Is Naturopathic Medicine Right for You?
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine is
Functional Medicine.
Our approach varies widely to conventional medical practices. Here, we’ll take you through the principles and training that guide us as well as the therapies we use and conditions we treat.
Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The healing
power of nature
Nature acts powerfully through healing mechanisms in the body and mind to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic physicians work to restore and support these systems when they have broken down, by using methods, medicines and techniques that are in harmony with natural processes.
First do
no harm
Naturopathic physicians prefer non-invasive treatments which minimize the risks of harmful side effects. They are trained to know which patients they can treat safely and which ones they need to refer to other health care practitioners.
Find the
cause
Every illness has an underlying cause, often in aspects of the lifestyle, diet or habits of the individual.
Naturopathic physicians are trained to find and treat the underlying cause of a disease.
Treat the
whole person
Health or disease comes from a complex interaction of physical, emotional, dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle and other factors. Naturopathic physicians treat the whole person, taking these factors into account.
Preventive
medicine
The naturopathic approach to health care can prevent minor illnesses from developing into more serious or chronic degenerative diseases. Patients are taught the principles with which to live a healthy life and, by following these principles, they can prevent major illnesses.
Maintaining
wellness
Establishing and maintaining optimum health and balance. wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought and action. Wellness is inherent in everyone, no matter what disease(s) are being experienced. If wellness is really recognized and experienced by an individual, it will more quickly heal a given disease than direct treatment of the disease alone.
Doctor as
teacher
The original meaning of the work “doctor” is teacher. A principle objective of naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient and emphasize self-responsibility for health. Naturopathic physicians also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.
Training of Naturopathic Doctors
Accreditation
Our naturopathic doctors have received Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.D.) degrees from Bastyr University in Seattle, have fulfilled the national licensing requirements for naturopathic doctors, and are licensed to practice in California and Hawaii. They are members of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. Bastyr University is a federally-accredited, four-year postgraduate naturopathic medical school.
In naturopathic training, doctors receive basic, clinical science, and diagnostic training similar to the training that conventional doctors receive, as well as hundreds of hours of training in natural therapeutics and nutrition. Their training includes primary health care, emphasizing prevention, treatment and the promotion of optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and modalities that encourage the self-healing process, which we call the vix medicatrix nature.
Philosophy
The philosophical approach of naturopathic medicine includes prevention of disease, encouragement of the body’s inherent healing abilities, natural treatment of the whole person, personal responsibility for one’s health, and education of patients in health-promoting lifestyles. Naturopathic practice blends centuries-old knowledge of natural, nontoxic therapies with current scientific knowledge. The scope of practice includes all aspects of family and primary care, from pediatrics to geriatrics, and all-natural medicine modalities.
Naturopathic diagnostics and therapeutics are supported by scientific research drawn from peer-reviewed journals from many disciplines, including naturopathic medicine, conventional medicine, clinical nutrition, phytotherapy, pharmacognosy, homeopathy, psychology and spirituality.
Most naturopathic doctors provide primary care natural medicine through private practice. Many receive additional training in specialized disciplines to broaden the services they can offer their patients. These disciplines include midwifery, acupuncture and Oriental medicine, homeopathy, psychotherapy, and Ayurvedic medicine. Some naturopathic physicians choose to practice as specialists. An increasing trend is the establishment of associate practices and interdisciplinary integrated care clinics, bringing together the services of a diverse group of practitioners.
Naturopathic Therapies
Naturopathic therapies are designed to work in harmony with the healing power of nature. They address excess and deficiency, remove obstacles to cure, and support your body’s own vital force.
Naturopathic physicians use a variety of natural and non-invasive therapies, including clinical nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, minor surgery, hydrotherapy, physical medicine, and counseling. Many naturopathic physicians have additional training and certification in acupuncture and natural childbirth. Some also practice energetic healing approaches like flower essences, holographic repatterning, Reiki, and other forms of vibrational medicine.
Because we are not limited to a standard of practice requiring the use of conventional pharmaceutical or surgical interventions, naturopathic physicians can specifically tailor their approaches to dealing with health problems to each individual patient. Cookbook approaches that fit everyone are rare in naturopathic medicine. Our treatments are effective in treating a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions without the need for additional intervention.