Naturopathic medicine combines safe and effective traditional therapies with the most current advances in modern medicine. We are primary care and specialty doctors who address the causes of disease with natural therapies. We treat the whole person; mind, body, and spirit. Our goal is not only to help you overcome disease but to maximize your health and vitality.
A licensed naturopathic physician (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate level naturopathic medical school and is educated in the same basic sciences as medical doctors. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is trained in clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, counseling, and physical medicine. A naturopathic physician takes professional board exams in order to be licensed by a state or jurisdiction.
As professional leaders and pioneers in science-based natural medicine, naturopathic physicians advocate the development of professional standards, accountability, and regulation of all forms of medicine in all jurisdictions to maintain public safety and freedom of choice in health care. Further, we support broad inclusion, collaboration, and equal access in the health care system at all levels.
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, in Washington, D.C., is the national organization of the profession. The Montana Association of Naturopathic Physicians, in Helena, is the state level organization.
Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The Healing Power of Nature - Vis Medicatrix NaturaeThe healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing and healing process of living systems which establishes, maintains and restores health. Naturopathic medicine recognizes this healing process to be ordered and intelligent. It is the naturopathic physician’s role to support, facilitate and augment this process by identifying and removing obstacles to health and recovery, and by supporting the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.
Identify and Treat the Causes - Tolle Causam
Illness does not occur without cause. Causes may originate in many areas. Underlying causes of illness and disease must be identified and removed before complete recovery can occur. Symptoms can be expressions of the body’s attempt to defend itself, to adapt and recover, to heal itself, or may be results of the causes of disease. The naturopathic physician seeks to treat the causes of disease, rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.
First Do No Harm - Primum Non Nocere
Naturopathic physicians follow three precepts to avoid harming the patient:
- 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.
- Naturopathic physicians respect and work with the vis medicatrix naturae in diagnosis, treatment and counseling, for if this self-healing process is not respected the patient may be harmed.
The original meaning of the word ‘doctor’ is teacher. A principal objective of naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient and emphasize self-responsibility for health. Naturopathic physicians employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.
Treat the Whole Person
Health and disease result from a complex of physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. Since total health also includes spiritual health, naturopathic physicians encourage individuals to pursue their spiritual development. Naturopathic medicine recognizes the harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual as being essential to health. The multifactorial nature of health and disease requires personalized and comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment. Naturopathic physicians treat the whole person taking all of these factors into account.
Prevention
Naturopathic medical colleges emphasize the study of health as well as disease. The prevention of disease and the attainment of optimal health in patients are primary objectives of naturopathic medicine. In practice, these objectives are accomplished through education and the promotion of healthy ways of living. Naturopathic physicians assess risk factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease, and make appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness. Naturopathic medicine asserts that one cannot be healthy in a unhealthy environment and is committed to the creation of a world in which humanity may thrive.
Naturopathic practice
Naturopathic practice includes the following diagnostic and treatment modalities: utilization of all methods of clinical and laboratory diagnostic testing including diagnostic radiology and other imaging techniques; nutritional medicine; dietetics and therapeutic fasting; medicines of mineral, animal and botanical origin; hygiene and public health measures; naturopathic physical medicine including naturopathic manipulative therapies; the use of water, heat, cold, light, electricity, air, earth, electromagnetic and mechanical devices, ultrasound, and therapeutic exercise; homeopathy; psychotherapy and counseling; and minor surgery. Naturopathic practice excludes major surgery and the use of most synthetic drugs.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed 200 years ago by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). Homeopathic medicines stimulate and encourage the body’s own natural healing forces. It is used to treat acute and chronic disease, whether physical or mental/ emotional. The prescription is individualized to the person and homeopathy is safe and appropriate for all age groups, including children and pregnant women.
Principles of homeopathy
- Like cures like - substances that produce symptoms when given in large doses can cure illnesses with similar symptoms when given in microdoses.
- Symptoms indicate healing - symptoms represent the body’s effort to heal itself, therefore, symptoms are stimulated to complete the curative process
- Homeopathic remedies are based on provings - medicinal substances are given to healthy people in small doses to assess their physiologic properties. These ‘provings’ reveal the healing potential of the substance and the symptoms it will produce, which will be used to prescribe on. The idea of giving medicine to healthy people to see what it does originated with Samuel Hahnemann the founder of homeopathy. This is now a phase of the clinical trial process that pharmaceuticals are subjected to prior to being authorized for mass distribution in the US.
- Single remedy - One homeopathic medicine is chosen to perfectly match the totality of the patient’s symptoms.
- A minimum of doses is given - The individual’s innate healing powers are encouraged by only a small stimulus.
Homeopathic medicines are prepared from a plant. mineral, and animal substances. The manufacturing of remedies is standardized and regulated by the FDA. Medicines are applied to sugar pellets or prepared as liquid solutions, and are often prescribed in single higher-potency doses at intervals of weeks or months, or lower potency doses for daily use.
