In Whole Health Philosophy
Naturopathic Medicine Heals
In Whole Health is rooted in naturopathic vitalist philosophy, which believes in the Vis Medicatrix Naturae: the “healing power of nature” or the body’s natural ability to heal.
This reflects the understanding that there is an innate intelligence within the body that supports growth, regulation, and healing over time.
Naturopathic medicine calls it the Vis, but this principle appears across cultures in different forms, including Qi in Traditional Chinese medicine, Prana in Ayurveda, and Reiki in Japanese tradition. While each uses its own language and perspective, they all point to a shared understanding of the body as an interconnected and self-regulating system.
At In Whole Health, I apply the Six Principles of naturopathic medicine and follow the Therapeutic Order to thoughtfully and sustainably support your body in restoring balance.
Therapeutic Order
The following shows the naturopathic therapeutic order, ranked from lowest-force to highest-force interventions. While allopathic medicine is primarily built on levels 6 & 7, in naturopathic medicine we believe in starting with the lowest-force intervention possible. However, support from any other levels can be used simultaneously to strengthen the individual while undergoing higher-force interventions that can tax body systems.
In our therapeutic order, the foundation is always to create the conditions for health while recognizing the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
As you go down the therapeutic order, the more expensive and intrusive therapies get. This does not mean that higher-force interventions like surgery or chemotherapy are never needed, as these are life-saving modern advances – but addressing the first levels will always increase and speed healing. And most importantly, it can have curative effects, unlike the temporary effects of symptom suppression.
- Establish the conditions for health
- Build a foundation for optimal health by removing obstacles.
- Stimulate self-healing processes
- Recognize & support the body’s innate ability to heal itself.
- Support engaged systems & restore weakened systems
- Aid regeneration of damaged organs, assist & protect working systems.
- Address structural integrity
- Soft tissue massage, spinal manipulation, etc.
- Natural supplements to restore & regenerate
- Naturally support biochemistry.
- Pharmaceuticals to relieve symptoms
- Synthetic symptom control & symptom suppression.
- Surgical removal/chemotherapy
- Highest-force intervention & complete symptom suppression.
The Six Principles of Naturopathic Medicine are rooted in Latin. These principles outline the focus and oath of a naturopathic physician.
Six Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
1. First do no harm — Primum non nocere
Following three basic guidelines:
• Use the least force necessary to diagnose and treat, using methods that minimize the risk of harmful side effects.
• Avoid the harmful suppression of symptoms when possible.
• Acknowledge, respect, and work with the individual’s self-healing process.
2. The Healing Power of Nature —Vis Medicatrix naturae
Identify and remove obstacles to healing to augment the inherent self-healing process of the individual, which is ordered and intelligent.
3. Identify and treat the cause — Tolle causam
Identify and remove the root cause of illness, rather than eliminating or suppressing symptoms.
4. Treat the whole person — Tolle Totum
Treat each patient by taking into account individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors, among others.
5. Doctor as teacher — Docere
Educate patients to establish a relationship of partnership and to empower them to regain control of their health.
6. Prevention — Pravenire
Prevent illness by assessing risk factors, heredity, and susceptibility to disease in order to form appropriate interventions in partnership with patients.