Naturopathic Medicine

About Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care system that combines modern medical research (EBM) with the traditional knowledge of natural medicines that have been substantiated over thousands of years.  The practice is based on finding the root cause of illness, rather than treating symptoms and using individualized medicine to stimulate the body’s innate healing mechanisms.  Naturopathic medicine uses a holistic approach and focuses on treating the whole person, beginning with the most gentle and least invasive approaches to minimize the risk of harmful side effects.  Naturopathic treatments include but are not limited to:

• Botanical medicine

• Clinical nutrition

• Diet & Lifestyle counselling

• Acupuncture

• Traditional Chinese medicine

• Hydrotherapy

The Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

1. First, to do no harm, by using methods and medicines that minimize the risk of harmful side effects.

2. To treat the causes of disease, by identifying and removing the underlying causes of illness, rather than suppressing symptoms.

3. To teach the principles of healthy living and preventative medicine, by sharing knowledge with patients and encouraging individual responsibility for health.

4. To heal the whole person through individualized treatment, by understanding the unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors that contribute to illness, and customizing treatment protocols to the patient.

5. To emphasize prevention, by partnering with the patient to assess risk factors and recommend appropriate naturopathic interventions to maintain health and prevent illness

6. To support the healing power of the body, by recognizing and removing obstacles to the body’s inherent self-healing process.