What is naturopathic Medicine? Naturopathic medicine is a healing tradition which originated primarily in Europe and other parts of the world before modern pharmeceutical medicine. With an approach focused on creating wellness and prevent illness, Naturopathic physicians are in a unique position to assist in optimizing health and avoiding the discomfort and financial stress of preventable illnesses.
One of the guiding principles of Naturopathy is to look at the person with the disease, rather than the disease within the person. Naturopathic physicians also believe in the inherent healing power of nature within every being which desires to be in balance and health. We call this power the Vis Medicatrix Naturae, or healing power of nature, and it is this homeostatic healing ability that naturopathic medicine assists and strengthens. In addition to this, Naturopaths identify what is obstructing the healing process and assist patients in removing these “obstacles to cure” to allow the body to heal itself. Removing obstacles to cure is generally done through dietary and lifestyle changes, physical medicine, or if the practitioner is licensed, acupuncture.
Lastly, naturopathic physicians believe in using the least invasive therapies possible to treat an illness or imbalance. We believe that by respecting and assisting the body's own healing ability, it will be more capable of maintaning health in the future. For instance, if we believe an illness can be cured with diet and lifestyle changes alone we will use this first, but we also realize that supplements, prescription medications, or other forms of medicine may be appropriate.
What does the naturopathic training consist of? Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) are the most highly trained and broadly educated professionals in the natural medicine field. The schooling consists of an intensive four-year didactic and clinical training program at one of five currently accredited universities, with the first two years focused on basic sciences like conventional medical school, and the last two years focusing on naturopathic therapies and diagnostic training. The training is diverse with areas of emphasis including nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, clinical nutrition and counseling.
What is a visit to a Naturopathic physician like? The first thing that many people comment on is the amount of time a visit takes - first visits are typically an hour to an hour and a half. During the initial visit information is gathered about each person's health history and lifestyle, and then synthesized to see the whole picture of the patient's health, or to see what is causing or contributing to an illness. After the interview the physician will do any physical exams or lab tests needed, and then formulate a treatment plan tailored to the specific physical, mental, and/or spiritual needs of the patient. In keeping with the naturopathic principle "doctor as teacher", naturopathic physicians also educate their patients about health and how to prevent other illnesses in the future.
