Naturopathic doctors (NDs) are primary care physicians that are clinically trained in both conventional and natural therapeutics. Their practice is based on the same basic bio-medical science foundation that allopathic practice is; however, their philosophies and approaches differ considerably from conventional practitioners. The philosophy behind Naturopathy is derived in part from a Hippocratic teaching more than 2000 years old: Vis mediatrix naturae---nature is the healer of all diseases. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes prevention and the promotion of optimal health through the use of natural therapeutics. This approach has proven successful in treating both chronic and acute conditions.
The philosophy is based on six principles:
The healing power of nature vis medicatrix naturae
The
body has an inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The physician's role is to facilitate this process with the aid of
natural, nontoxic therapies.
Identify
and treat the cause tolle causam
Naturopathic doctors seek to identify and remove the underlying
causes of an illness, rather than suppress presenting symptoms.
First do no
harm primum non-nocere
Naturopathic doctors use the least invasive, non-toxic therapies to
minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
Doctor as teacher docere
A doctor's most
important role is to educate, empower, and encourage each patient to take responsibility
for their health.
Treat the whole person tolle totum
Naturopathic doctors treat the whole
person by taking into consideration one's state of mind, body, and spirit.
Preventative medicine preveniere
A Naturopathic
doctor's specialty is disease prevention. They are trained
to assess risk factors and hereditary susceptibilities and make the appropriate
interventions.
Education:
Naturopathic Doctors hold a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from an accredited Naturopathic medical school. The four-year post-graduate training is unique in that Naturopathic Doctors study all the conventional medical sciences while also completing extensive
academic and clinical education in the use of natural medicines including
nutrition, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, physical medicine, and
counseling.
*The states that currently license Naturopathic Doctors are Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Washington D.C.
**Dr. Campbell is available for naturopathic consultation. She is not able to "practice medicine" in the state of Texas as there is not currently licensing for "Naturopathic Physicians" in this state. If you would like to support licensing efforts, please visit www.txanp.org or www.naturopathic.org.
