Naturopathic Philosophy

The goal of a naturopathic physician is to address the underlying cause of disease through individualized, natural therapies that integrate many aspects of a person. Amongst such elements are physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and others. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the treatment of disease through the stimulation, support, and enhancement of the inherent healing capacity of the individual. Thus, methods of treatment are carefully selected to work with the patient's vital force, respecting the wisdom of the natural healing process.

The practice of naturopathic medicine emerges from seven underlying principles of healing. These principles are based on observations of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in light of scientific evidence. It is these principles that distinguish the profession from other medical approaches.

The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) more fully describes these principles as follows:

• The Healing Power of Nature
  The body has the inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. Nature acts powerfully through healing mechanisms in the body and mind to maintain and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force. The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process, to act to identify and remove obstacles to health and recovery, and to support the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.
• Identify and treat the cause
  Underlying causes of disease must be discovered and removed or treated before a person can recover completely from illness. Every illness has an underlying cause, often in aspects of the lifestyle, diet or habits of the individual. Symptoms are expressions of the body's attempt to heal, but are not the cause of disease. Symptoms, therefore, should not be suppressed by treatment. Causes may occur on many levels including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The physician must evaluate fundamental underlying causes on all levels, directing treatment at root causes rather than at symptomatic expression.
• To do no harm
  Illness is a purposeful process of the organism. The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms which are, in fact, an expression of the life force attempting to heal itself. Therapeutic actions should be complimentary to and synergistic with this healing process. The physician's actions can support or antagonize the actions of the healing power of nature. Therefore, methods designed to suppress symptoms without removing underlying causes are considered harmful and are avoided or minimized. This is practiced in the following manner:
  • Utilizing methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects
  • Avoiding, when possible, the harmful suppression of symptoms
  • Acknowledging and respecting the individual's healing process, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat illness
• Treat the Whole Person
  Health and disease are conditions of the whole organism, involving a complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. The physician must treat the whole person by taking all of these factors into account. The harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual is essential to recovery from and prevention of disease, and requires a personalized and comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment.
• The Physician as Teacher
  Beyond an accurate diagnosis and appropriate prescription, the physician must work to create a healthy, sensitive interpersonal relationship with the patient. A cooperative doctor-patient relationship has inherent therapeutic value. The physician's major role is to educate and encourage the patient to take responsibility for health. They physician is a catalyst for healthful change, empowering and motivating the patient to assume responsibility. It is the patient, not the doctor, who ultimately creates and accomplishes healing. The physician must strive to inspire hope as well as understanding. The physician must also make a commitment to his/her own personal and spiritual development in order to be a good teacher.
• Prevention
  The ultimate goal of any health care system should be prevention. This is accomplished through education and promotion of life-habits that create good health. The physician assesses risk factors and hereditary susceptibility to disease and makes appropriate interventions to avoid further harm and risk to the patient. The emphasis is on building health rather than on fighting disease.
• Wellness
  Wellness follows the establishment and maintenance of optimum health and balance. Wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought and action. Wellness is inherent in everyone, no matter what diseases are being experienced. If wellness is really recognized and experienced by an individual, it will more quickly heal a given disease than direct treatment of the disease alone.