NATUROPATHY
What is Naturopathy?
The roots of naturopathic medicine can be found in many cultures such as Egyptian, Indian, European, Chinese, Arabian and Greek. The native healing practices of these cultures would eventually become the influence that lead to the creation of naturopathy. Naturopathy became a distinct American health profession about 100 years ago due to the combined efforts of Dr. Benedict Lust and Dr. Robert Foster. Dr. Lust came to North America from Germany to practice hydrotherapy techniques developed by Sebastian Kneipp in Western Europe. Along with Dr. Foster the two eventually developed a complete system of medicine based on a variety of natural healing modalities and named it ‘naturopathy’.
The human body has an innate ability to heal itself. It is the role of the physician to find a treatment that will stimulate that ability and bring the patient back into a state of health. This ability is oftten referred to as the’vital force’ in naturopathic medicine. Stimulating the vital force may be achieved in many ways depending on the particular nature of the patient’s illness. Much of the medicine we have in the West today is focused on suppression of symptoms. Although the removal of symptoms is always the ultimate goal of treatment, when it is done with no concern for the underlying cause of those symtoms then it is considered suppression not cure. In naturopathy the goal is always to ‘cure’ – or remove all symptoms permanently from the inside out, never suppression. Suppression simply moves the illness deeper but does nothing to actually heal the patient. So if true health is desired the naturopathic doctor will always choose modalities that work with the patient’s vital force not against it.
The modalities traditionally used in naturopathy include herbal medicine, homeopathy, diet (including periodic cleanses), nutrition (including supplementation when needed), physical medicine and hydrotherapy. New modalities are continually added as we learn more about the nature of health and disease. Guiding the addition and use of those modalities are the six healing principles of naturopathic medicine. These principles serve as a foundation from which all naturopaths practice. A brief description of each principle is listed below.
The healing power of nature
Vis medicatrix naturae
The human body has the innate ability to establish, maintain and restore health on all levels; mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. The body’s healing process is ordered and intelligent; driven by the patient’s vital force. The physician’s role is simply to assist and augment the body’s natural healing process by identifying and removing obstacles to cure, treating the root cause of disease and supporting and educating the patient through all stages of the healing process.
Identify and treat the cause
Tolle causum
Illness does not occur without cause. Therefore the patient will never be completely free of disease until the root cause is identified and treated. Outward symptoms are a sign of the body’s attempt to heal itself and should be used as important clues in the ultimate discovery and treatment of the root cause but should not be mistaken for the disease itself. Symptoms will naturally disappear when the root cause is successfully treated.
First do no harm
Primum no nocere
Symptoms often occur as the vital force attempts to heal itself and are a sign that the body is moving toward health. Any therapeutic action taken by the physician should be synergistic and supportive of this healing process. Actions that simply seek to remove symptoms without addressing the underlying cause are minimized or avoided in naturopathic medicine.
Treat the whole person
In perturbato animo sicut in corpore sanitas esse non potest
Health and illness are the products of complex interactions between mental, emotional, physical and spiritual levels as well as environmental and social factors. No single level is more important than another and symptoms may occur on many levels simultaneously. The physician must assess all levels of a patient in order to create an effective and individualized treatment protocol.
The physician as teacher
Docere
In addition to accurate diagnosis and treatment a physician must also develop a healthy, trusting relationship with the patient. A strong therapeutic relationship allows the physician to fulfill their ultimate goal of educating the patient to care for themselves. True, lasting health is ultimately the responsibility of the patient because only the patient has control over the choices they make. The physician has the responsibility to give the patient the skills they need to reach and maintain their own optimal state of health.
Prevention
Principiis obsta: sero medicina curator
The ultimate goal of naturopathic medicine is prevention. Most patients initially seek the care of a physician because of a state of illness not a desire for prevention but when the illness is removed it is the responsibility of the physician to assist the patient in maintaining health. Health maintenance requires prevention of further illness through such things as proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. Because it is difficult to maintain health in an unhealthy world it is the responsibility of both patient and physician to foster a healthier living environment.
For additional information on the history and practice of naturopathic medicine please follow the link below.
http://www.ncnm.edu/academics/naturopathic_school_information.php#history
