About Naturopathic Medicine
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas Alva Edison
Naturopathic Medicine
Combining the best of centruies old experience with modern science, naturopathic medicine is the pinnacle of natural healing. It approaches each person as the unique individual they are, with their own paths to healing. Naturopathic doctors strive to educate and therefore empower their patients about their health. Emphasizing prevention and optimal wellness, naturopathic medicine focuses on finding the underlying cause of illness and eliminating it rather than treating or suppressing the symptoms. Utilizing therapeutic modalities that minimize the risk of harmful side effects, naturopathic doctors use the least force necessary to support the bodies natural healing abilities. These modalities include nutrition, herbal medicine, counseling, natural supplements, physical medicine including soft tissue manipulation and hydrotherapy, and if needed pharmaceuticals in the states where natruopathic doctors can prescribe * note: Colorado does not allow naturopathic doctors to prescribe medications. Patients are encouraged to have a relationship with a physician who can prescribe in case it is needed.
Naturopathic Principles
First Do No Harm
Naturopathic medicine uses therapies that minimize side effect risks, avoids the harmful suppression of symptoms, and uses the least force to diagnose and encourage healing
The Healing Power of Nature
The body has an innate ability to heal itself, naturopathic doctors support this and remove obstacles to cure
Identify and Treat the Causes
Instead of suppressing symptoms naturopathic doctors find the root cause of the illness and eliminate it
The Physician as Teacher
Naturopathic doctors educate their patients to empower them to take charge of their health
Prevention
Assessing risk factors and susceptibility, naturopathic doctors recomend interventions to prevent disease from taking root
Treat the Whole Person
Recognizing that people are more than just physical beings, naturopathic doctors take social, emotional, genetic, mental, and environmental factors into account
"The truth of our medicine will always win out, the truth of what we are doing will always survive."
- Dr. John Bastyr
Education
In order to become a licensed or registered naturopathic doctor a person must first earn their bachelor's degree then attend an accredited 4-year naturopathic medical school. Afterward they must pass two rounds of national licensing board exams. The first two years of naturopathic medical school are focused on the same basic science classes that medical doctors (MDs) undergo. The final two years are devoted to in-depth study of each body system, such as cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, rheumatology, etc. This in-depth education includes natural treatment modalities, such as nutrition, naturopathic physical medicine, botanical medicine, counseling, and hydrotherapy which are supported by peer-reviewed research. A thorough education in pharmaceuticals is required as well. Naturopathic doctors undergo an average of 150 hours of nutrition training and spend over 1200 hours during their last two years in hands-on clinical training closely supervised by licensed naturopathic physicians.
