Article:
In my thirty-seven years as a naturopathic physician I have been privileged to witness many remarkable recoveries from serious disease processes in my patients who truly had faith in the principles of naturopathic medicine. Belief in these principles is so important for true healing to occur that I no longer accept patients who tell me they are skeptical about the merits of naturopathic medicine, but just want to give it a try. These principles are not only contrary to the philosophy of western medicine, they are also contrary to most of what is practiced in alternative medicine. The following is a summary and basic explanation of each of the five principles of naturopathic medicine.
First, Do No Harm
Naturopathic physicians recognize that most of the treatments utilized by western medicine are toxic and often cause other health problems. In fact, the fourth cause of death in the United States is the result of prescription medication uses. Well trained naturopathic physicians understand the importance of proceeding cautiously with the patient and never choosing a treatment that can make their patient worse.
To Act in Cooperation with the Healing Power of Nature
God our Creator created the human body to both heal itself and maintain health. Thus, naturopathic doctors prefer traditional natural God-given therapies which assist and strengthen the body’s own God-given ability to heal. Examples of such therapies are lifestyle reform, hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, energy medicine, structural manipulation, etc.
To Address the Fundamental Cause of Disease
Western medicine and most of alternative medicine focuses mostly on treating symptoms and neglecting the underlying cause of illness. Most illnesses are caused from system imbalances. Finding and correcting such is imperative to the health restoration of the patient.
To Heal the Whole Person Through Individualized Treatment
Western medicine, by and large, treats illness with a standard cookbook approach. Naturopathic doctors recognize our patients are living human beings with problems that cannot be helped by a chemical medicine. Instead, because God has created human beings as whole individuals, we must address the physical, emotional, and spiritual makeup of each patient and customize their treatment and therapy on an individual basis.
To Teach the Principles of Healthy Living and Preventative Medicine
With few exceptions, people are sick because of unhealthy lifestyle choices. One reason why so many people are attracted to western medicine is because they can live unnaturally and unhealthfully without taking personal responsibility for their illness. They then resort to western medicine’s treatment with drugs to suppress their symptoms, unfortunately without producing health.
Successful naturopathic doctors teach their patients to live a natural lifestyle in harmony with nature (God’s creation) which both prevents illness as well as produces optimal health.
There is an old saying that seeing is believing. This is absolutely false. Instead, believing is seeing. And this applies equally to the principles of naturopathic medicine.
I became a naturopathic doctor because I could see that the principles of naturopathic medicine were based on truth and also agreed with my personal Biblical world view, something western medicine does not do.
In conclusion, before you try naturopathic medicine for yourself or family study these five principles thoroughly then ask yourself the question, “Do I truly have faith in these principles and are these principles based on truth?” You can only experience the miraculous benefits of this medicine if you can answer the above affirmatively.
Christopher S. Deatherage, N.D.
Rural Route 5, Box 806, Ava, Missouri 65608
Phone for Appointment: (417)683-1300