Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that integrates modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine.
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Introduction To Naturopathic Medicine | Who Can Benefit From Naturopathic Care
Naturopathic Medicine for a Sustainably Healthy Future
Education & Training of Naturopathic Doctors
Licensing & Regulation of Naturopathic Doctors
Introduction To Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Medicine is an inclusive healing system that combines conventional medical sciences with natural therapies and physical techniques in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Uniquely integrating traditional, inter-cultural healing knowledge with modern medical research and diagnostics, Naturopathy uses natural substances and therapies to stimulate health and healing using the least invasive methods available.
NDs treat patients as individuals by addressing the physical, environmental, lifestyle, attitudinal, and emotional aspects of health. This allows NDs to find and treat the cause of the disease to reduce symptoms while preventing the disease from worsening or recurring. Your ND will take the time to listen to your concerns and thoroughly understand your goals, answer your questions about treatment options, and empower you in adopting a leadership role in your own health care.
People who tend to seek and benefit from Naturopathic medical care include:
- Patients who are looking for disease prevention and health promotion strategies and who recognize that health doesn’t just happen by chance, but through daily choices and a clear understanding of the factors that affect health and ways to address them on a lifelong basis. Canadians’ interest making health promotion a way of life for themselves and their children is increasing all the time.
- Patients who are looking for solutions to their health concerns that they have been unable to address on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners. Your Naturopathic Doctor’s broad understanding of health and the relationships between health, life and the environment enable her to offer you a new perspective and provide safe and effective ways to restore your health.
- Patients who have been diagnosed with an illness and are looking for alternative treatments. Naturopathic Medicine is very effective in improving quality of life for those with serious and chronic illnesses. It is used extensively and effectively for individuals who wish to combine conventional and Naturopathic treatments with the aim of minimizing side effects of drugs, surgery or conventional care.
Naturopathic Doctors are trained to identify and correct the root cause(s) of a patient’s health concerns, rather than simply suppressing the symptoms. In doing so, the physical, psychological, environmental and hereditary elements of a person’s illness are all considered in the pursuit of treating the whole person. Patients receive compassionate and thorough care, empowerment in taking personal responsibility for health, and education in the prevention of disease.
Naturopathic Medicine for a Sustainably Healthy Future
As a complete and coordinated approach to health care, Naturopathic Medicine provides cost-effective, sustainable, patient-centered solutions to the health care problems facing our communities and our country. Following the Naturopathic Doctor’s Oath to “First, do no harm”, we select the gentlest, non-toxic medicines available. We teach you how to restore health to your life with substances that are naturally found in our environment. Naturopathic medicines are inherent to the earth and even to the natural human diet. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, the production, manufacturing and human metabolism of Naturopathic medicines will not adversely affect our environment or the quality of our drinking water. We are committed to using organic and local products wherever possible, taking pride in supporting the highest-quality, Canadian natural health product suppliers, and local, organic herbal growers from right here in Guelph.
Education & Training of Naturopathic Doctors
The training of Naturopathic Doctors includes an undergraduate degree in pre-medical sciences followed by postgraduate training in the medical sciences of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and psychology, similar to that received by Medical Doctors. Naturopathic candidates then undergo intensive academic and practical study of the Naturopathic treatment modalities: Acupuncture and Asian Medicine, Botanical Medicine, Homeopathic Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Lifestyle Counseling, Hydrotherapy, Physical Medicine and Laboratory Diagnosis.
Licensing & Regulation of Naturopathic Doctors
Upon completion of the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program at an accredited Naturopathic medical school, Naturopathic candidates must successfully complete North America standardized Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations and provincial or state Board exams, and fulfill ongoing continuing education requirements in order to be eligible for licensure to practice Naturopathic Medicine.
Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) have been regulated in Ontario for more than 80 years. In 2013, regulation of NDs will fall under Ontario’s new Naturopathy Act, part of the Regulated Health Practitioners Act (RHPA). NDs are the only health care profession regulated to practice Naturopathic Medicine in Canada.
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