The following principles are the foundation upon which Naturopathic medicine is built.

Vis Medicatrix Naturae , The Healing Power of Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent ordered and intelligent self-healing process in the person. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and augment this inherent self-healing process.

Tolle Causam , Identify and treat the causes

The naturopathic physician seeks to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.

Primum Non Nocere, First Do No Harm

Naturopathic physicians follow three guidelines to ensure noninvasive treatment of the patient:

• Utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side-effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat.
• Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms.
  
• Acknowledge, respect and work with the individual’s self-healing process.

Docere, Doctor as Teacher

Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor/patient relationship.

Treat the Whole Person

Naturopathic physicians treat each patient by taking into account an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual, and other factors that contribute to one’s health.

Prevention

Naturopathic physicians emphasize the prevention of disease-assessing factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease and work toward making the appropriate decisions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness.

- Michelle Brannick ND, DC