Naturopathic Principles (The Six Maxims)

These six naturopathic principles give an overview of how a naturopath works:

1. The Healing Power Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae) – the power of the body’s own ability to heal and regenerate when given the tools it needs – e.g. a wholefood diet, exercise, sleep, time in nature, restorative practices and a positive mindset.
2. Identify and Treat the Cause (Tolle Causam) – the core of the work a naturopath does is to not just treat a client’s symptoms but identify the root cause of those symptoms or disease and focusing any wellness plan on reducing or removing the root cause.
3. Treat the whole person (Tolle Totum) – a recognition that optimal health and wellness can be a reflection of the interplay between physical, emotional, mental, social, familial, environmental and occupational factors. A naturopath works holistically to identify all the contributing factors for a client and creates a wellness plan that recognises their individuality.
4. First do no harm (Primum Non Nocere) – as with any intervention, be it medical or naturopathic, they key focus is to do no harm. A naturopath uses gentle natural remedies and ensures interactions with any medications or conditions the client may have are identified and evaluated before a remedy is used.
5. Doctor as teacher (Docere) – given that the body has an innate ability to heal itself, a naturopath is there to guide a client to remove any obstacles and enhance this process. A naturopath can inform, empower, inspire and motivate but the responsibility is with the client to action their wellness plan.
6. Prevention (Preventare) – when working with a client and their current health concern a naturopath is always looking to prevent further deterioration of their health but also help to prevent other disease states from occurring in the longer term. The naturopathic focus is on health promotion and disease prevention.