Naturo…what? Let’s Take a Deeper Look at the Philosophies Behind Naturopathy.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that seeing a Naturopath is all about magic herb mixes or having someone look into your eye and telling you all of your life secrets! What many don’t realise, is that Naturopathy is a healing modality built upon six foundational principles. These days the majority of modern Naturopaths are guided by the latest science and work in an integrative manner alongside conventional health care systems, but the following underlying principles are always at the core of what we do:

1.     The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)

A Naturopath seeks to facilitate the inherent healing processes that naturally occur within the body to establish and maintain health. Supporting these processes often involves removing factors that are obstacles to health and identifying ways to create an environment that encourages the innate healing process to occur.

2.     Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle Causum)

Whilst we can treat acute symptoms to get you feeling better ASAP, a Naturopath strives to identify and work on the root causes of illness in order to have a meaningful impact on your overall health and associated long-term outcomes.

3.     First Do no Harm (Primum Non Nocere)

A Naturopathic approach seeks to facilitate the healing power of nature and minimise risk, utilising gentle forms of intervention wherever possible.

4.     Doctor as Teacher (Docere)

Educating the patient is at the heart of what we do. We recognise the importance of the therapeutic relationship, but also the power of personal accountability and empowerment in achieving long-term goals as an individual. Health is a lifelong journey, not a mere moment in time, therefore developing the knowledge and skills to support yourself is imperative.

5.     Treat the Whole Person (Tolle Totum)

A holistic approach recognises the interconnected nature of different body systems, as well as the importance of a mind, body, spirit approach to human health. Naturopathy has a deep respect for the multifactorial nature of health and disease, recognising that each case must be viewed as a whole person and that their assessment and treatment requires a comprehensive, personalised approach.

6.     Prevention (Preventare)

Reducing the risk of disease and striving for optimal health and wellbeing are primary goals of Naturopathic care. Our consultation and health assessment process seeks to identify areas of risk and promote opportunities for positive change. By considering diet, lifestyle, nutrient status, environmental factors and genetic predisposition we can implement preventative practices that are supportive of long-term health and optimal wellbeing.

This summary aims to provide you with some insight into how and why your holistic practitioner operates the way that they do! You may now realise that whilst you can often achieve some level of success with supplements alone, failure to comprehensively address a case with these overarching principles will rarely lead to successful long-term outcomes. With the right assessment and guidance, it’s often the small changes that we implement long-term that can lead us to the greatest results!