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Naturopathic
medicine or Natural medicine is a distinct
and coordinated system of primary health
care. It is a comprehensive medical system
that combines conventional medical training
with natural therapies in the diagnosis,
treatment and prevention of disease. It
incorporates naturally occurring substances
and established therapies to stimulate the
body’s own immune and healing properties.
The fundamental principle of natural
medicine is to find the root cause of a
person’s disease, rather than just treating
the symptoms. Treatment plans are
individualized to the person’s own needs,
incorporating the person’s physical, mental,
environmental, genetic, and social aspects
that may contribute to their disease. The
following therapies may be used during
treatments:
• Clinical nutrition
• Botanical (herbal) medicine
• Traditional Chinese Medicine and
Acupuncture
• Homeopathic medicine
• Physical medicine (massage, hydrotherapy,
etc.)
• Lifestyle counseling
Principles of Naturopathic / Natural
Medicine
[
First, to do no harm, by using natural
methods and medicines that minimize the risk
of harmful side effects.
[ To
treat the causes of disease, by identifying
and removing the underlying causes of
illness, rather than suppressing symptoms
for them to return later.
[ To
teach the principles of healthy living and
preventative medicine, by sharing knowledge
with patients and encouraging individual
responsibility for health.
[ 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 each patient.
[ To
emphasize prevention, by partnering with the
patient to assess risk factors and recommend
appropriate natural interventions to
maintain health and prevent illness.
[ To
support the healing power of the body, by
recognizing and removing obstacles to the
body’s inherent self-healing process.
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