Overview
Naturopathic Medicine is a system of medicine founded on the proven and tested principle of the healing power of nature. The goal of the naturopathic physician is to restore the natural and powerful healing functions of the body. The physician collaborates with the patient to do this through supplementation, foods, treatments and support - all working to enhance the body's innate ability to heal.
In Naturopathic Medicine, each patient is viewed and treated as an integrated whole. The symptoms of disease are seen as improper functioning and lifestyle habits. The primary goal of treatment is to identify and address the underlying cause of illness and therefore avoid symptomatic treatments that may have adverse effects on the body’s ability to heal itself.
As Naturopathic physicians, we recognize that each individual body is brilliant at choosing the best option it can under the circumstance. We are trained to “listen to the body’s message” and to assist in changing the circumstance to achieve optimal health goals for each of our patients / clients.
Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
The Healing Power of Nature (vis medicatrix naturae)
The body has an inherent ability to heal, which is ordered and intelligent. Identify and remove obstacles to healing and support the body’s innate abilities.
Identify and Treat the Causes (tolle causam)
Identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than eliminating or merely suppressing symptoms.
First Do No Harm (primum non nocere)
Use methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects. Avoid, when possible, the harmful suppression of symptoms; and acknowledge and respect the individual's healing process, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat illness.
Doctor as Teacher (docere)
Educate the patient and encourage self-responsibility for health.
One of the many strengths of Naturopathic Medicine is the principle of Docere or Doctor as Teacher. Docere means to give knowledge or to teach. It is the backbone of our healing relationship with each of our patients at Emerald City Clinic. Each physician strives to educate and in turn be educated by each person we serve at our clinic.
We will spend the time to explain each aspect of your health whether it is your diagnosis, lab tests and other diagnostic work-ups, treatment regimes, or the principles of Naturopathic Medicine. The patients receive the tools to take responsibility for their own health and therefore are empowered to optimize their health. This is probably the best part of the job for the physicians at Emerald City Clinic: to watch the delight people get in feeling better and taking the credit for themselves.
More formal teaching is also an integral part of Emerald City Clinic. We offer a variety of classes that change annually to address health concerns of our clientele and our community. There are often medical students observing in the clinic, with our patients’ permission. All staff doctors lecture and teach both to the general public and professional groups. In our Naturopathic Oath we promise to teach our patients and our colleagues our art.
Teaching is so primary to Emerald City Clinic that it is in our mission statement: to promote wellness by embodying the definition of physician as teacher - educating our clients, colleagues, students and ourselves to live life in the healthiest possible way.
Treat the Whole Person (tolle totum)
Treat each individual by taking into account physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental and social factors.
Prevention
Emphasize disease prevention, assessment of risk factors and hereditary susceptibility to disease and make appropriate interventions to prevent illness. Naturopathic medicine strives to create a healthy world in which humanity may thrive.
Wellness
Wellness follows the establishment and maintenance of optimum health and balance. Wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought and action. Wellness is inherent in everyone, no matter what dis-ease is being experienced. When truly recognized and experienced by an individual, wellness will more quickly heal a given dis-ease than direct treatment of the dis-ease alone.