As Hippocrates said, “Above all else, do no harm.” Naturopathic physicians prefer
noninvasive treatments that minimize the risk of harmful side effects, and always
take care to consider questions like “Will a delay in treatment be of benefit?” and
“What is the potential for harm with this particular treatment plan?”Find the Cause
Naturopathic physicians look for the underlying causes of disease and try to help
patients get rid of them. These causes are often found in people’s lifestyles, habits,
and/or diets. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual factors are important in
determining cause. Issues to be considered are “What are the causative factors con-
tributing to ‘dis-ease’ in this person? Of these causative factors, which are avoidable
or preventable? What are the limiting factors in this person’s life?”Physician as Teacher
The word doctor comes from the Latin docere, meaning to teach. Unlike many con-
ventional medical physicians who have little time to teach, the primary focus of
naturopathic physicians is teaching people how to achieve health and avoid disease.
The emphasis is on people learning to assume responsibility for themselves and their
well-being. People increasingly realize that their good health is dependent to a great
extent on treating their bodies properly. People are looking for health care practi-
tioners who can teach them how to treat all aspects in a healthy manner.
Naturopathic physicians are an appropriate choice for many—especially if you’ve
asked yourself questions like “What type of patient education is my physician pro-
viding? In what ways does my physician encourage and support me being responsi-
ble for my health and well-being?”Health Comes from Within
Naturopathy views health as more than the absence of disease. Health is a dynamic
process that allows people to thrive despite various internal and external stresses.
Health arises from a complex interaction of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual,
dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other components. Health is character-
ized by positive emotions, thoughts, and actions. Healthy people are energetic and
creative as they live goal-directed lives. Health does not come from doctors, pills, or
surgery, but rather from people’s own efforts to take appropriate care of themselves.
Naturopathic physicians recognize the role of bacteria and viruses in illness but view
these as secondary factors. They believe that most disease is the direct result of
ignoring natural laws. These violations include eating processed foods, having little102 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE