Perimenopause Naturally:
An Integrative Medicine Approach
by Tori Hudson, N.D.
Principles of naturopathic medicine

Naturopathic medicine is its own distinct healing art and is defined
best by its principles and its therapies.
Simply put in modern terms,
naturopathic physicians are primary health care providers,
family physicians, who specialize in natural medicine.

Seven principles make up the foundation
for naturopathic medicine.
These provide the philosophical context for addressing
the perimenopause transition, allowing practitioners to emphasize
a nutritional and botanical approach, and the use of natural hormones,
when needed, while de-emphasizing the use of prescription hormones.

1. The Healing Power of Nature. (vis medicatrix naturae)
The body has the inherent ability to establish,
maintain and restore health.
The physician's role is to facilitate and augment this process
with the aid of natural, non-toxic therapies
to act to identify and remove obstacles
to health and recovery, and to support the creation
of a healthy internal and external environment.

# First, Do No Harm (primum no nocere).
Naturopathic physicians seek to do no harm with medical treatment
by employing safe, less invasive, and effective natural therapies.

# Identify and Treat the Cause (tolle causam)
Naturopathic physicians are not only trained
to investigate and diagnose diseases,
they are also trained to view things more
holistically and look for an underlying cause,
be it physical, mental, or emotional.
Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body's attempt to heal,
but are not the cause of disease.
The physician must evaluate fundamental underlying causes
on all levels, using treatment that includes addressing
the root cause rather than just the suppression of symptoms.

# Treat the Whole Person
Health and disease are conditions of the whole organism,
involving a complex interaction of physical,
spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic,
environmental and social/cultural/economic factors.
The physician must treat the whole person
by taking all of these factors into account.
Homeostasis and harmony of functions
of all aspects of the individual
is essential to recovery from disease,
prevention of future health problems
and maintenance of wellness.

# Physician as Teacher (docere)
The naturopathic physician's major role is to educate,
empower, and motivate the patient to take responsibility for health.
The physician educates about risk factors,
hereditary susceptibility, lifestyle habits,
and preventive measures that lead to recommendations
on how to avoid or minimize future chronic health problems.
A healthy attitude, diet, exercise, and other lifestyle habits
serve as the cornerstone of our recommendations.

# Prevention is the Best Cure
The ultimate goal of naturopathic medicine is prevention.
This is accomplished through education and promotion
of life-style habits, and natural therapeutic recommendations.
The emphasis is on building health
rather than on fighting disease.

# Establish Health and Wellness
The primary goals of naturopathic physicians are
to establish and maintain optimum health and to promote wellness.
We strive to increase the patient's level of wellness,
characterized by a positive emotional state,
regardless of the level of health or disease.



SOURCES

Notes
Endnotes

Yahoo! Groups
Pagan Promotions
Green Witch Garden

Back - Home - Next