Medical Cost Reduction. By adopting a customized health strategy, the patient works to maintain a constant healthy state, thereby minimizing expensive medical treatment, hospital expense, drug costs, and lost time due to sickness.

The principles of naturopathic medicine form the foundation upon which the naturopathic physician develops the treatment plan to restore health and maintain wellness. Those important principles are:

The Healing Power of Nature. "Vis Medicatrix Naturae"

Naturopathic Medicine understands that the body has the inherent ability to heal itself. The physician, by removing the obstacles to healing, facilitates this self-healing.

Identify and Treat the Cause. "Tolle Causam"

Symptoms are manifestations of illness -- not the cause. Symptoms can return. By finding and treating the cause, naturopathic medicine restores true health.

Above All, Do No Harm. "Primum No Nocere"

For optimum diagnosis and treatment naturopathic physicians utilize the most efficacious protocols that minimize risks of supression and harmful side-effects.

Treat the Whole Person. "Tolle Totum"

In naturopathic medicine the disease is not the focus. All that affects the person can affect his/her health. Naturopathic physicians, in assessing the underlying causes, work to restore the whole person.

Doctor As Teacher. "Docere"

The naturopathic physician's ultimate goals are to help patients understand his/her health challenges and then learn how best to maintain consistent wellness.

Prevention.

In helping the patient understand his/her own body (inherited risk factors, proclivities, environment, etc.) the naturopathic physician can provide the patient with tools to maintain optimum health and avoid preventable conditions.

A Naturopathic Education

Licensed naturopathic physicians in the United States have the following credentials:

• An undergraduate degree (e.g. a B.S. degree, a B. A. degree, etc.) including the standard pre-med science courses.
• A doctorate of naturopathic medicine degree (N.D.) from one of the five accredited four- year naturopathic colleges in the United States. A naturopathic curriculum follows that of an orthodox medical school with additional emphasis in natural therapeutics training (e.g. homeopathy, hydrotherapy, medical herbalism, etc.)