What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is primary healthcare from a licensed naturopathic doctor, without the use of drugs or surgery. By definition, naturopathic doctors (ND) treat the nature of the disease or the nature of the pathology. Naturopaths work to uncover the source of the illness and treat both the symptoms and the cause. While naturopathic medicine does encompass many traditional treatments including acupuncture and botanical or herbal medicine, naturopathic doctors are also highly trained in the most recent technology. Naturopathic doctors are trained as general practitioners in complementary medicine, providing a full range of diagnostic tests and therapies.
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct healthcare system that is founded upon a holistic philosophy, which addresses root causes of illness, promotes optimal health, utilizes modern diagnostic tools, and treats with safe and effective natural therapeutics. In addition to the basic medical sciences and conventional diagnostics and treatments, Naturopathic physicians (N.D.) are trained in natural therapeutics such as botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, nutritional supplements, Naturopathic manipulative therapy, homeopathy, natural childbirth, hydrotherapy, sports medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, minor surgery, and psychological counseling.
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary health care – an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles that underlie and determine its practice. These principles are based upon the objective observation of the nature of health and of disease. These principles are continually reexamined in the light of scientific advances. Methods used are consistent with these principles and are chosen upon the basis of patient individuality. Naturopathic physicians are primary health care practitioners, whose diverse techniques include modern and traditional, scientific and empirical methods.
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary care that addresses the root cause of illness or disease and promotes health and healing using natural therapies. Treatment modalities may include clinical nutrition, botanical (herbal) medicine, homeopathic medicine, physical treatments, acupuncture and Asian medicine and lifestyle counselling. The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of the illness rather than simply treating or suppressing symptoms. While naturopathic care helps to alleviate specific symptoms, NDs are primarily concerned with addressing the root cause of an illness: the focus is more on the why of a disease than the what.
