Naturopathic medicine is a holistic philosophy, emphasizing prevention combined with safe and effective treatment modalities, such as botanical medicine and clinical nutrition, and the most current advances in modern medicine to encourage people’s self-healing ability.
It was founded by Kneipp, his son Lindlahr, and other founding healers, who based their philosophies on treating the whole person, not just the symptom. When this doesn’t happen, what they call the “law of nature” occurs: lowered vital force, accumulation of toxins and abnormal blood and lymph.
I often say that the approach of naturopathic medicine can best be summed up with this quote:
“The superb physician treats disease before it occurs.”
— Ancient Chinese proverb
This ideology combined with the 6 philosophies of naturopathic medicine are the foundation of my practice and how I guide you back to health.
1. Trust the healing power of nature
This is my word: Trust. Trust your body. It knows what it’s doing. I recognize and respect the inherent self-healing process the human body has and I identify and remove obstacles to support this process.
2. First, do no harm
I strive to identify and remove the underlying cause of illness rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms. While doing so, I am committed to using gentle yet powerful medicinal modalities, such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and hydrotherapy.
3. Find and treat the cause
Finding the root cause is the magical detective work I love doing. Your symptoms give us the clues that we can then investigate with lab work, a deep understanding of your lifestyle and all of my years of –ology training. I strive to avoid harmful suppression of symptoms in addition to acknowledging, respecting and working with each individual’s self-healing process.
4. Treat the whole person
The body has separate organs and systems, yet they are all interconnected and work together on a daily basis. Looking at all aspects of yourself – mind, body, and soul – is essential to achieving the optimal health you deserve.
5. Doctor as teacher
As a doctor, I am both a teacher and an educator. When you understand how your body works, you are more apt to make healthier lifestyle changes (this is also the basis of my children’s book and curriculum series, Human Body Detectives).
6. Prevention
Naturopathic doctors emphasize prevention of diseases as the foundation of health. A staggering 80% of diseases are due to lifestyle choices and environmental aspects. I meet you where you are on your health journey so you can make the changes you need to feel better.
