Naturopathic medicine is not just using something natural rather than taking a pill or getting surgery. It is so much more. It is a different way of thinking about the body. It is an entirely different paradigm than conventional medicine. Yes, Naturopathic Doctors use natural products to treat their patients, but it is so much more. Naturopaths look at symptoms as a guide to what is truly the issue at hand. A migraine headache is not just something that is extremely painful and uncomfortable in a number of other ways, but it is a clue to what is truly going on at the tissue and cellular level in that person. Naturopathic medicine is much like a medical detective that uses the most natural substance and treatments possible for their patients. Of course, when necessary, Naturopaths also prescribe prescription medications, send their patients to the ER, refer them to other specialists and even recommend surgical consults. From day one of medical school Naturopaths are taught to always honor the principals of Naturopathic Medicine.
Naturopathic Physicians have six main treatment principals:
- First Do no harm: Never use any treatments, deny access to treatments or recommend treatments that may cause your patient harm. Always use the least invasive protocols possible.
- The healing power of nature: The body wants to be healthy. When given the proper tools, it will naturally return to its homeostatic state.
- Identify and treat the cause: Find and remove the obstacles to cure and treat at the root of the problem, do not just mask symptoms
- Treat the whole person: Each part of the body is connected, you cannot treat one part of the person without effecting another. Nerves from the spine control the organs, so an adjustment in your back may change the way your liver is functioning. When devising a treatment plan, consideration must be given to not only just the body and presenting symptoms, but also lifestyle, diet, relationships, mental-emotional status and more.
- Doctor as teacher: Educating patients is key. When properly educated, they can truly understand what is going on with their body and what factors in their life are promoting or diminishing their health and well-being.
- Prevention: Building up the body, mind and spirit so that it transcends to its highest level and is more resilient to factors that could otherwise cause a disease state.