NATUROPATHIC PRINCIPLES
First, Do No Harm (primum non nocere)
Healing Power of Nature (vis medicatrix naturae)
Treat the Cause (tolle causam)
Treat The Whole Person (tolle totum)
Doctor as Teacher (docere)
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Wellness
First, Do No Harm
First, Do No Harm or primum non nocere refers to not only the patient but to the patient’s vital force. Naturopaths / naturopathic doctors work on the basis that there is a hierarchy to treatment choices. To do no harm, a naturopath / naturopathic doctor chooses the therapy, and fashions the most gentle and noninvasive strategy to achieve the desired outcome for each individual patient.(8) In situations, especially when the progression of disease is advanced or the current state is critical, it may be necessary to utilize aggressive treatments or treatments that pose the risk of adverse effects
Healing Power of Nature
The term vis medicatrix naturae denotes the body’s ability to heal itself. This healing power is an inherent self-organizing, ordered healing process of living systems which establishes, maintains and restores health. The vis medicatrix naturae has been referred to an extension of creator consciousness or cosmic consciousness.
Treat the Cause
Treat the Cause (tolle causam) is a principle that stresses the importance of identifying and treating the cause(s) of disease. It is based on the realization that health and disease are logical; they happen for a reason. Identifying the root cause of disease and the aggravating factors is an essential aspect of naturopathic care.
Treat The Whole Person
Treat the whole person (tolle totum) is a holistic concept that recognizes that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Each individual is unique with their own specific susceptibilities and way of manifesting disharmony and disease. It is the harmonious functioning of all aspects of individuals, within themselves, with others and with their environment, which is essential to health.
Doctor as Teacher
Docere, or “doctor”, comes from the Latin word “to teach” and a naturopath / naturopathic doctor’s role is to educate on the factors that affect health and disease so that individuals are more informed about the impact of their choices and so that they are more capable of maintaining their own health. It is through a patient’s choices about nutrition, exercise, spiritual well-being, posture, hygiene, rest, and sleep and our peace of mind, social, occupational and environmental situations that influence health.
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Disease prevention and health promotion involves promoting a healthy lifestyle, assessing risk factors, determining susceptibility to disease and making appropriate therapeutic interventions. It involves assessing environmental and external factors that might be affecting health, determining the impact of social relationships and community on health, as well as genetic and heredity factors and assessing the impact of medical interventions to-date. Lifestyle factors are paramount to disease prevention and health promotion and in preventing minor illnesses from developing into more serious or chronic degenerative diseases
Wellness
‘Wellbeing’, is composed of the two words ‘well’ and ‘being’. The concept of “wellbeing” indicates that it is not only ‘wellness’ that is required for health, but also ‘being-ness’. It is not just physical health but psychological and spiritual health that creates total wellbeing.
Excerpt from: WNF White Paper: Naturopathic Philosophies, Principles and Theories.