Naturopathic medicine evolved almost 100 years ago as a distinct health care profession. Its philosophy and therapies have their origins in the philosophy of Hippocrates and the healing wisdom of many cultures and times. 
Naturopathic medicine is a distinctively natural approach to health and healing that recognizes the integrity of the whole person. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the treatment of disease through the stimulation, enhancement, and support of the inherent healing capacity of the person. Methods of treatments are chosen to work with the patient's vital force, respecting the intelligence of the natural healing process. The practice of Naturopathic medicine emerges from six underlying principles of healing.
The healing power of Nature, Vis medicatrix naturae. Naturopathic physicians act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery and to facilitate and augment the inherent self-healing process.
Identify and treat the causes, Tolle causam. Naturopathic physicians seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.
First do no harm, Primum non nocere. Naturopathic physicians utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects and avoid when possible the suppression of symptoms, while respecting and working with the individual’s self-healing process.
Doctor as teacher, Docere. Naturopathic physicians educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health.
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 the factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease and work towards making the appropriate decisions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness.
Natural therapies used in treatment
Lifestyle counseling and hygiene. Promotion of wellness including recommendations for diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction and balancing of work and social activities.
Clinical nutrition. Nutrition and the therapeutic use of foods have always been a cornerstone of Naturopathic medicine. Many medical conditions can be treated as effectively with foods and nutritional supplements as they can be by any other means, but with fewer complications and side effects.
Botanical medicine. Any plant substances are powerful, gentle, effective medicines. They are effective and safe when used properly, in the right dose and in the proper combinations with other herbs and treatments.
Physical medicine. This therapeutic modality offers treatment mainly for musculoskeletal concerns. Treatments include soft tissue work, naturopathic spinal and joint manipulation, gentle electrical impulses, ultrasound, diathermy, hydrotherapy (use of hot and cold water and colonics), and exercise therapy.
Homeopathic medicine. This system of medicine evolved more than 200 years ago in Germany. It uses highly dilute concentrations of naturally occurring plants, animals and minerals, called remedies, to gently stimulate the body’s vital force and strengthen its innate ability to heal. Homeopathic remedies function on both the physical and emotional levels and seldom have side effects.
Psychological medicine. Mental attitudes and emotional states may influence, or even cause, physical illness. Counseling, nutritional balancing, stress management, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and other therapies are used to help patients heal on the psychological level.
Apitherapy. An ancient healing method that involves the use of all honeybee products therapeutically, as is or as various preparations: honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, bee venom and apilarnil (prepared from drone larvae).
Naturopathic Medicine
