Week Two Naturopathy August 14, 2014

Welcome to Naturopathy! Materials Other Resources Any note-taking materials you would like to use. Printout of presentation slides Welcome to naturopathy! Today you may use any type of note-taking materials you want to use, including electronic devices. The only other resource I have for this class is the printout of this presentation. Some of the pictures are hard to see, so I printed them off for you to follow along if you would like. Feel free to ask questions as we go along. Ready?

What is Naturopathy? System of healing Originated in Europe Diseases are a manifestation of alterations in the processes by which the body naturally heals itself “Nature disease” Naturopathic medicine Practiced in U.S., Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada As we talked briefly about last week, naturopathy is a system of healing, originating from Europe, that views disease as a manifestation of alterations in the processes by which the body naturally heals itself (NCCAM, 2007). It looks at the body as a whole and works toward restoring health and disease treatment. Naturopathy literally translates to “nature disease.” It is also known as naturopathic medicine and is practiced in the United States as well as throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Founding of Naturopathy Benedict Lust 1902 Purchased “naturopathy” from Scheel of New York 1895 Scheel of New York coined term Described eclectic compilation A way of life Benedict Lust began the teaching and concepts of naturopathy, as a generally used term. In 1902, Lust purchased the term from Scheel of New York who coined the term in 1895. It was to describe the eclectic compilation of doctrines of natural healing that he envisioned was to be the future of natural medicine. Naturopathy or “nature cure,” was defined by Lust as both a way of life and a concept of healing that used various natural means of treating human infirmities (illness) and disease states (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011).

Hippocrates Prehistoric people First naturalistic doctor Magic/supernatural forces Devil/angry gods First naturalistic doctor Body as a whole Prescribe only beneficial treatments Hippocrates said, “it is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.” In prehistoric times, people believed that disease was caused by some sort of magic or supernatural forces. They believed it was the devil or angry gods wreaking havoc in the bodies of those who were ill. Hippocrates broke this superstitious belief and became the first naturalistic doctor in recorded history. He viewed the body as a whole and instructed his students to prescribe only beneficial treatments and refrain from causing harm or hurt (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011).

The Doctor of the Future Thomas Edison predicted that “the doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease” and this rings true today. As natural medicine finds itself in the midst of an unprecedented explosion into mainstream health care, consumers are spending more annually out of pocket for alternative medicine than for conventional care (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011).

Six Principles Healing power of nature Identify & treat the cause Do no harm Doctor as teacher Treat whole person Prevention In North America, there are six principles that for the basis of naturopathic practices. These are not all unique to naturopathy. They are: 1. The healing power of nature 2. Identification and treatment of the cause of disease 3. The concept of “first do no harm” 4. The doctor as teacher 5. Treatment of the whole person 6. Prevention The core modalities supporting these principles include diet modification and nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, hydrotherapy, massage and joint manipulation, and lifestyle counseling. Treatment protocols combine what the practitioner deems to be the most suitable therapies for the individual patient (NCCAM, 2007).

The Healing Power of Nature The body can heal itself Living within the laws of nature Naturopathic diverged from conventional Developed a system Body has innate intelligence Vitalistic and mechanistic When given the opportunity, the body can heal itself. Naturopathic medicine’s foundation is based on the importance of living within the laws of nature. Back in 1896, naturopathic physicians in the United States diverged from conventional medicine because standard medicine rejected the principle of vis medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature). Naturopathic physicians recognized the clinical importance of the inherent self-healing process; embraced it as their core academic and clinical principle; and developed an entire system of medical practice, training, and research based on it and on related principles of clinical medicine (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 307). It is believed that the body has an innate intelligence that is always striving toward health. Today, vitalistic and mechanistic approaches are applicable to naturopathic medicine.

Identify and Treat the Cause of Disease/Treatment of the Whole Person Underlying cause(s) Lies in various aspects Find & Remove Address symptoms Sit on a tack Take aspirin Better option? Treated as a whole Unhealthy environment ≠ healthy Health/disease Complex interaction Every illness has an underlying cause, and generally there is more than one. Usually it lies in the aspects of a persons lifestyle, diet, or their habits. In naturopathy, the physician is trained to find and remove those underlying causes. As one symptom is relieved, other symptoms may develop which will also be addressed in order to restore health. An example is if you were sitting on a tack –It takes a lot of aspirin to feel better. If you were sitting on two tacks, removing on does not necessarily lead to a fifty percent improvement or reduction in symptoms (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 308). What would the better option be? To remove the tacks, right. In naturopathy, the body is treated as a whole. If one part of your body is unhealthy, the rest of you cannot be healthy and thrive. Health or disease comes from a complex interaction of mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other factors (Pizorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 308).

First Do No Harm Noninvasive treatments Minimize risk Least force possible Do no suppress symptoms Vis medicatrix naturae It is preferred to use noninvasive treatments in naturopathic medicine. This helps minimize the risk of harmful side effects. They apply the least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness and restore health. They do not suppress symptoms unless absolutely necessary because this interferes with the healing process. The physicians also respect and work with the vis medicatrix naturae in diagnosis, treatment, and counseling because, if this self-healing process is not respected, the patient may be harmed (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 308).

The Doctor as Teacher/Prevention Docere means teacher Educate patients Naturopathic practitioners spend adequate time Patients are taught principles Prevent major illness Health Absence of disease Dynamic state Unhealthy = dysfunction Death inevitable/Progressive disability is not Allopathic = disease prevention Naturopathic = Maximizing health span Docere translates to teacher. A principle objective of naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient and emphasize self-responsibility for health (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 309). It is not uncommon for naturopathic practitioners to spend adequate time with their patients to diagnose, treat, and educate them thoroughly. In naturopathy, the approach is to help prevent disease and keep minor illnesses from developing into something more serious. Patients are taught the principles for living a healthful life. And by following these principles, they can prevent major illness (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 308). Health is not just the absence of disease, it is a dynamic state one can thrive in, or adapt to a wide range of environments and stresses. The more unhealthy a person lives, the more they will move toward greater dysfunction. Death is inevitable; progressive disability is not. Allopathic medicine focuses on disease treatment, naturopathic medicine emphasizes the means of maximizing one’s health span.

Principle # 7: Wellness and Health Promotion Emerging principle Goes beyond prevention Recognition, experience, & support Helps to heal quicker This is an emerging principle. It is also the seventh principle. One we have not talked about before. This principle goes beyond prevention in that it is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought, intention, and action (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2011, p. 309). The recognition, experience, and support of wellness through health promotion by not only the physician but also the patient will help the patient heal more quickly than if the disease alone were to be treated.

Naturopathic Practice Today Licensed primary care providers Various types of physicians Specialized Natural only Combine natural and conventional Current naturopathic physicians are licensed primary care providers of integrative natural medicine and are also recognized for their clinical expertise and effectiveness in preventive medicine (Pizzorno, Snider, & Katzinger, 2001, p. 309). There are various types of naturopathic practitioners. Some specialize in a specific area, some adhere only to the natural cure, while others combine natural with conventional treatment. This is a personal decision the patient needs to make when choosing a practitioner.

References NCCAM. (2007). Whole medical systems: An overview. Backgrounder. Pizzorno, J.E., Snider, P., Katzinger, J. (2011). Naturopathic medicine. In M.S. Micozzi (Eds.), Fundamentals of complimentary and alternative medicine (292-321). Location: St. Louis, MO. Here are the references for todays class. Now tell me, what do think the type of physician would best suit you? Disclaimer: The statements made are for informational purposes only. Any information used within this class is not to be used in place of a doctor. Please consult your doctor for any questions regarding the information received in these classes.