Dr. James Bach is educating patients to help them lead healthier lifestyles using natural methods as more than a temporary solution. Dr. James believes nutrition is a key to every aspect of health. He is well respected as a member of the American Naturopathic Medical Certification Board and believes that taking a natural approach to health and nutrition is the best option for patients looking for lasting results.
Naturopathic Doctoral Services Q & A
What Is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a science-based practice that promotes wellness by identifying the unique design of each individual and then employing non-toxic, natural methods to restore his or her physiological, psychological, and structural health & balance.
Naturopathy has various methods of treatment but only one main purpose- to increase one’s vital force or otherwise referred to as Qi.
Naturopathy incorporates multiple systems of therapy that are based on preventive care and on the use of physical forces such as heat, cold, water, physical movement and soft tissue manipulation as therapies for dis-harmony in the body.
Naturopathy also utilizes method of treatment that employs no surgery or synthetic drugs but uses nutrition, special diets, herbs, vitamins, breathe and energy to assist the natural healing processes of the body.
What Does a Naturopath Do?
Naturopathic practitioners are trained as general practitioners specializing in natural medicine. They cooperate with all other branches of medical science, referring patients to other medical practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.
In addition to the standard medical curriculum, naturopathic students must do extensive coursework in natural therapeutics. This includes therapies from the sciences of clinical nutrition, botanical medicines, homeopathy, physical medicine, exercise therapy, lifestyle counseling, and hydrotherapy, which is the use of water to treat a disorders.
What are the Pillars of Naturopathy?
Do No Harm
A naturopathic treatment plan uses therapies that are gentle, non-invasive, effective, and do not have adverse side effects. A conscious effort is made to use methods that do not suppress symptoms but instead uses the information they provide.
The Healing Power of Nature
The body has an inherent ability to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic physicians facilitate this healing process by removing obstacles that interfere with the natural harmony of the body and identify practices to encourage healing.
Identify and Treat the Cause
Naturopathic physicians treat the underlying causes of disharmony rather than just the symptoms of disease. Symptoms are an external manifestation of an internal imbalance due to any combination of physical, mental, or emotional stresses. Symptom management may be important, but it is more important to identify and work to eliminate the underlying cause of issue.
Doctor as the Teacher
The Latin root of doctor is docere, which means “to teach.” The primary role of naturopathic physicians is educating, empowering, and motivating patients to assume more personal responsibility for their health by adopting a healthy attitude and lifestyle practices. Thomas Edison once said, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest patients in the maintenance of the human frame, in diet, and in the prevention of disease.” It is more effective to teach than treat patients.
Treat the Whole Person
Naturopathic physicians identify specific imbalances or dysfunctions in their patients and tailor treatment based upon the patient’s individual situation. It is the patient that is in need of treatment, not the disease state or symptom. Naturopathic physicians are interested in finding and treating characteristic symptoms that define the patient rather than common symptoms that define the disease. William Osler, MD, once said, “It is more important to know what sort of patient has a disease rather than what sort of disease a patient has.”
Prevention
It is far easier and cheaper to prevent a disease than to treat a disease. Naturopathic physicians evaluate both subjective and objective information necessary to uncover potential susceptibilities to future disease states in their patients. They can discuss specific lifestyle strategies or nutritional supplementation as a means for disease prevention.