Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct profession of primary health care, emphasizing prevention, wellness, and the promotion of optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and modalities which encourage the body to heal and become more resilient.
Therapeutic modalities that we utilize include botanical medicine, therapeutic nutrition and food-as-medicine, supplementation, therapeutic exercise, & physical medicine alongside conventional therapies and prescribing.
As a naturopathic physicians in Washington State, we are able to act as your family’s primary care physician or provide adjunct care alongside your specialist or outside PCP.
We offer annual physicals, sports physicals, well-woman care, well-child visits, laboratory testing, vaccinations, therapeutic injections, minor office procedures, and referrals to specialists as any other family physician, in addition to pharmacologic prescriptive rights.
Insurance coverage is available for naturopathic family care through most major health plans that serve Washington State, including Medicaid plans. If you are uninsured or naturopathic care is not covered under your plan, a sliding scale may be available.
Naturopathic Principles
The Healing Power of Nature (Vis Medicatrix Naturae)
The healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing and healing process of living systems. Naturopathic medicine recognizes this healing process to be ordered and intelligent. It is the naturopathic physician’s role to support, facilitate and augment this process by identifying and removing obstacles to health and recovery, and by supporting the creation of a healthy internal and external environment.
Find The Cause (Tolle Causam)
Every illness has an underlying cause, often in aspects of the lifestyle, diet or habits of the individual. A naturopathic physician is trained to find and remove the underlying cause of a disease.
First Do No Harm (Primum Non Nocere)
Naturopathic physicians utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful effects, and apply the least possible force or intervention necessary to diagnose illness and restore health. Whenever possible the suppression of symptoms is avoided as suppression generally interferes with the healing process.
Treat The Whole Person
Health or disease comes from a complex interaction of mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other factors. Naturopathic physicians treat the whole person, taking these factors into account.
Preventive Medicine
The naturopathic approach to health care can prevent minor illnesses from developing into more serious diseases. Patients are taught the principles with which to live a healthy life and by following these principles, they can prevent major illnesses.
Wellness
Establishing and maintaining optimum health and balance. Wellness is a state of being healthy, characterized by positive emotion, thought, and action. Wellness is inherent in everyone no matter what dis-ease(s) are being experienced. If wellness is really recognized and experienced by an individual, it will more quickly heal a given dis-ease than direct treatment of the dis-ease alone.
Doctor as Teacher (Docere)
The original meaning of the word “doctor” is teacher. A principal objective of naturopathic medicine is to educate the patient and emphasize self-responsibility for health. Naturopathic physicians also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.
