Naturopathic Medicine:
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession emphasizing preventative medicine, treating root causes, achieving optimal health through the use of oriental medicine, western herbs, homeopathy, nutrients, lifestyle counseling as well as using clinical and laboratory diagnostic testing including blood work, stool, urine, and salivary analysis.
Following six principles are the foundation of naturopathic medicine practice and that is how our medicine is exercised.
1. First Do No Harm: Naturopathic doctors follow guidelines to avoid harming the patient by utilizing methods which minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
2. The healing power of Nature: Naturopathic medicine recognizes and respects the innate ability of self-healing process in people and support and identify the obstacles to healing to achieve optimal health by corroborating with healing power of nature that is given to us.
3. Identify and treat the root causes: Naturopathic doctors work with patients to identify the root causes of the disease rather than focusing on suppressing the symptoms (branches) of the actual illness.
4. Treat the whole person: Naturopathic doctors look into each patient in all levels – physical, mental, emotional, social, genetics, environment, and spiritual and understands the influences of each level and how it manifests in the person.
5. Doctor as Teacher: Naturopathic doctors educate their patients and encourage them to be responsible for their health for them to navigate their life and live with their full potential.
6. Prevention: Naturopathic doctors emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing the risk factors, hereditary and susceptibility to disease, and by creating partnership with their patients.
In order to become a licensed naturopathic doctor, one must attend a four-year, accredited, graduate-level naturopathic medical school.
Naturopathic doctors are educated in all of the same biomedical sciences as a medical doctor. In addition to medical and clinical sciences, naturopathic education requires complete natural and non-toxic treatments including acupuncture, clinical nutrition, physical medicines, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology and counseling etc.
Upon graduation, naturopathic doctors must take and pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam (NPLEX). This exam covers basic sciences, diagnostic and therapeutic subjects and clinical sciences.
