What is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession that is founded on the following principles:

The Healing power of Nature

There is inherent intelligent self-healing and self-regulating process in the human body. This process maintains balance and health.

Find and Treat the Cause

Uncover the underlying obstacles to healing and remove them. Do not focus on the suppression of symptoms.

First Do no Harm

Utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat

Doctor as Teacher

Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health

Treat the Whole Person

Naturopathic physicians understand that an individual's physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, genetic, environmental, and social factors can

impact their health both positively and negatively.

Prevention

The key to long-term health is preventing the onset of disease by optimizing health at all levels.

What is a Naturopathic Doctor?

Naturopathic doctors are educated and trained in accredited naturopathic medical colleges. They diagnose, prevent, and

treat acute and chronic illness to restore and establish optimal health by supporting the person's inherent self-healing

process. Rather than just suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors work to identify underlying causes of illness, and

develop personalized treatment plans to address them. Their Therapeutic Order identifies the natural order in which all

therapies should be applied to provide the greatest benefit with the least potential for damage.

Credit: www.naturopathic.org

What medical training does a licensed ND receive?

A licensed Naturopathic physician is required to complete a 4 or 5 year accredited Naturopathic Medical Degree program,

a minimum of 2 years of clinical training, and to pass 2 sets of clinical board certification exams.

A Naturopathic Physician is trained to function as a primary care physician and depending on the scope of practice under

their license, they may be certified to prescribe pharmaceutical drugs and order diagnostic testing and imaging options.

Please refer to your state or provincial regulatory body to determine the scope of practice for NDs in your area.

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