Naturopathic medicine calls on physicians to view each individual as a complex being, considering not just a person’s symptoms or even the disease itself, but the entirety of the person. This includes each person’s physical structure, unique biological make-up, environmental influences, mental outlook and personal aspirations. More simply said, to treat the whole person.
The complex interplay of lifestyle habits, the environment, heredity and genetics convene to promote particular risk factors for disease in each of us. A proactive assessment of these factors and early intervention is by the far the best means of prevention. Therefore the old adage, prevention is the best cure could not be more true.
Through teaching and motivation, the doctor as teacher promotes healthy lifestyle choices, emphasizing self-care and responsibility, thus undermining the “cure in the pill” myth. In fact, many disorders such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and digestive disorders can be improved, if not resolved, with proper doctor directed coaching.
All of the above is done while considering all possible therapeutic options yet selecting those least likely to cause harm and using less safe approaches only as last resort.
The root of Naturopathic Medicine and its philosophy is born out of these six guiding principles.
It is a system that seeks to identify and treat the cause of a symptom or disease while avoiding the more common approach of dispensing pharmaceuticals that focus on the manifested symptom without addressing the root cause.
Fundamental to our approach, the healing power of nature reminds us of the inherent wisdom of our biology. Sometimes all that is needed is a little nudge from a specially selected nutrient found to be deficient or the removal of a toxic substance.
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