacles that hinder health and to support an environment that facilitates healing.
2. Treat the whole person. The body is highly integrated and all systems must be considered when treating any dysfunction.
3. First, do no harm. The practitioner must be mindful of long term consequences of treatment and the danger of only suppressing symptoms.
4. Identify and treat the cause. Symptoms are not the cause of illness and should not be treated as such. Symptoms are a signal that the body is under stress.
5. Prevention is the best cure. It is the responsibility of both the practitioner and the patient to create an environment conducive to health.
6. Doctor as teacher. The original meaning of the word "doctor" was "teacher". One of the practitioners' primary responsibilities is to educate the patient. A cooperative doctor-patient relationship brings inherent therapeutic value.
The Naturopathic Practice
a. Assessment . Through appropriate symptom analysis, physical examination and laboratory testing the patients' concerns are thoroughly evaluated.
b. Clinical nutrition is the cornerstone of naturopathic medicine. Our diet provides the building blocks for the chemical reactions that occur in the body. Many medical conditions can be treated with diet changes and nutraceuticals alone and any treatment plan can be more effective when nutrition is addressed.
c. Homeopathic medicine as a support or alternative. In contrast to pharmaceutical treatment homeopathic remedies are based on the principle of "like cure like". While a substance given in large quantities can cause symptoms, homeopathy demonstrates that the same substance, given in minute quantities will strengthen the immune system and encourage the body to heal itself.
d. Botanical medicine. Plant substances are used to create a variety of natural medicines, which in many cases are more compatible with the bodies' own chemistry than synthetic drugs.
e. Physical medicine and hydrotherapy. Specialized exercises can be used to mobilize areas of restricted movement. Water is an excellent tool to increase the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid, helping the body to fight infection.
f. Counseling and lifestyle management. An opportunity to explore the endless possibilities there are to make life happier and healthier!
Registered naturopathic doctors have attended an undergraduate program for a minimum of three years, a graduate program at an accredited college of naturopathic medicine for four years and have passed the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination. Naturopathic medical philosophy forms the foundation for its practice.
