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What
Is Naturopathic Medicine?
A
Naturopathic Physician’s practice is similar in scope
to a general practitioner. Naturopathic treatment centers
on correcting the underlying "dis-ease" versus
just treating the symptom.
The
5 fundamental principles of Naturopathic Medicine:
1. The
Healing Power of Nature:
The healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing
and healing process of living systems.
2. Find
The Cause:
Every illness has an underlying cause, often in aspects
of the lifestyle, diet or habits of the individual. A naturopathic
physician is trained to find and remove the underlying cause
of a disease.
3. First
Do No Harm:
Naturopathic physicians utilize methods and medicinal substances
which minimize the risk of harmful effects, and apply the
least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose
illness and restore health. Whenever possible the suppression
of symptoms is avoided as suppression generally interferes
with the healing process.
4. Treat
The Whole Person:
Health or disease comes from a complex interaction of mental,
emotional, spiritual, physical, dietary, genetic, environmental,
lifestyle, structural and other factors. Naturopathic physicians
treat the whole person, taking these factors into account.
5. Preventive
Medicine:
The naturopathic approach to health care can prevent minor
illnesses from developing into more serious diseases. Patients
are taught the principles with which to live a healthy life
and by following these principles, they can prevent major
illnesses.
at Is Naturopathic Medicine?
What
Natural Therapies are used in Naturopathic Medicine:
Clinical nutrition refers to the
use of diet and nutritional supplements as a medical therapy.
Many medical conditions can be treated effectively with
diet alone or by supplementation of nutrients (vitamins
and minerals) above physiological doses. Food allergies,
irritable bowel syndrome, Fibromyalgia, migraines, high
blood pressure, acne, arthritis, PMS, pain, eczema, high
cholesterol, hypoglycemia, depression, anxiety and ADD are
just some of the many health conditions that are responsive
to nutritional therapy.
Botanical Medicine has been used
effectively in treating various illnesses for thousands
of years. Recently there has been a great renaissance in
the appreciation of plants as medicine as a result of an
increase in the scientific understanding of how these medicines
work. Botanical medicines may be as effective as prescription
drugs, but without the side effects.
A Naturopathic Physician may use Natural Hormones also known
as Bio-identical Hormones to treat illnesses that may have
resulted in low levels of the bodies’ own production
of Hormones. Natural Hormones
may also be used to prevent diseases associated with low
hormones after menopause for example: Alzheimer’s,
osteoporosis, and physical or mental symptoms associated
with low hormones. Natural Hormones differ from conventional
Hormone Replacement in their chemistry and how the body
recognizes and responds to their familiar chemical structure
instead of a synthetic or unfamiliar chemical structure.
Diet Therapy refers to making
changes to your diet to better your health or to treat a
medical condition. An allergy elimination diet is a tough
diet to complete on your own. Following an allergy elimination
diet, a Rotation diet may be helpful. The word “diet”
often has negative associations for people. Diet therapy
does not have to be negative, we can help you make slow
changes to your diet to enhance your health for the Long
Term. You are what you eat!
Healing from illness or preventing disease is
a process that occurs on many levels. Integrative medicine
can help you to heal your body, mind and spirit.
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