"Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a system of medicine based on the healing power of nature. Naturopathy is a holistic system, meaning that naturopathic doctors (N.D.s) strive to find the cause of disease by understanding the patient as a totality of body, mind, and spirit. Most N.D.s use a wide variety of therapies and techniques (such as nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and acupuncture)."

"There are two areas of focus in naturopathy: one is supporting the body's own healing abilities, and the other is empowering individuals to make lifestyle changes necessary for the best possible health. While N.D.s treat both short bouts of illness and chronic conditions, their emphasis is on prevention of disease and patient education."

University of Maryland Medical Center - Overview: What is Naturopathy?

"Nutritional deficiencies can contribute to chemical imbalances, like anemia and hypothyroidism, which in turn can lead to anxiety, insomnia — and depression. Cass has observed that people with depression are commonly diagnosed with low levels of zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, essential fatty acids, and amino acids. In fact, Lesser firmly believes that most cases of depression in this country are either caused or exacerbated by poor nutrition."

"Indeed, the last few years have seen increasing numbers of studies finding that specific nutrients can help manage, and even reverse, depression, along with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, and even autism. One of the most compelling, a study from Harvard, found that omega-3 fatty acids in conjunction with medication worked so powerfully on manic depression that the study was halted so every subject could take them."

Brain Food: The Natural Cure for Depression - Hyla Cass, MD

Naturopathic Medicine practice follows the 5 principles of Naturopathic Philosophy.

The Healing Power of Nature: Vis Medicatrix Naturae

The body has an inherent ability to establish, maintain, and restore health. The healing process is ordered and intelligent; nature heals through the response of the life force. Natural medicines and therapies, when used properly and in appropriate circumstances, support the organism and encourage the intrinsic healing process

1. First Do No Harm: Primum No Nocere

The process of healing includes the generation of symptoms which are, in fact, an expression of the life force attempting to heal itself. Therapeutic actions should be complimentary to and synergistic with this healing process. Natural medicines and therapies are the preferred therapy since they are the least harmful, least invasive, and support, rather than suppress, the innate healing process.

2. Identify and Treat the Root Cause: Tolle Causam

The application of this principle in practice is dependant on the unique makeup of each patient. It looks at the person as an individual rather than as a disorder. The root cause of hypertension or depression will vary from person to person. Physical symptoms are considered instructive and not simply something to eliminate. Suppressing symptoms often masks the root cause of illness, and therefore, underlying causes of disease must be discovered and removed before healing can occur.

3. Treat the Whole Person: Tolle Totum

Health is a complex interplay of many factors including physical, mental, emotional, dietary, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes the importance of taking all aspects into consideration for diagnosis and treatment. A naturopathic doctor may treat anxiety with stress reduction, dietary changes, calming herbs and meditation.

4. Physician as Teacher: Docere

Patient education is fundamental to naturopathic medicine. It is the patient, not the doctor, who ultimately brings about healing. The physician’s major role is to educate, encourage and motivate the patient to take responsibility for their own health and to make appropriate changes.

5. Prevention: Prevention is the Best Cure

Natural treatments inherently strengthen the body systems therefore naturopathic medicine is preventative medicine. Disease prevention requires the adoption of healthy habits such as stress reduction and healthy diet. Many chronic diseases could be avoided entirely if health habits are adopted early on. From its inception 100 years ago, naturopathic medicine has been an eclectic system of health care.

Naturopathic physicians (N.D.s) have a long-standing tradition of integrating the best aspects of traditional, time-honored natural therapies from the past, with alternative and current advances in conventional medicine to provide safe, effective, and non-invasive treatment.

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