Treat the Whole Person | Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

The fifth principle of naturopathic medicine is 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧.

In naturopathic medicine the focus of treatment is based on the entirety of the patient, not simply the disease, or the disease state.

What does this mean exactly?

Well, for many practitioners it means evaluating nutritional status, mental health, physical health, and various other factors that can play a role in the overall health and wellness of a patient.

This principle brings to light the idea of holistic medicine.

Yes, there are times when disease states need to be dealt with directly, but much like the first principle of do no harm, the aim is to treat all aspects of disease with the least invasive and least toxic methods. This ensures patient wellness and can increase the involvement of patient’s in their own care.