What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine can be described by the6 Principles of Naturopathy.
1. First do no harm
This is fairly self-explanatory. This phrase is credited to Hippocrates, master physician and author of the Hippocratic Oath, a promise which all conventional Doctors swore to at graduation, at least in the past.
2. The Healing Power of Nature
The body has inherent wisdom and the ability to heal itself. Everyone has cut themselves at some point and watched the body repair itself. The trick is to make sure the body is given the materials (i.e., nutrition) it needs to self-repair.
3. Identify and Treat the Causes
Conventional Medicine tends to focus on symptomatology. Think of symptoms as leaves on a tree. Naturopathy makes note of the leaves, then looks beyond them to the roots. Getting to the bottom of things or the root cause is the goal.
4. Your Doctor is your Teacher
Education is paramount if the patient is to understand his situation and what to do about it. It isn’t just about getting through the crisis at hand. It’s about changing behaviors to achieve and maintain good health in the long run.
5. Treat the Whole Person
You are not a gall bladder or an ulcer. You are SO much more than the sum of your parts. You are the integration of your Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional selves. They are all important components of your care.
6. Prevention
If you could avoid illness, you should. That’s what prevention is. The best way to accomplish this is to be mindful of daily habits; nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, sleep habits, etc.