Intro to Naturopathic Intro to Naturopathic MedicineMedicine

©Dr. Kevin Passero 2003©Dr. Kevin Passero 2003

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Naturopathic MedicineNaturopathic MedicineWhat is it?What is it?

Naturopathic Medicine blends Naturopathic Medicine blends centuries-old natural, non-toxic centuries-old natural, non-toxic therapies with current advances in the therapies with current advances in the study of health and human systems. study of health and human systems.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

1) The Healing Power of Nature.1) The Healing Power of Nature. Naturopathic Doctors believe that the Naturopathic Doctors believe that the natural state of the body is to be natural state of the body is to be healthy. Our jobs are to help the patient healthy. Our jobs are to help the patient identify and remove obstacles to healing identify and remove obstacles to healing and allow the body to heal itself.and allow the body to heal itself.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

2) Identify and Treat the Causes. 2) Identify and Treat the Causes. The Naturopath seeks to identify and The Naturopath seeks to identify and remove underlying causes of illness, remove underlying causes of illness, rather than to merely eliminate or rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.suppress symptoms.

Symptoms as messengersSymptoms as messengers Naturopathic Medicine attempts to find Naturopathic Medicine attempts to find

the underlying cause of the patient’s the underlying cause of the patient’s condition.condition.

Much of modern medicine, conventional Much of modern medicine, conventional and alternative is focused on symptom and alternative is focused on symptom management. Often this means management. Often this means neglecting the possibility of an neglecting the possibility of an underlying cause.underlying cause.

Symptoms are messengers, and what Symptoms are messengers, and what happens when we shoot the messenger? happens when we shoot the messenger? We don’t know from where the message We don’t know from where the message came.came.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

3) First Do No Harm.3) First Do No Harm.

The Naturopathic Doctor implements The Naturopathic Doctor implements this third rule with the following this third rule with the following preceptsprecepts

Utilize methods and medical substances which Utilize methods and medical substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects.minimize the risk of harmful side effects.

Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms.symptoms.

Acknowledge, respect and work with the Acknowledge, respect and work with the individual’s self-healing process.individual’s self-healing process.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

4) Doctor As Teacher.4) Doctor As Teacher. As Doctor’s we not only believe it is our As Doctor’s we not only believe it is our

job to help people improve their health, job to help people improve their health, it is also our job to educate them so it is also our job to educate them so they can be responsible for their own they can be responsible for their own health as well.health as well.

Encouraging self-responsibility for Encouraging self-responsibility for one’s health is a major goal for the one’s health is a major goal for the Naturopathic Doctor.Naturopathic Doctor.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

5) Treat the Whole Person5) Treat the Whole Person This is achieved by taking into account This is achieved by taking into account

individual physical, mental, emotional, individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and spiritual genetic, environmental, social and spiritual factors.factors.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

6) Prevention6) Prevention Prevention involves assessing individual Prevention involves assessing individual

risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease and making appropriate disease and making appropriate interventions in partnership with the interventions in partnership with the patients to prevent illness.patients to prevent illness.

How are ND’s trained?How are ND’s trained?

Naturopathic Medical colleges are Naturopathic Medical colleges are four-year, graduate level medical four-year, graduate level medical schools with admission requirements schools with admission requirements comparable to those of other comparable to those of other medical schools. The Doctor of medical schools. The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree (ND) Naturopathic Medicine degree (ND) is awarded after classroom, clinic is awarded after classroom, clinic and practical study. and practical study.

ND’s are trained in medical ND’s are trained in medical sciences includingsciences including

AnatomyAnatomy NeurologyNeurology PathologyPathology ObstetricsObstetrics PharmacologyPharmacology Lab diagnosisLab diagnosis CardiologyCardiology BiochemistryBiochemistry Minor surgeryMinor surgery

ImmunologyImmunology PediatricsPediatrics Clinical and Clinical and

physical diagnosisphysical diagnosis PhysiologyPhysiology RadiologyRadiology MicrobiologyMicrobiology GynecologyGynecology DermatologyDermatology

What NDs doWhat NDs do

Clinical NutritionClinical Nutrition

This refers to both the practice of using This refers to both the practice of using food to heal people and using food to food to heal people and using food to maintain optimal health.maintain optimal health.

Nutritional supplements are often employed Nutritional supplements are often employed to further help people optimize nutritional to further help people optimize nutritional intake for their particular needs.intake for their particular needs.

What NDs DoWhat NDs Do HomeopathyHomeopathy

Homeopathy is a form of medicine that Homeopathy is a form of medicine that uses extremely diluted preparations of uses extremely diluted preparations of substances to cure illness.substances to cure illness.

As a medicine, it is unparalleled in its As a medicine, it is unparalleled in its ability to effect people on a physical, ability to effect people on a physical, mental and emotional level while at the mental and emotional level while at the same time having virtually no side effects same time having virtually no side effects or drug interactions.or drug interactions.

What NDs DoWhat NDs Do

Botanical MedicineBotanical Medicine

Plant substances are safe and Plant substances are safe and powerful tools in the treatment of powerful tools in the treatment of many illnesses. many illnesses.

Most modern pharmaceuticals are Most modern pharmaceuticals are originally derived from plant originally derived from plant compounds.compounds.

The Egg of The Egg of HealthHealth