The Naturopathic Way explained by Dr. Chad Oler

© Chad Oler, ND and Natural Path Center

Naturopathy is a philosophy of dis-ease and healing built up as a result of many years of patient investigation and research into the nature and cause of dis-ease. It is based upon a conception that realizes that dis-ease is something which arises in the system solely as a result of the body's attempts to rid itself of obstacles to its proper functioning. Dis-ease is regarded, therefore, as being something directly connected with the life and habits of the individual concerned. It is the direct outcome of these same ways and habits of living, and not something apart from, or foreign to them.

The power to cure dis-ease is taken to reside always and only within the body and spirit of the client and will manifest itself as soon as the practices which have hampered its activity in the past and obscured its presence have been rectified. In other words, the body and soul of the client possesses the power to heal itself once the obstacles to health have been removed.

Fundamental Principles

There are three fundamental principles, which the whole of the philosophy and practice of Naturopathy are built. The first and most fundamental principle of Naturopathy is that ALL FORMS of dis-ease are due to the Same Cause, namely, the accumulation in the system of waste materials and bodily refuse, which we call toxins. These toxins accumulate due to improper feeding, improper care of the body, and habits tending to set up enervation and nervous exhaustion, such as worry, overwork, and excesses and abuses of all kinds.

From this first principle of Naturopathy it follows that the only way in which a dis-eased state can be reversed is by the introduction of methods, which will enable the system to throw off these toxic accumulations, which are clogging the wheels of the human machine daily. It must be pointed out that the body is continually producing metabolic wastes. In healthy individuals, these wastes are immediately removed from the system through the organs of elimination, which are the kidneys, bowels, lungs, and skin. However, if waste products accumulate at a rate in excess of the capacity of the above-mentioned systems to deal with them, the systems begin to become clogged and incapacitated which initiates the cascade of all future ill health.

The second principle of Naturopathy is that the body is always striving for the ultimate good of the individual. All Acute dis-eases such as fevers, measles, colds, diarrhea, skin eruptions of all kinds, inflammations, etc., are nothing more than self-initiated attempts on the part of the body to throw off the accumulations of waste that are interfering with its proper functioning. All Chronic dis-eases such as valvular dis-eases of the heart, diabetes, kidney dis-ease, rheumatism, bronchitis, etc., are really the result of the continued suppression of these same acute dis-eases or self-initiated attempts at body-cleansing. Many orthodox methods of treatment, which include the administration of drugs, vaccines, narcotics, synthetic hormonal extracts and X-ray therapy, in addition to the removal of affected parts by means of surgical operations, also result in the suppression of acute diseases. These therapies therefore do not lead to a longer-term solution, but rather to various long-term problems. The main fact to be noted is that, according to naturopathic philosophy, chronic dis-ease originates in the first place through the suppression of acute dis-eases by some method of treatment.

The third principle of Naturopathy is that the body contains within itself the power to bring about a return to that condition of normal well-being know as health, providing that the right methods are employed to enable it to do so. That is to say, the power to cure dis-ease lies not in the hands of the doctor or specialist, but within the body itself. The body contains the source of healing power, which Nature is ready to bestow on all that are willing to accept natural laws and live in accordance with them. If one is not able or willing to adhere to this way of life, then orthodox medical intervention may be necessary.

What is a naturopathic doctor?

The naturopathic doctor is a scientific healer using only non-surgical and drug-free methods. We are practitioners in the art of living. We educate our clients about natural healing, endeavoring to bring harmony, health, happiness and peace to the client and into the world.

As a naturopathic center, there are seven core beliefs that guide our treatments:
- First and foremost, do no harm
- Second, we believe in the healing power of nature
- Third, we try to identify and treat the cause of dis-ease or dysfunction
- Fourth, we see the Doctor as a Teacher
- Fifth, we try and address the whole person - body, mind and spirit
- Sixth, we use first the therapy which requires the least force
- And seventh, we practice prevention first and work towards prevention as the end goal.

Let's talk about each of these a little more to firmly ground you in the naturopathic philosophy.

The first principle is to do no harm. As naturopathic practitioners, we are concerned with the health and healing of our clients first and foremost. Therefore, we must not and we do not base our decisions or implement therapies that lead to a deterioration of health or weaken the body's ability to heal itself over time. Furthermore, we will not employ a therapy that brings about short-term symptom suppression at the expense of long-term health and healing. Our job is to remove the obstacles to health and support the body so that it is in tune with nature's laws. This brings us to our second belief, and that is the healing power of nature or Vis medicatrix naturae.

This is a profound belief that the body possesses the ability to heal itself if given the proper opportunity. The body is believed to have an innate intelligence that is always striving for health. It maintains that the morbific agent, such as bacteria does not directly cause the symptoms accompanying disease, but rather, that the symptoms are the result of the body's intrinsic response or reaction to the agent and the body's attempt to defend and heal itself. Symptoms, then, are part of a constructive phenomenon that is the best choice the body can make given the circumstances. In this construct, the role of the doctor is to aid the body in its efforts, not to take over the functions of the body. To do this, one must identify and treat the causes of the dis-eased state, which brings us to our third core belief.

Fundamental to our philosophy is that if we identify and adequately treat the root causes of dis-ease, thereby allowing the body to heal, the body will do so. To do this, we use several assessment techniques that allow us to determine which systems within the body are working properly and which ones indicate signs of dysfunction. Oftentimes, a breakdown in one particular system in the body can manifest as different clinical diseases in different people. Therefore, we are not so much concerned with the name or label placed on a dis-eased state, as we are with the underlying root causes the labeled disease connotes. Once we determine and begin to address these root causes, our job is to teach the client on how to cleanse the body of toxins, rebuild the body using food and therapy and maintain health once all the systems in the body are working optimally. This is the fourth principle - the doctor as a teacher.

The word 'doctor' is derived from the Latin word Docere, which means "teacher". We believe therefore, that a fundamental aspect of our job, indeed the most important aspect, is to educate our clients about the natural laws governing health and how they can obtain and maintain a state of optimal wellness. We teach our clients how and what to eat for their particular condition, instruct them in the use of various forms of hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, relaxation and emotional release, among others, so that they can take control of there health care by taking a proactive role in it. We do NOT want our clients to be dependent on us for care; we want them to know what they must do and we motivate them to take the steps necessary to obtain and maintain their health. This brings us to the fifth belief and that is that we must treat the whole person.

It is becoming a familiar concept that our physical health is dependent on our mental, emotional or spiritual state of being. There is no refuting the fact that if we are emotionally upset for instance, our physical health suffers. Likewise, it is well documented that a high degree of stress over time leads to a deterioration of health. As we are trying to locate ALL the underlying root causes of dysfunction, we must address not only the physical factors, but also the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects that are affecting our client's health. Truly optimal health can only be achieved if we heal each of these aspects AND have balance between them. Therefore, we address each of these aspects from the first day a client walks through our doors and we incorporate different therapies to address these areas as the client progresses toward greater health and wellbeing.

The sixth core belief is that we begin with the therapy that uses the least amount of force for the greatest benefit. Health is a process of gradual cleansing, rebuilding and repairing the body. We cannot circumvent this process in the long run by using heroic methods of healing when they are not called for. We always start with the simplest and least invasive approach and use more complex and detailed approaches only when necessary. The simplest form of therapy is prevention, and this is the seventh and final fundamental belief in naturopathy.

If we can help our clients from becoming ill and manifesting disease in the first place, we do not need to treat them at all. Prevention is the perfect embodiment of the first six core beliefs - we do no harm if our clients maintain vibrant health. The body, through its innate intelligence, does what it needs to in order to thrive in and adapt to the wide range of environments and stresses placed upon it. As we have taught our clients what they need to obtain and maintain optimal health, they know what the core things are they need to do and they have the knowledge and the tools to follow through and experience the benefits of following nature's laws. This includes addressing all aspects in their lives - body, mind and spirit - and they can address these areas with the least amount of discomfort and the greatest reward. As we state in are mission, our job is to:

Promote health and well being through the application of natural healing methods with the ultimate goal of disease prevention through education and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Prevention is the end goal, and one that we can help our clients achieve for themselves and their loved ones.