Naturopathic physicians are state licensed healthcare providers. Naturopathy is a distinct method of primary health care – an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Naturopathic physicians seek to restore and maintain optimum health in their patients by emphasizing nature’s inherent self-healing process. This is accomplished through lifestyle education and the rational use of natural therapeutics. Naturopathic medicine is safe and effective for health promotion and for the prevention and treatment of a broad range of acute and chronic conditions.
What Type of Training is Required of a Naturopathic Doctor
Naturopathic physicians undergo comprehensive and rigorous training. After completing undergraduate degrees with premedical education requirements, prospective NDs must complete four to five years of full-time study at nationally accredited Naturopathic medical schools. The training and education include basic sciences (anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, physiology, cadaver lab, immunology and infectious disease), diagnostics, labs and physical exam for each system, pharmacology, plus all of our healing modalities (nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, herbal medicine, physical manipulation/adjustments). ND training is sculpted under hundreds of hours working alongside seasoned doctors and within teaching clinics working with real patients. Naturopaths are required to write and pass extensive examinations in order to be registered to practice and are regulated by boards within their prospective states. Annual, ongoing continuing education credits is required to maintain their license. Naturopathic doctors encourage open communication with all other healthcare professionals, including MDs. We know that there are situations that are appropriate to use Naturopathic medicine, and others when conventional medical approaches are required, and are trained to refer when necessary.
What is Disease…According to a Naturopath
All disease is a result of a disruption to the life force, what can be called the Vis or the Vital Force. This disruption occurs as an effect of violating nature’s laws, or another way to think about it: acting in a way our bodies were not evolved to act – eating a diet that our body can’t digest well, not moving our bodies optimally (or at all!), exposing ourselves to chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, pollution and plastics, living with excessive stress, worry, fear, and so on.
This disruption can come from outside or inside the body; it can be physical, emotional or spiritual. One’s receptivity to the disturbance is influenced by genetics, their overall toxic load, chronic use of suppressive agents, nutritional status, past or perpetual traumas or stressors, and many more. These disruptions take hold and present as disease. The father of Naturopathic philosophy, Henry Lindlahr, says that violating nature’s laws has three main effects on the body: 1) lowered vitality (this presents as inadequate immune response, fatigue, feeling of hopelessness), 2) abnormal composition of blood and lymph (nutritional deficiencies, congested lymphatics, excessive inflammation), and 3) accumulation of waste matter, morbid materials and poisons (constipation, skin rashes, fatty liver, heavy metal toxicity). Notice that the symptoms that are culturally seen as “diseases” are (according to a Naturopath) typically the results (or consequences) of a disruption. Treating the individual person must include eliminating or correcting the disruption alongside supporting the body’s systems to stop reacting. Naturopaths teach their patients how to live by nature’s laws in order to prevent future disruptions.
What is Naturopathic Philosophy
The healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing and healing process of living systems which establishes, maintains and restores health. Naturopathic medicine recognizes this healing process to be ordered and intelligent. It is the Naturopathic physician’s role to support, facilitate and augment this process by identifying and removing obstacles to health and recovery, and by supporting the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.
Naturopathic philosophy originates from the fact that the body knows how to heal itself, so instead of viewing symptoms as disease, NDs see them as the body’s attempt to remove an underlying imbalance. Naturopaths work to identify and eliminate the imbalance, support the weakened systems, restore/strengthen detoxification pathways and avoid suppressing symptoms. Naturopathic philosophy focuses on prevention and helps teach how what you put into and onto your body will affect your general health. When patients do get sick, we are the experts in natural medicine and may use many modalities such as herbal medicines, homeopathics, nutritional supplements, physical medicine and detox methods to gently move the body back to health. All of our treatments are based on the individual needs, whether that be physical, emotional or spiritual; we define the whole person medicine approach.
This philosophy leads a Naturopath to establish an individualized treatment plan. Our methods of treatment in accordance with the Naturopathic Principles, follow these guidelines: 1) teach prevention and living in accordance with nature’s laws, 2) stimulate the individual’s vital force (that innate ability to heal), 3) support the body by providing missing nutrients and eliminating sources of excess inflammation, 4) promote elimination, both the everyday mechanisms (colon, lungs, kidneys and skin) and elimination of stored toxins (heavy metals, poisons, excess fat), 5) correct mechanical and postural imbalances, 6) arouse and educate the individual in self and spiritual consciousness to promote personal responsibility to the necessity of intelligent personal effort and self care in order to promote long term health of the whole being.
What are the Naturopathic Principles
- Vis Medicatrix Naturae: This is the healing power of one’s own nature, the incredible ability for the body, spirit and mind to heal. The recognition of an intelligence that facilitates healing once we act to identify and remove any and all obstacles to cure.
- Tolle Causam: Identifying and treating the cause of disease is the highest calling of any doctor; we strive to identify that cause in a whole person paradigm. A symptom is not the cause, but a mechanism by that intelligent body to rid itself of unfavorable circumstances – whether physical, emotional or spiritual.
- Tolle Totem: Treat the whole person, not an organ system, and not to an unspecialized algorithm. Treatments take into account the individual’s history, physical characteristics, genetic variabilities, social environment and spiritual understanding.
- Docere: This is a teaching medicine, doctor as teacher, plant as teacher, the wild world as teacher, body as teacher. There is a need for education in our society and a letting go of the need to know all and to do all “right”. The doctor isn’t necessarily there to make the patient better, but instead to help them see the relationship between their health and their lifestyle.
- Praevenire: Prevention is the best cure. The thoughts of today, whether abundant or limiting, affects our mood and the language we use towards ourselves and others, which then defines our outwardly actions, which ultimately lead to the health or dis-ease of our bodies tomorrow.
- Primum Non Nocere: Primarily, do no harm. We work with every patient to strengthen their foundations of health, these topics aren’t minimalist or non-aggressive means; my experience has been that in these basics is where the magic happens.