Naturopathic Medicine is based on 6 Healing Principles
1. vis medicatrix naturae - The healing power of nature
The ND’s role is to remove any obstacles to cure in order to facilitate the natural healing power of the body.
2. tolle causum - Identify and treat the cause
Symptoms are the result of the body attempting to heal itself. They should not be suppressed by drugs. The cause can occur on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.
3. primum nocere - First do no harm
Therapy and treatment should be designed to assist the body in its own natural healing process.
4. tolle totem - Treat the whole person
Individualized treatment is the norm. Being healthy or in a state of disease, are conditions involving a complex interaction of the physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social interactions of a person. Each patient has their own complex of life experiences and therefore disease will manifest differently in each individual. There must be a balance in all areas in order to maintain a state of health.
5. prevenir - Preventative medicine
By taking responsibility of our life choices, we can prevent minor ailments from developing into serious or chronic illness. Emphasis is on building health, rather than being on fighting disease. Naturopathic Doctors are preventative medicine experts.
6. docere - Doctor as teacher.
ND’s help educate their patients in making healthier lifestyle choices. By accepting this help and guidance, and by working together, allows the patient to open up and begin the healing process. It is ultimately the patient, and not the doctor, who accomplishes healing. Creating a healthy, cooperative relationship with a patient has a strong therapeutic value.
The ND’s role is to remove any obstacles to cure in order to facilitate the natural healing power of the body.
2. tolle causum - Identify and treat the cause
Symptoms are the result of the body attempting to heal itself. They should not be suppressed by drugs. The cause can occur on a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual level.
3. primum nocere - First do no harm
Therapy and treatment should be designed to assist the body in its own natural healing process.
4. tolle totem - Treat the whole person
Individualized treatment is the norm. Being healthy or in a state of disease, are conditions involving a complex interaction of the physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social interactions of a person. Each patient has their own complex of life experiences and therefore disease will manifest differently in each individual. There must be a balance in all areas in order to maintain a state of health.
5. prevenir - Preventative medicine
By taking responsibility of our life choices, we can prevent minor ailments from developing into serious or chronic illness. Emphasis is on building health, rather than being on fighting disease. Naturopathic Doctors are preventative medicine experts.
6. docere - Doctor as teacher.
ND’s help educate their patients in making healthier lifestyle choices. By accepting this help and guidance, and by working together, allows the patient to open up and begin the healing process. It is ultimately the patient, and not the doctor, who accomplishes healing. Creating a healthy, cooperative relationship with a patient has a strong therapeutic value.
Therapeutic Order
1. Re-establish the basis for health. Remove the obstacle to cure by establishing a healthy regimen.
2. Stimulate the healing power of nature. Use various systems of health such as botanicals, homeopathy, Chinese medicine, nutrition, and/or psycho-spiritual.
3. Tonify weakened systems. Use modalities to strengthen the immune system, decrease toxicity, normalize inflammatory function, optimize metabolic function, balance regulatory systems, enhance regeneration and harmonize life forces.
4. Correct structural integrity. Use therapeutic exercise, spinal manipulation, massages, and craniosacral to return to optimal structural condition.
5. Prescribe specific natural substances for pathology. Use pharmaceutical drugs to return to, and promote health.
6. Prescribe surgery and/or pharmacotherapy. Use aggressive therapies to attempt to maintain/restore health.
(Take from A Hierarchy of Healing: The Therapeutic Order. Pamela Snyder, ND, Jared Zeff, ND, Lac, Stephen Myers, ND, BMed, PhD.)