Naturopathic medicine starts with supporting the body in its amazing ability to heal itself. By looking at the root causes of illness rather than just the symptoms, and promoting healing through natural therapies, naturopathic medicine is a non-invasive way to prevent chronic illness. Naturopathic medicine aims you to boost your immune system, prevent and treat chronic disease and increase your overall energy level.
Naturopathic Medicine is a distinct system of primary health care. It is the art and science of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Naturopathic Doctors are trained in Natural Medicine emphasizing preventative health care, integrating scientific knowledge with traditional healing wisdom to promote the body's inherent self-healing capacity.
Naturopathic Doctors use standard diagnostic and laboratory tests in formulating a diagnosis. Naturopathic treatments can be used effectively on their own or in conjunction with conventional medicine.
Naturopathic Doctors provide patients with a comprehensive and integrative approach to health care. They consider your unique physical, mental and emotional dimensions when diagnosing and developing your personalized treatment plan.
Naturopathic treatment draws from a number of modalities and is tailored to each individual patient. Depending on the doctor’s approach and patient being treated, treatments may include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, physical treatments, acupuncture and Asian medicine, and/or lifestyle counseling.
Nutritional Counseling
Nutrition is the cornerstone of good health. Like medicines and drugs, foods affect the way your body functions. Some foods help you heal, while others damage your body and contribute to chronic illness. A healthy diet–consisting of the right balance of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, fiber and amino acids–is the most important tool for your body to manage stress and prevent and recover from illness. Clinical nutrition is utilized to analyze your health and nutritional intake to address deficiencies, and promotes immunity and health through nutrient-rich foods and nutritional supplements. Food allergies, food sensitivities, and education on alternative dietary options are common topics for maintenance of health.
Botanical and Herbal Medicine
Botanical medicine uses plant substances from around the world for their powerful healing and nutritional values. The flowers, roots, leaves or oils of a plant may be used in the remedy. Some herbal remedies have the potential to cause adverse drug interactions when used in combination with various prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Naturopathic Doctors are well trained with this modality, and will carefully review your current health situation before recommending a specific botanical remedy or combination.
Acupuncture and Asian Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete medical system that has diagnosed, treated and prevented illness for thousands of years and incorporates acupuncture, acupressure, diet, massage, and Asian herbs and foods. According to TCM, when your energy flow, or Qi (pronounced “chi”) is out of balance, your body cannot adapt to stress, making you more likely to develop chronic illness and pain. TCM seeks to relieve these imbalances by adjusting the circulation of Qi and balancing the forces of yin and yang energy. A harmonious flow of Qi, achieved by balancing cold and heat, internal and external, yin and yang, will help sustain long-term physical, mental and emotional health.
Homeopathic Medicine
Homeopathy aims to act on the energetic level to stimulate your body’s ability to heal itself. It utilizes ultra high dilutions of natural substances and is based on the principle “like cures like” to treat acute and chronic conditions. It is a gentle therapy with powerful results.
Physical Medicine and Hydrotherapy
Physical medicine includes massage, hydrotherapy, and other physical therapies. Physical medicine works in two ways. First, it restores structural soundness to the skeletal system, joints, and soft tissue. In addition, it builds immunity, increases blood flow, and supports healing, detoxification and lymphatic drainage.
Lifestyle Counselling
Naturopathic Doctors recognize that the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of a person is equally important as their physical state well-being. Counselling aims to help people strengthen their ability to overcome stress, fear, anxiety, addictions, and make necessary lifestyles changes. A number of psychological tools such as CBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing are utilized with education and guidance.
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The Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere)
First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere)
Your naturopathic doctor chooses remedies and therapies that are safe and effective, to increase your health and minimize harmful side effects. This is where your health matters the most.
The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)
Your naturopathic doctor works to restore and support the powerful and inherent healing abilities of your body, mind and spirit and to prevent disease progression and relapse.
Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle Causam)
The primary goal of your naturopathic doctor is to determine and treat the underlying cause of disease, thus treat accordingly.
Treat the Whole Person (Tolle Totum)
In treating the cause of any condition your naturopathic doctor takes into account not only the physical symptoms, but also mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual and other factors.
Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
Your naturopathic doctor will assist you in understanding health and illness and in becoming more capable of maintaining your own health. It is all about empowerment!
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Your naturopathic doctor applies all of the above principles in a proactive form of disease prevention and health promotion.