Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

In seeking alternative healthcare, the tenets of naturopathic medicine are used as a guiding force in supporting your body's ability to heal -rather than override the body's natural repair mechanism.

The principles upheld by Naturopathic Doctors outlined govern the holistic approach utilized to support your quest for healing and vibrant health.

The Healing Power of Nature (vis medicatrix naturae)
Inherent in the body is the power to heal. Naturopathic medicine works to support, facilitate, and enhance this natural mechanism and design by removing obstacles to health and recovery and by supporting the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.

First Do No Harm (primum no nocere)
Naturopathic physicians utilize the least harmful methods and medicinal substances first to minimize risk of harmful effects in restoring health. Whenever possible, the suppression of symptoms is avoided as this generally interferes with the healing process.

Find The Cause (tolle causam)
Illness and disease have an underlying cause. The naturopathic physician seeks to go beyond masking the immediate symptoms, but to find and remove the cause of disease and obstacles so that complete recovery can occur.

Treat The Whole Person
The cause of disease (dis-ease) can be multi-factorial --- physical, emotional, genetic, mental, environmental, social, and spiritual. Since the harmonious functioning of all factors of the individual is essential to health, the utmost goal is to treat the person not the disease.

Doctor As Teacher (docere)
The original meaning of the word "doctor" means teacher. Naturopathic physicians typically spend longer times with patients in order to facilitate education and empowering patients --- thereby preventing future occurrence of disease.

Prevention
Our goal is not only to relieve current symptoms and disease but to partner with patients to achieve a higher state of health by assessing heredity, risk factors, and susceptibility to disease by building strong foundations. The attainment of optimum health can be attained utilizing natural therapeutics such as diet and nutrition, exercise, botanical medicine, natural manipulative therapy, homeopathic medicine, counseling and stress management.