Naturopathy is a wholistic and inclusive system of care that targets the cause of your health concerns. These Six Principles of Naturopathy govern my work and approach to your health care. They also underpin the reasons why your health improves substantially when working with natural remedies and practices.
 

one |

primum non nocere – First Do No Harm (This Hippocratic oath has been taken by Nicky on graduation)

First and foremost, the role of a Naturopath is to support the individual’s health and wellness and avoid creating any additional stress or harm through the treatments or medicines prescribed. A Naturopath will work with you to help your body to manage the disease and its symptoms rather than suppressing them, which sometimes means it will use botanicals and nutraceuticals to improve its function. In doing so, by products may appear which may be uncomfortable, yet temporary and vital to your healing journey, by showing up in your elimination organs. Please keep your follow up appointments to ensure this principle aligns with your results and to allow us to adjust your program for its intended successful outcomes.
 

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vis medicatrix naturae – Support The Healing Power of Nature

Our body is the most fantastic creation.   It possesses an inherent ability to establish, correct and maintain optimal health and wellness when given a chance and the environment to do so.. The role of the Naturopath is to facilitate this process, identifying any obstacles that prevent the body from obtaining Homeostasis (aka Balance).
 

This also extends to the types of treatments that a Naturopath will prescribe. Drawing on the healing power of nature, a Naturopath may use a combination of homeopathy, herbal medicine, nutrition and diet therapy, counselling modalities, relaxation techniques and lifestyle modifications to support the individual and restore balance in their health. Sometimes it takes a multifaceted approach using nature to send a strong message to the body to begin its healing journey - especially in long term or chronic illnesses.
 

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tolle causam – Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effects

Signs and symptoms develop in our body to let us know that some things aren’t quite right - those little nudges are not to be taken lightly.   Treating the symptoms in isolation may give you temporary relief, but if you don’t address the cause of why they are there in the first place, the problem will just come back, stronger, more frequent and sometimes much worse than before. A Naturopath is much like a detective in the area of health care and are well trained to seek out the drivers of disease as is one of the underpinning approaches of Naturopathic care.
 

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tolle totum – Treat the Whole Person

Humans are the most complex of creatures and our current environment is ever changing in its complexity too.

Our health, wellbeing and energy levels are often the results of some things all happening at once.  A Naturopath works to treat the whole person, taking into account the complex interaction between the physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual and environmental aspects of their patient's body.
 

By treating the whole person, a Naturopath can often handle multiple things at once, especially when it is combined with treating the cause as opposed to just the symptoms.  Often times, by approaching the body in this way, many symptoms move on with one common treatment aim.
 

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docere – The Physician is a Teacher

“Doctor” is derived from the Latin “Docere” which means “to teach, and one who is trained in the healing arts”.
 

A Naturopath will teach you what needs to be done to regain and most importantly, sustain health and well-being long-term. As a Naturopath, Nicky  inspires, motivates and mentors you to take charge of your health for yourself, providing you with the tools and skills to achieve ultimate wellness.  This website contains a strong focus on education which Nicky thrives on delivering to her audience.  To teach is a privilege thoroughly regarded as such by Nicky.

 

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praevenire – Prevention is the best “cure.”

As the age old saying goes ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. Once Nicky has helped you restore your health and energy, she wants to keep you there. Your last appointment in your case (for at least 6 months) is the one Nicky loves the most - it's the appointment where she gets to see her program come to full completion and where you are in the maintenance space - an easier to manage healing space.  Every 6 months, she would like to check in and see that things are still in that space...and to say a quick hello!  

Many Naturopaths refer to this as ‘wellness’, where the emphasis is on retaining health and balance, rather than constantly fighting off disease. This principle often combines with 'docere' – the physician is the teacher, as a Naturopath will teach you ways to keep yourself well.

Often this is also a great time to make plans in taking you to your next level of health and vitality through more vigorous protocols if you desire!

 

I welcome you to the healing world of Naturopathic Medicine by Nicky Wood...