What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathy is primary health care, much like ‘regular’ medicine but with a different approach, and a set of defining underlying principles that inform how Naturopathic Physicians practice. Naturopathic doctors emphasize health and wellness through individualized patient care and education, and use the combination of  science and tradition to assess, treat, and prevent disease.  The education of a Naturopath is similar to that of a Medical Doctor, but with some fundamental differences in the therapies that are used.  Naturopathy is often criticized for not being rigorous, or based on evidence; one day spent in an accredited naturopathic school will change that perception.

Naturopathic Physicians have over 8 years of education, starting with an undergraduate degree that must include a combination of sciences, arts, and humanities. This is followed by 4 years at an accredited Naturopathic School (of which there are currently 6 in North America) which includes over 1500 hours of supervised clinical internship. Licensed N.D.’s must complete internationally standardized board exams upon completion of their degree, and, where there is an Act, are self-regulated in the same way M.D.’s are.  In addition, a naturopathic doctor must continue ongoing education in order to maintain good standing with the regulatory body, and stay current with the ever-changing world of health care.

There are now close to 400 N.D.’s in BC alone, and this number is growing. Naturopathic Physicians today are well-educated in both the sciences and the arts of healing. They provide safe, non-invasive, intelligent care to every individual and, as N.D.’s are thoroughly trained in pathologies and diagnosis, are able to recognize conditions which require more than Naturopathic therapeutics.  This means that ND’s are taught to recognize when a patient needs medical, or specialist, attention.

The following are the basic principles that inform the practice of Naturopathic Medicine.

The Healing Power of Nature
(Vis medicatrix naturae)
Within the human organism is an ordered and intelligent inherent healing process. The goal of a naturopath is to support, facilitate, and augment this process by identifying and removing obstacles to health and recovery, and supporting a healthy internal and external environment.

Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle causum)
Symptoms can be expressions of the body’s attempt to defend or to heal itself, or they may be the direct result of the cause of the disease. Rather than just eliminate (or suppress) the symptoms, a naturopath seeks to find and treat the cause.

First Do No Harm (Primum non nocere)
A naturopath will use methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful effects, and apply the least possible force or intervention to diagnose illness and restore health.

Doctor as Teacher
The word ‘doctor’ is from the Latin docere meaning “teacher”. If an individual is educated in their own health matters, they have the potential to take more responsibility for their health, and to feel more in control.

Treat the Whole Person
Naturopathic medicine recognizes that many factors can impact your health, including physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors. Therefore, your condition is not treated so much as you are treated.

Prevention
Health promotion is the best prevention of illness. This involves the assessment of risk factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease, and the appropriate interventions in partnership with patients to prevent ill health.