While naturopaths recognize that allopathic medical care is, at times, necessary, they understand that many accepted allopathic treatments can be harmful. Allopathic philosophy holds that disease is caused by external agents, chiefly by bacteria and viruses. According to this belief system, a cure will result when these offending agents are eliminated. Also, the allopathic belief also tends to look at the symptom and the disease as one and the same, so that when the symptom has been eliminated, it is presumed that the disease is cured. The Naturopath, however, sees the symptom as nothing more than a signal that something is wrong. According to naturopathic belief, when a symptom alone is eliminated, it is most likely being suppressed. Unless the original cause has been eliminated, the symptom may return later in a chronic form.
The origin of “doctor” was in the Latin “docere” Which means “to teach.”
A Naturopath teaches a client how to live a healthy, holistic lifestyle.
Basic principles of Naturopathy
In helping their clients, naturopaths follow a number of basic principles. Among them are:
Do no harm. Primum non nocere is a part of the Hippocratic oath. Naturopaths do not use harmful substances, such as drugs and pharmaceuticals, and do not rely on dangerous procedures, such as surgery.
is a part of the Hippocratic oath. Naturopaths do not use harmful substances, such as drugs and pharmaceuticals, and do not rely on dangerous procedures, such as surgery.
Recognize the healing power of nature. Naturopaths understand that the body has an innate capacity for self-healing. They are equipped to educate their clients in setting up a proper external and internal environment so that healing will take place.
Naturopaths understand that the body has an innate capacity for self-healing. They are equipped to educate their clients in setting up a proper external and internal environment so that healing will take place.
Find and eliminate the cause of poor health. Naturopaths help their clients evaluate their lifestyles, identify the cause of their health problems, and take corrective action.
Naturopaths help their clients evaluate their lifestyles, identify the cause of their health problems, and take corrective action.
Teach Health. Naturopaths teach their clients how to achieve and maintain good health. This empowers their clients and enables them to participate in the process of staying well.
Naturopaths teach their clients how to achieve and maintain good health. This empowers their clients and enables them to participate in the process of staying well.
Honor the total person. A person is never simply a headache, or a back ache, or a sore throat. Unless there has been an injury, seldom does any problems occur in isolation. Naturopaths understand that people are physical, mental, and spiritual beings, and that one “dis-ease” affects all areas of life.
A person is never simply a headache, or a back ache, or a sore throat. Unless there has been an injury, seldom does any problems occur in isolation. Naturopaths understand that people are physical, mental, and spiritual beings, and that one “dis-ease” affects all areas of life.
Prevent “dis-ease.” In teaching their clients how to achieve a state of balance, naturopaths are helping them to remain healthy into the future. We do not become ill because we are exposed to a bacteria or virus, we are always exposed to the pathogens. We become ill because our internal environment is hospitable to pathogens.
In teaching their clients how to achieve a state of balance, naturopaths are helping them to remain healthy into the future. We do not become ill because we are exposed to a bacteria or virus, we are always exposed to the pathogens. We become ill because our internal environment is hospitable to pathogens.
What Naturopaths Do Not Do
A Naturopaths avoids a number of procedures that are common to the allopathic practitioner. Among these are:
Naturopaths Do NOT diagnose disease. In determining the root cause of problems, naturopaths perform evaluations and analyses, but do diagnose disease.
In determining the root cause of problems, naturopaths perform evaluations and analyses, but do diagnose disease.
Do NOT treat disease. In naturopathy the focus is on health and education, not on treating any specific disease. Naturopathy teaches clients how to create an internal and external environment that is conductive to good health.
In naturopathy the focus is on health and education, not on treating any specific disease. Naturopathy teaches clients how to create an internal and external environment that is conductive to good health.
Do NOT prescribe drugs and pharmaceuticals. A naturopath may teach clients about the various herbs and homeopathic remedies, as well as about the healing properties inherent in other foods and nutritional supplements. However, naturopaths do not prescribe drugs.
A naturopath may teach clients about the various herbs and homeopathic remedies, as well as about the healing properties inherent in other foods and nutritional supplements. However, naturopaths do not prescribe drugs.
Do NOT use invasive procedures. These include major and minor surgery, as well as injections and drawing of blood, all of which are common in allopathic medicine.
These include major and minor surgery, as well as injections and drawing of blood, all of which are common in allopathic medicine.
There are naturopaths who are also licensed massage therapist or chiropractors. All of the modalities practiced by both of these disciplines are naturopathic in nature.
