What is Naturopathic Medicine? (and what makes this approach different)

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Distinct and comprehensive health care system that combines the best of modern science and natural medicine to provide individualized treatment.

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This growing field of medicine seeks to treat the root causes of disease to restore optimal health.

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Involving a wide range of modalities, selected treatments emphasize effective measures that impose the least harm.

6 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine1

First Do No Harm

  • NDs select treatments with the least harmful effects (while still being effective).
  • They’re trained to weigh benefits/risks to identify if higher-force interventions are indeed the safest option for you.

Identify and Treat the Cause

  • Instead of only suppressing symptoms, NDs strive to also discover and treat the root causes of those symptoms.

Treat The Whole Person

  • NDs recognize that body systems don't act in isolation.
  • Disease stems from a complex interaction of factors.
  • To treat your physical symptoms, NDs also examine your other body systems, mental, genetic, lifestyle, and environmental contributors.

Healing Power of Nature

  • Your body consists of amazingly intelligent systems that are designed to heal itself (when given the correct tools).
  • Disease occurs when something is too overwhelming for those systems to overcome.
  • NDs first identify and remove obstacles to recovery. Then restore and support your inherent systems to achieve optimal health.

Doctor as teacher

  • Health care should not be a one-way interaction where doctors tell you to take prescriptions without you understanding why.
  • NDs prioritize you understanding your health to best achieve and maintain wellness.

Prevention

  • Health care should not only be for late-stage illnesses or when symptoms arise.
  • NDs can help assess risk factors to prevent the development of unwanted diseases.

6 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine1

  • NDs select treatments with the least harmful effects (while still being effective).
  • They’re trained to weigh benefits/risks to identify if higher-force interventions are indeed the safest option for you.
  • Instead of only suppressing symptoms, NDs strive to also discover and treat the root causes of those symptoms.
  • NDs recognize that body systems don't act in isolation.
  • Disease stems from a complex interaction of factors.
  • To treat your physical symptoms, NDs also examine your other body systems, mental, genetic, lifestyle, and environmental contributors.
  • Your body consists of amazingly intelligent systems that are designed to heal itself (when given the correct tools).
  • Disease occurs when something is too overwhelming for those systems to overcome.
  • NDs first identify and remove obstacles to recovery. Then restore and support your inherent systems to achieve optimal health.
  • Health care should not be a one-way interaction where doctors tell you to take prescriptions without you understanding why.
  • NDs prioritize you understanding your health to best achieve and maintain wellness.
  • Health care should not only be for late-stage illnesses or when symptoms arise.
  • NDs can help assess risk factors to prevent the development of unwanted diseases.

Therapeutic Order of Naturopathic Treatment1

ND clinical decision-making is governed by these guidelines to fit your specific needs, maximize patient benefit, and reduce harm potential.

1

Remove obstacles to health

2

Stimulate self-healing mechanisms

3

Restore damaged systems

4

Physical alignment

5

Natural symptom control

6

Synthetic symptoms relief

7

High force interventions