What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care system that utilizes natural therapies to stimulate self-healing and prevent diseases. Naturopathic medicine aims to treat the root causes of an illness and heal the whole person (mind, body, and spirit). Naturopathic therapies are supported by research drawn from peer-reviewed journals from many disciplines, including naturopathic medicine, conventional medicine, European complementary medicine, pharmacognosy, psychology, homeopathy, clinical nutrition, phytotherapy, and spirituality. The therapeutic modalities used in naturopathic medicine integrate conventional, scientific, and empirical methodology with the laws of nature.

Naturopathic Principles

The six principles of naturopathic medicine unite Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) across the world:

• First Do No Harm: NDs utilize the most natural, least invasive, and least toxic therapies.

• The Healing Power of Nature: NDs recognize that nature plays a vital role in our healing process. We utilize substances from nature and incorporate a healthy natural environment as foundational to human health.

• Identify and Treat the Causes: NDs work to identify the underlying causes of illness and remove obstacles to cure.

• Doctor as Teacher: Naturopathic doctors elevate patient health literacy by educating patients to understand better what it takes to achieve and maintain health.

• Treat the Whole Person: Naturopathic doctors understand the interconnectedness of our body and will work to restore balance and health on a whole person-based approach.

• Prevention: It is better to prevent illness and suffering whenever possible. NDs identify potential areas of imbalance and teach patients how to get well and stay well.

Naturopathic Modality

• Clinical Nutrition: Food is the best medicine, and it is the foundation of Naturopathic practice. NDs use nutrition and supplements to treat many medical conditions with fewer complications and side effects.

• Mind-Body Medicine: Emotional states and mental attitudes can influence or even cause physical illness. Mind-body medicine focus on using nutrition, counseling, stress management, and other therapies to address mental well-being and help patients heal psychologically.

• Physical Medicine: An integral modality in naturopathic medicine that focuses on treating disorders of somatic tissues using manual therapy, physiotherapy, and hydrotherapy. See the Physical Medicine Section for more information.

• Botanical Medicine (Herbal Medicine): The use of plants or plant extracts to treat illnesses internally or topically. When administered properly, botanical medicine can address a variety of health conditions effectively with minimal side effects.

• Homeopathy: Homeopathy is treating disease or symptoms using the principle of "like cures like." Homeopathy remedies, derived from natural substances (plants, animals, minerals), are low dose and stimulate the body's innate healing ability to promote the return to health on physical, mental, and spiritual levels.

• Hydrotherapy: The use of water to promote healing and maintain health. Warm/hot water expands blood vessels and increases blood flow, while cold water contracts blood vessels to contract and decrease blood flow. The use of hot and cold water changes the temperature in an area accelerates blood flow. The increase in blood flow brings in immune cells that are beneficial for healing. Hydrotherapy techniques include hot and cold compresses, steam bath, hyperthermia/peat bath, foot soak, and more.