Dr. Kirk Slagel-

Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

Doctor as Teacher (Docere)

Naturopathic physicians spend the time to asses, educate and redirect patients toward beneficial lifestyle changes and habits. This is accomplished via sharing their understanding and knowledge of the medicine in respect to the patient’s imbalances. They recognize the therapeutic value of this time-tested process, whereby the doctor is an integral part of one’s life and wellness process.

Prevention (Prevenaire)

Simply stated, prevention is the best cure. This may be accomplished by educating patients about the many possibilities of how disharmony may occur in one’s life. Naturopathic physicians emphasize the prevention of disease through understanding wellness and by assessing overall lifestyle patterns that may lead to illness conditions.

The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)

This principle is inherent in all living organisms. As creatures of nature, our bodies follow natural laws of health and healing. Disturbance of these laws results in disharmony and disease. Naturopathic physicians assist patients in assessing their lifestyle and removing the obstacles to cure, while supporting the innate healing capacity of each individual with processes and medicines that work in harmony with their natural abilities to heal.

Treat the Cause (Tolle Causam)

Symptoms often represent the tip of the iceberg. Naturopathic physicians assist in unraveling and identifying the underlying cause of illness. Some conditions trace their origins to infancy and childhood, while others may be brought on through stressful lifestyle management. Naturopathic physicians will seek to uncover the individual process that lead to the present illness condition.

First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere)

The primary tenet of all naturopathic therapies is to do no harm. Natural, biological medicines support the individual’s capacity for regeneration and healing without suppressing symptoms or biochemical processes along the way. The doctor’s skill lies in the assessment and discernment of providing sequential treatment to unravel the disease process.

Treat the Whole Person (Tolle totum)

Naturopathic physicians recognize that a symptom is not an isolated event in one’s life. Each person is perceived as a whole; a unity of balance and health. When disharmony occurs, it often represents the weak link in the chain of the person’s health. Naturopathic physicians will treat the presenting problem, while supporting the underlying overall disharmony that likely exists. This disharmony may occur within one of more of the patient’s psycho-emotional-spiritual-physical arena.