Six Key Principles
FIRST DO NO HARM – PRIMUM NON NOCERE
Naturopathic Medicine follows three guidelines to avoid harming the patient:
Utilize therapies and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
Avoid, when possible, the harmful suppression of symptoms.
Acknowledge and respect the individual’s healing process, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat illness.
Identify and Treat the Cause – Tolle Causam
Naturopathic physicians seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than to solely treat symptoms.
The Healing Power of Nature – Vis Medicatrix Naturae
Naturopathic Medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing ability in the body that is ordered and intelligent. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to recovery and to facilitate and augment this healing ability.
Treat the Whole Person – Tolle Totem
Naturopathic physicians encourage a healing path that takes into account each individual’s unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social attributes.
Doctor as Teacher – Docere
Naturopathic physicians educate patients so they can make informed choices about their health. They also encourage self-responsibility for health and acknowledge the therapeutic value inherent in the doctor-patient relationship.
Prevention- Praevenic
Naturopathic physicians emphasize the prevention of disease, assessing risk factors and heredity, susceptibility to disease, and make appropriate interventions to prevent illness. Naturopathic Medicine strives to create a healthy world in which humanity may thrive.
Therapeutic Order
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The assertion that food is the best medicine is a cornerstone of naturopathic practice. Many medical conditions can be treated more effectively with foods and nutritional supplements than they can by other means, with fewer complications and side effects. Naturopathic physicians use dietetics, natural hygiene, fasting, and nutritional supplementation in practice.
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Many plant substances are powerful medicines. Where single chemically-derived drugs may only address a single problem, botanical medicines are able to address a variety of problems simultaneously. Their organic nature makes botanicals compatible with the body’s own chemistry; hence, they can be gently effective with few toxic side effects.
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Homeopathic medicine is based on the principle of “like cures like.” It works on a subtle yet powerful electromagnetic level, gently acting to strengthen the body’s healing and immune response.
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Naturopathic Medicine has its own methods of therapeutic manipulation of muscles, bones, and spine. NDs also use therapeutic ultrasound, interferential, exercise, massage, and hydrotherapy.
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Mental attitudes and emotional states may influence, or even cause, physical illness. Counseling, nutritional balancing, stress management, emotional freedom technique, and other therapies are used to help patients heal on the psychological level.
The philosophical principles of naturopathic medicine guide the physician in choosing which therapies are appropriate for the patients particular experience of disease.