Naturopathic Medicine is a distinctively natural approach to
health and healing that recognizes the integrity of the whole
person. Naturopathic Medicine is heir to the vitalistic
tradition of medicine in the Western world, emphasizing the
treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and
support of the inherent healing capacity of the person.
Methods of treatments are chosen to work with the patient's vital
force, respecting the intelligence of the natural healing
process. The practice of Naturopathic Medicine emerges from 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:
The healing power of nature. vis medicatrix naturae
The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and
restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent;
nature heals through the response of the life force. The
physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process, to
act to identify and remove obstacles to health and recovery, and
to support the creation of a healthy internal and external
environment.
Identify and treat the cause. tolle causam
Illness does not occur without cause. Underlying causes of
disease must be discovered and removed or treated before a
person can recover completely from illness. Symptoms are
expressions of the body's attempt to heal, but are not the cause
of disease. Symptoms, therefore, should not be suppressed by
treatment. Causes may occur on many levels including physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual. The physician must evaluate
fundamental underlying causes on all levels, directing treatment
at root causes rather than at symptomatic expression.
First do no harm. primum no nocere
Illness is a purposeful process of the organism. The process of
healing includes the generation of symptoms which are, in fact,
an expression of the life force attempting to heal itself.
Therapeutic actions should be complimentary to and synergistic
with this healing process. The physician's actions can support
or antagonize the actions of the vis medicatrix naturae.
Therefore, methods designed to suppress symptoms without
removing underlying causes are considered harmful and are
avoided or minimized.
Treat the whole person. The multifactorial nature of
health and disease
Health and disease are conditions of the whole organism, a whole
involving a complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental,
emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors.
The physician must treat the whole person by taking all of these
factors into account. The harmonious functioning of all aspects
of the individual is essential to recovery from and prevention
of disease, and requires a personalized and comprehensive
approach to diagnosis and treatment.
The physician as teacher. docere
Beyond an accurate diagnosis and appropriate prescription, the
physician must work to create a healthy, sensitive interpersonal
relationship with the patient. A cooperative doctor-patient
relationship has inherent therapeutic value. The physician's
major role is to educate and encourage the patient to take
responsibility for health. The physician is a catalyst for
healthful change, empowering and motivating the patient to
assume responsibility. It is the patient, not the doctor, who
ultimately creates/accomplishes healing. The physician must
strive to inspire hope as well as understanding. The physician
must also make a commitment to his/her personal and spiritual
development in order to be a good teacher.
Prevention. Prevention is the best "cure"
The ultimate goal of any health care system should be
prevention. This is accomplished through education and promotion
of life-habits that create good health. The physician assesses
risk factors and hereditary susceptibility to disease and makes
appropriate interventions to avoid further harm and risk to the
patient. The emphasis is on building health rather than on
fighting disease.
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