What is a Naturopath Doctor?

A naturopath doctor seeks the benefit of the body's natural healing powers while working with the patient to obtain and maintain genuine and lasting wellness.

A quick way to answer the question: What is a naturopath? Just break the compound of the word. The prefix “naturo-” means natural and the suffix “-path,” disease. Hence, the term “naturopath” roughly means, “a natural way to cure disease.”

According to Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary, a formal definition of a naturopath is, “A system of treatment of disease that avoids drugs and surgery and emphasizes the use of natural agents (as air, water, and sunshine) and physical means (as manipulation and electrical treatment).”

How Naturopathic Doctors are Different…

Naturopath doctors base their practice of medicine on six basic principles:

1. Healing Power of Nature: The body can heal itself when given the appropriate means.

2. Identify and Treat the Cause: Look beyond the symptoms to deal with what is causing the illness.

3. Do No Harm: Utilize the most natural and least invasive therapy first. Although ND’s can prescribe drugs, they often offer homeopathic or herbals remedies just as effective, but tolerated far better.

4. The Doctor is a Teacher: The ND will educate their patients on their responsibility to care for their own health and to take an active role in preventing disease.

5. Treat the Whole Person: The ND realizes that total health is not only physical, but also involves mental, emotional, social and spiritual factors.

6. Prevention: Disease prevention is the best medicine and the ND will focus on preventive measures to promotion optimal health

Benefits of a Naturopaths Doctors

The benefits of naturopath doctors are many. Naturopaths are trained in a variety of alternative therapies. Choosing a naturopath as a doctor exposes the patient to an array of natural healing techniques.

Some of these are:

• Homeopathic and herbal medicine

• Nutrition and diet education

• Extensive knowledge of vitamins, minerals, herbs and other nutraceuticals

• Physical interventions such as massage, Bowen therapy and hydrotherapy

• Counseling

A major benefit of a ND is that he or she expects you to take responsibility for your own healing and wellness. They will teach you and give you the tools, but it is up to you to do what they suggest. They will educate you, but you are responsible to take the necessary preventive measures. They will give you the tools to help your body heal itself in a way that drugs cannot. When the patient is educated and cooperative, great strides can be taken to avoid even those diseases of genetic predisposition.

Actively being involved in your own wellness, not only physically, but also mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually to prevent future problems, is a far greater benefit than to simply take a pharmaceutical drug to alleviate symptoms of a far more serious and perhaps irreversible disease.

This is the goal of the ND.

Who Do ND’s Help?

A naturopath doctor may be an excellent choice for you if you are seeking:

- A family doctor- A second, perhaps natural, opinion for acute or chronic conditions- A preventive, holistic approach to preserve and maintain your wellness- An integrated approach with your current conventional doctor

ND’s can benefit those individual at any age and in all type of diseases who prefer a natural approach to health care and will take the responsibility of “following doctor’s orders” so to practice preventive medicine.

Find A Naturopath Near You

If you would like to be treated by a ND, here is a link to a Naturopathic Directory. Remember, like many other health practitioners, ND’s have different types and areas of expertise. Some may be general practitioners, while others may specialize in areas of health such as detoxification, homeopathy, nutritional or immune support.

As with any physician or health practitioner, if you are not satisfied, no matter what his or her title may be, do yourself a favor and shop around. Your health is a precious and valuable gift, but you must make the final decision as to who you will trust to give you the medical advice you need.

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