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There are six fundamental principles of naturopathic medicines
which are as follows:
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1. They are safe..
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Naturopathic physicians seek to do no harm by employing safe and effective natural
therapies as nature itself has healing powers. They believe that the body has considerable power to heal itself. It is the role of the physician to facilitate and enhance this process with the aid of
natural and non-toxic therapies.
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2. Identification and treatment of cause..
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Naturopathic physicians are trained to seek the underlying causes of a disease rather than to simply suppress the symptoms. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body’s attempt to heal, while the causes can spring from the physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.
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3. Treating the whole person..
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Naturopathic physicians are trained to view an individual as a whole, composed of a complex set of physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and other factors.
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4. Physician as a teacher..
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Naturopathic physicians are primarily teachers, educating, empowering, and motivating patients to assume more personal responsibility for their health by adopting a healthy attitude,
lifestyle and diet.
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5. Prevention is better than cure..
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Naturopathic physicians are preventive medicine specialists. Prevention of disease is accomplished through education and encouraging life habits that support health and prevent disease.
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6. Establishing health and wellness..
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The primary goals of the naturopathic physician are to establish and maintain optimum health and to promote wellness. While “health” is defined as the state of optimal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, “wellness” is defined as
a state of health, characterized by a positive emotional state. The naturopathic physician strives to increase the patient’s level of wellness, regardless of the level of health or disease.
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