12 Principles of Naturopathy

1.    The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae ). The body heals itself given the right conditions and treatment attributed to the vital force (life force) which is responsible for self-healing / correcting.

2.    Prevention is Preferable to Cure. Most diseases are due to diet, lifestyle and environmental factors. These must be addressed in order to prevent disease, rather than simply reacting when disease has already manifested.

3.    Treat the Cause, not the Symptom. Identify and treat underlying cause of dysfunction (root), not the symptoms (branches). All forms of disease are due to the same cause (unity of disease). Diseases are cured by addressing the ‘primary cause’.

4.    The ‘Whole’ Person is treated. Taking into account the physical, mental, social, emotional, genetic and environmental aspects of a person.

5.    Treat the person, not the Disease. Naturopaths focus on why there is a problem, where it comes from and what the cause is. The Naturopathic Triad of Health includes addressing the Mind – Body and Sprit.

6.    The Individual is Unique. Each person is biochemically unique, so has unique therapy needs and responds to treatment in different ways and at different speeds.

7.    Health is more than ‘absence of infirmity.’ Naturopaths help patients achieve abundant vitality, by encouraging their Vital Force / Qi.

8.    Disease stems from the imbalance of homeostatic mechanisms. Therefore, the healing process always involves ‘return to balance’.

9.    Disease is due to the body’s internal environment not external pathogens. It is the internal ‘soil’ (terrain) that is the problem, not the microbes.

10. Do No Harm. Prioritise least harmful therapies as first line of therapy. Address ‘deficiency and excess.’ If a person is deficient (weak), treatment aims to ‘build them up’. If a person is excess (toxic), treatment aims to breakdown and remove toxins.

11. Ailments should not be suppressed. Symptoms are there for a reason and are manifestations of Nature’s Healing Force. Suppression disrupts homeostasis and drives problems deeper into the body.

12. A Naturopath is an Educator. Naturopaths empower their clients to take responsibility for their own health by ‘educating’ them.