Healing Paradigms
Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct system of primary health care - an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosing, treating and preventing disease. Naturopathic medicine's techniques include modern, traditional, scientific and empirical methods. Six principles of healing form the foundation for naturopathic medical practice:
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Dr. Weiss helps me maintain good health and energy by fine-tuning my system on a regular basis. I trust his expertise and knowledge of herbal and homeopathic remedies, which keep my body in a state of balance and wellness -- rather than 'fighting disease' as one does with conventional drugs. I haven't taken a sick day in 6 years.
The Healing Power of Nature (vis medicatrix naturae)
Doug Ellis, Vancouver, BC
The healing process is ordered and intelligent. The body has the inherent ability not only to heal itself and restore health, but also to defend itself from pathogens. Illness is not caused simply by an invasion of external agents or germs, but is a manifestation of the organism's attempt to defend and heal itself. The physician's role is to identify and remove agents blocking the healing process, boost the patient's healing capacity, and support the creation of a healthy internal and external environment. - Treat the Whole Person (tolle totum)
Health and disease result from a complex interaction of physical, mental, emotional, genetic, spiritual, environmental, and social factors. The harmonious functioning of all aspects of the individual is essential to health. Within the body, the different systems are intimately connected, dynamically balanced; imbalance in one part directly affects the whole. Treatment must be directed at underlying conditions as well as immediate causative factors. Thus the whole person must be treated. -
“I had the good fortune to meet and become a patient of Dr. Weiss, several years ago. When I first became a patient of Sid’s, I was discouraged and overwhelmed with bad allergies. In fact, perhaps 3 weeks out of 4, I felt awful, stuffed up, headaches, burning eyes, hay fever, etc. Thanks to Dr. Weiss and his excellent care and Naturopathic approach, I have been allergy free for a long time. As Dr. Weiss is my regular doctor, he has and is currently walking the path with me through my peri-menopausal years. He has helped me enormously with numerous items under that category, the most challenging being, hormonally triggered migraines. I will be forever grateful for his understanding, gentle and extremely effective care. I have never had to take, the debilitating western medicine as Sid has found the perfect remedy for me. Under Sid’s care, I feel certain that I am in the best possible health that I can be. Thank you so much for all your expertise and care!
First Do No Harm (primum non nocere)
Paula Terrio-Boyd, Vancouver, BC
Respecting the inherent ability of the organism to heal itself, the physician must be ever mindful of the consequences or side effects of treatment. The more gentle and non-invasive the therapy, the less potential there is for disruption of the patient's own subtle balance. Whenever possible, suppression of symptoms is avoided, as suppression may interfere with the healing process. - Identify and Treat the Cause (tolle causum)
Illness does not occur without cause. Remember symptoms (nausea, rash, headache, etc.) are not the cause of illness! Symptoms are signals that the body is out of balance and are an expression of the body's attempt to heal itself. Causes originate on many levels, but are often found in the patient's lifestyle, diet, habits, or emotional state. When only the symptoms are treated, the underlying causes remain, and the patient may develop a more serious, chronic condition. - Prevention is the Best Cure (prevenio)
Health is a reflection of how we choose to live. Lifestyle, diet, habits, social milieu, relationships, environmental factors all affect us. The physician assesses risk factors and hereditary susceptibility in order to educate the patient and help him/her make the appropriate changes in order to prevent and treat illness. On a broader level, mobilizing our patients and our community to support positive environmental change to heal our planet is good prevention for all of us. - DOCTOR AS TEACHER (docere)
“docere” means to teach in Latin. One of a physician's principal roles is to educate and encourage self-responsibility for health. The doctor-patient relationship should be a source of inspiration and motivation for the patient and of therapeutic value itself - almost as a transmission of pure healing Chi!