The 6 Principals of Naturopathic Medicine

I love the way naturopathy uses the intelligence of nature to heal. We have so many gorgeous foods and gentle herbs to help bring your body gently back into balance and optimise health. Here are the 6 Principals that form the basis of naturopathic medicine.

1. Vis Medicatrix Naturae The Healing Power of Nature

   All of life is ordered and intelligent.

   When the correct internal and external environments are provided the organism will return to health. Naturopaths seek to create optimal conditions for health inside and out.

2. Primum Non Nocere First do no harm

   Naturopaths choose treatment based on minimising risk of harmful effect on the patient. They apply the least amount of force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness or restore health.

   Symptoms are often the bodies way of healing a condition, so the suppression of symptoms is avoided. The cause of the illness is focused on instead.

3. Tolle Totum Treat the whole person

   Health is the product of physical, mental, genetic, spiritual, social and environmental factors. The harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual is essential to health. Naturopaths focus on treating the whole person, and in this way the person is the focus of treatment, rather than the disease.

4. Tolle Causam Treat the cause

   All illness comes from somewhere. The underlying causes of disease and illness must be identified and removed before complete healing can occur. Symptoms may arise from the body trying to heal a condition, such as inflammation and stiffness in a damaged muscle, or may be due to the cause of the disease, such as stiffness in a joint due to arthritis. Naturopaths seek to treat the cause of illness rather then just suppressing the symptoms.

5. Docere Doctor as teacher

   The word Docere (doctor) originally meant teacher. Naturopathic treatment has a large focus on patient education and to motivate patient self-care. The practitioner -patient relationship has major therapeutic value.

6. Preventare Prevention

   Healthy diet and lifestyle optimise health and prevent disease. Whether treating a patient who presents with a disease condition, or treating a patient for prevention of future disease, the approach is similar. The aim is to help the patient thrive.