I never considered becoming a doctor until I learned about the naturopathic principles. It was in my last year of undergraduate college at ASU that I learned about naturopathic medicine and knew that is where my path would lead. Now its almost 13 years later and I have never looked back!
These principles are what guide naturopathic doctors in the care of their patients and form the cornerstone for a system of healing that makes sense.
First, do No Harm
Naturopathic physicians follow three precepts to ensure their patients’ safety:
Use low-risk procedures and healing compounds—such as nutrition and lifestyle counseling, dietary supplements, herbal extracts and homeopathy—with few or no side effects.
When possible, do not suppress symptoms, which are the body’s efforts to self-heal. For example, the body may cook up a fever in reaction to a bacterial infection. Fever creates an inhospitable environment for the harmful bacteria, thereby destroying it. Of course, we do not allow the fever to get dangerously high.
Customize each diagnosis and treatment plan to fit each patient. We all heal in different ways and as a naturopathic physician, I respect our differences.
The Healing Power of Nature
Our bodies have such a powerful, innate instinct for self-healing. By finding and removing the obstacles to this process—such as poor diet or unhealthy lifestyle habits—naturopathic physicians nurture this process.
Identify and Treat the Cause of Disease
Naturopathic physicians understand that symptoms will only return unless the root illness is addressed. Rather than cover up symptoms, we seek to find and treat the cause of these symptom
Doctor as Teacher
Naturopathic medicine believes that doctors must be educators, as well as physicians. That’s why naturopathic physicians teach their patients how to eat, exercise, relax and nurture themselves physically and emotionally. We also encourage self-responsibility and work closely with each patient.
Treat the Whole Person
We each have a unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, sexual and spiritual makeup. The naturopathic physician knows that all these factors affect our health. That’s why we include them in a carefully tailored and individualized treatment strategy.
Prevention is the Best Medicine
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" has never been truer. Proactive medicine saves money, pain, misery and lives. That’s why naturopathic physicians evaluate risk factors, heredity and vulnerability to disease. By getting treatment for greater wellness, we’re less likely to need treatment for future illness.