Understanding the Principles of Naturopathy for Holistic Health
Before you book in to see a naturopath, it’s helpful to know the underlying principles that a naturopath follows. Traditionally there are six naturopathic principles we follow and these 6 principles are at the heart of how a naturopath practices and are in my opinion, what makes naturopathy such a special modality.
Principle One: First, do no harm (Primum Non Nocere)
This involves choosing treatment options that are safe and effective and starting with the least to the most invasive form of assessment and treatment.
As a clinical naturopath I studied for 4 years to complete a Bachelor of Health Science and each year I am required to complete additional training in order to be registered by my association (NHAA). This level of training is needed as it allows me to accurately assess the vitality of each client, to understand the underlying cause of their symptoms, be able to determine a persons detoxification capacity and determine the point at which they are currently at in their healing journey.
As a naturopath it’s incredibly important to be able to understand where my clients are at before I make any decisions with treatment. I need to understand if the client has any weaknesses and if they are likely to have a reaction to any treatment given. One person's remedy might be another person's poison and it’s my role as a clinical naturopath to be able to navigate this. The objective of course is first, do no harm. To do this, you need an in depth understanding of pathophysiology and how body systems work.
Principle Two: The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)
When it comes to healing, naturopaths believe that provided a person is given the right circumstances, the body is wise and it has an innate ability to heal itself. It wants to heal. When imbalance or illness occurs the body naturally wants to correct itself so it can be healthy and thrive. Naturopaths believe that symptoms are a sign that the body is attempting to rehabilitate. Think about when you cut your finger, the body works tirelessly to heal itself, and generally it can. Issues arise when our body and life force has been weakened to the point where it struggles to find balance, its homeostasis. A naturopath understands this and works to support the body and encourage this intrinsic healing process to happen.
Our role is to remove the obstacles that are in the way of healing. We do this by supporting both internal and external environments and helping clients to have a positive mindset needed for health. Naturopaths recognise how each body system interacts together and how when one is weakened it impacts how the other functions. The tools of the trade we turn to in order to facilitate this support will always address structure, biochemistry, physical, mental, environmental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person sitting in front of us. In a nutshell we believe your body can heal itself and our role is to support you when you’re in need of a helping hand to bring yourself back into balance.
Principle Three - Treat the Whole Person (Tolle Totum)
Naturopaths recognise that the body is an integrated whole and when it comes down to it, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That disease and illness will impact the whole person not just the body system associated with the condition.
The health and disease status of an individual is made up of a combination of health behaviours such as diet, exercise and stress for example but they are also impacted by the emotional, enviromental, family structure, relationships, community and spiritual aspects that make up a person. Disruption among any of these can impact health and wellness leading to dysharmony and symptoms of disease. As a naturopath, we are trained to take a patient centered approach which is why initial consultations will always be 90mins to 2hrs and not 15min with a naturopath. It takes this amount of time to really gain an understanding of the whole person and not just a collection of their symptoms.
Treat the person who has the disease and not the disease that has the person. I could be seeing two women, both with the same condition, say endometriosis and both would present differently, have different symptoms, backgrounds and other health issues impacting their main concern - endometriosis. Treat the person, as a whole person and not just like a medical condition walking through the door. This is a philosophy I live by and why I love my job. You are more than the label of whatever medical condition you have.
Principle Four - Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle Causam)
“An illness is a call for attention. Wise and compassionate action is the only remedy” - Nisargadatta. The primary role of a naturopath is to treat the underlying cause of whats going on for an individual, not just treat and mask the symptoms of the dysfunction. We do this by spending time with a client to work out what is actually causing their current health issues and when did it all start. For example, you may find that you’re picking up every single cold or flu that crosses your path, that you are always sick. As a naturopath I will look at why this is the case? It’s not just because these colds are easy to catch. Something has caused your immune system to be weakened to a point where you’re catching everything. What caused this? This is where detective work comes into play, investigating and connecting the dots so that we can treat the underlying cause and help to improve symptoms and your overall health.
Principle Five - Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
Did you know that the word doctor originally translated to “teacher. This is particularly fitting when it comes to how a naturopath practices. We are trained to understand the ins and outs of health and it’s our role to then educate and support our clients on their personal health management. This involves client education around understanding their own disease progression, what may have led to their current state, their constitution and their strengths and weaknesses that will determine how they can return to health. We educate on the why as well as the how, like diet, lifestyle and supplement support that may be required. It’s my role to leave you empowered and feeling like you have the knowledge to understand whats going on in your own body so you can take an active role in your healing journey. This is what it’s about. Feeling supported enough to make sustainable change for optimal health.
Principle Six - Prevention (Praeventio)
This principle is really a no brainer. Prevention is far better than cure. One of the main roles of a naturopath is to try and prevent chronic disease from occuring in the first place. We do this by addressing and treating the underlying cause of a clients current symptoms using diet, herbs, supplements and lifestyle interventions. The goal is to try and prevent these symptoms/warning cries from our body from manifesting into a chronic disease. It is much harder to treat a person who has progressed to a state of chronic disease because the physiological changes that have occured make it harder to decrease or elminate symptoms. It takes a lot more time and effort and money to heal.
This is why educating people on what healthy actually looks like is so important. Spreading the word on how the basic diet and lifestyle choices we make really do have an impact. If you find yourself not feeling quite right, don’t wait until your body starts screaming at you to take action. Pay attention to the subtle signs and symptoms that something isn’t right and make an appointment to dig deeper. Prevention is always better than cure and your body will always wimper before it screams out loud. Its our role as naturopaths to teach you and guide you through this and it’s your role to listen to your body and take action.
Last thoughts
As a naturopath, I approach everything I do in a holistic manner. When a client books a consultation, I treat holistically, addressing the body, mind and spirit. You are more than just a symptom walking through the door, you are a whole person, not a part person.
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into practicing as a naturopath. So much time and care is taken with each beautiful client that makes an appointment. My goal is always to make sure that you feel heard, seen and empowered to heal. I am here to support you on your journey but ultimately you are the one driving the vehicle of your own health.
If you would like to work with me, you can book an initial naturopathic appointment by clicking here. I would love to meet you have help you on your healing journey.