Disease Prevention
From Health Facts
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See Also | First, Do No Harm (primum non nocere) |
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See Also | Healing Power of Nature (vis medicatrix naturae) |
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See Also | Treat the Cause (tolle causam) |
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See Also | Treat The Whole Person (tolle totum) |
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See Also | Doctor as Teacher (docere) |
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People are beginning to realize that it is cheaper and more advantageous to prevent disease rather than to cure it. Henry Lindlahr, ND (1862-1924)
Treat the Cause is one of the six principles of naturopathic medicine.
Naturopathic physicians encourage and emphasize disease prevention as one of its principles. Prevention involves promoting a healthy lifestyle, assessing risk factors, determining susceptibility to disease and making appropriate therapeutic interventions. This approach prevents minor illnesses from developing into more serious or chronic degenerative diseases.
Prevention of disease is a continual process
- it starts at conception and continues throughout all of life
- it is maintained through the homeostatic mechanisms of the body.
- it involves every aspect of a person - their lifestyle, emotional and mental health and family and community
- it takes into consideration a person's environmental and how to live in harmony with nature
The role of the physician is to faciliate increased awareness, as well as to educate each person on the changes required to address their symptoms and health concerns in order to prevent the progression of disease.
References
- Kirchfield Friedhelm & Boyle Wade (1994) Nature Doctors: Pioneers in Naturopathic Medicine NCNM Press, Portland Oregon.
- Lindlahr Henry (1975) Philosophy of Natural Therapeutics Maidstronge, England.
- Lloyd Iva (2009) The History of Naturopathic Medicine, a Canadian perspective McArthur & Company, Toronto.