About Naturopathic MedicineA Naturopathic Doctor (ND or NMD) has completed a postgraduate medical
education specializing in primary care natural medicine. Naturopathic
doctors are distinct from acupuncturists, chiropractors, osteopaths,
and medical doctors. They are uniquely trained to provide a
comprehensive and integrated approach to assist your body's innate
healing processes. Naturopathic doctors are skilled in diagnosis and
treatment of disease utilizing natural therapeutics including
clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, lifestyle counseling, homeopathy, physical medicine, and hydrotherapy. They tailor these approaches to the needs of each
individual patient. Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most
health problems, whether acute or chronic. Naturopathic doctors
cooperate with all other branches within the medical field, referring
patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when
appropriate.
As with all physicians today, Naturopathic doctors are trained at
accredited, four to five-year, post-graduate, medical institutions. The
training consists of a comprehensive study of the conventional medical
sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology,
immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, laboratory diagnosis,
cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, etc, as well as detailed
study of a wide variety of natural therapies. In their last two years
of their intensive clinical training, they learn how to integrate the
principles of naturopathic medicine into clinical practice.
The 6 principles of Naturopathic Medicine:First
Do No Harm - Naturopathic Doctors use safe, gentle, and natural
therapies to improve the well being of a patient’s health, while
limiting risk and adverse effects.
The Healing Power of Nature - Naturopathic Medicine
respects the innate intelligence of the human body to heal. Nature stimulates the physiological systems of the body to bring the
organism into balance and equilibrium moving towards a state of optimal
health.
Find and Treat the Cause of Illness - Doctors of
Naturopathic Medicine address lifestyle and nutritional factors that
cause disease susceptibility. Through tonification of tissues and
organs, and supplementation of nutritional deficiencies, Naturopathic
Medicine goes to the source of disease and promotes the true treatment
of illness.
Treat the Whole Person – Naturopathic Doctors
treat the whole person while taking into consideration the complex
factors of human existence, including lifestyle, diet, nutritional
status, environmental toxins, genetic predisposition, and emotional,
mental, and spiritual health.
Doctor as Teacher - Docere, the Latin root
for doctor means “to teach”. A principle objective of
Naturopathic Medicine is to educate the patient with current scientifically-proven
information and clinically-valid therapeutics to promote self-responsibility
for health and well-being.
Prevention - Naturopathic Medicine teaches the benefits
of healthy living in order to prevent the development of chronic illness
and destructive disease states.