THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE
Suppressing the symptoms is like cutting the wires to the “Check Engine” light on your car without first looking under the hood.
Naturopathic Medicine is based on six underlying principles of healing. These principles are based on the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in light of scientific analysis. It is these principles that distinguish the profession from other medical approaches:
First Do No Harm: Safe and effective natural therapies are used to promote health and minimize the risk of harmful side-effects.
The Healing Power of Nature: Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in the person that is ordered and intelligent. Sometimes, however, the healing is delayed or not working as would be expected. In these cases, naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, to give the body the tools it needs to heal, and to stimulate the body’s own self-healing mechanisms.
Discover and Treat the Cause: Naturopathic physicians seek to discover and address the underlying cause of a disease, as opposed to treating symptoms as isolated and unrelated problems. Symptoms are an expression of the body’s efforts to heal, and they themselves are not the cause. Suppressing the symptoms is like cutting the wires to the “Check Engine” light on your car without first looking under the hood.
Treat the Whole Person: A holistic approach is utilized by considering multiple factors of health and disease, taking into account physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual and other factors. Treatment plans are formulated specific to the individual’s needs to maximize success.
Doctor as Teacher: The naturopathic doctor’s role is one of education and empowerment, encouraging self-responsibility for health. Your naturopath is a doctor, a teacher, a counselor, a coach, and a partner with you in your quest for health and wellness.
Prevention: Prevention truly is the best "cure.” This is done by assessing risk factors, determining susceptibility to disease, and defining appropriate lifestyle and other modifications to prevent illness or halt the progression of a disease process. The emphasis is on building health, not just fighting disease.
