NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE

Naturopathic physicians are primary care providers clinically trained in natural therapeutics and whose philosophy is derived in part from the 2000-year-old Hippocratic teaching (vis mediatrix naturae) that nature is the healer of all diseases. Their practice is based on the same bio-medical science foundation that conventional practice is; however, their treatment philosophies and approaches often differ. While naturopathic physicians and conventional physicians share common diagnostic methods, naturopathic physicians treat patients using natural therapies such as physical manipulation, clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, counseling, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy - choosing treatments based on the individual patient, not based on the generality of symptoms. Below are the 6 principles of naturopathic medicine that every ND swears an oath on, promising to treat each patient in accordance with these laws.