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 disease 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 diseased 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 diseases 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 diseases such as valvular diseases of the heart, diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatism, bronchitis, etc., are really the result of the continued suppression of these same acute diseases 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 disease originates in the first place through the suppression of acute diseases 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 disease 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.