here, I cite from a recent Naturopathic Doctor News and Review [NDNR] interview of ND Awad President of the PANP [see 001., below]; and the PANP [see 002., below]; then, I decode [see 003., below]:
001. Awad, R.R. (ND Bastyr 2006) states:
001.a. in "The Pennsylvania Association of Naturopathic Physicians"(NDNR, 2011-01):
"the PANP is dedicated to advancing the principles of naturopathic medicine [p.024...] I believe in the principles of naturopathic medicine and see the PANP’s purpose as essential to the tenets of treat the whole person, doctor as teacher, and prevention [p.025]."
Note: principles, principles, principles! Interesting that ND Awad's tenets do not include HPN-VMN, naturopathy's central tenet, at least in this account. So, the doctor isn't being a good teacher!
001.b. in "AANP Definition of Naturopathic Medicine" [vsc 2010-06-18]:
"naturopathic medicine is a [...] science [...] naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles which underlie and determine its practice. These principles are based upon the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in the light of scientific advances. Methods used are consistent with these principles [...] naturopathic physicians are primary health care practitioners, whose diverse techniques include modern and traditional, scientific and empirical methods."
Note: so, there's the broad "science" claim upon the principles of naturopathy, aka that the principles survive scientific scrutiny.
Now, the first principle is described, on that page, as:
"1) the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae): the healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing and healing process of living systems which establishes, maintains and restores health. Naturopathic medicine recognizes this healing process to be ordered and intelligent [teleological]. It is the naturopathic physician's role to support, facilitate and augment this process."
That's all we're told about this 'overarching #1 principle' by ND Awad.
002. PANP states in:
002.a. "Naturopathic Principles: AANP's Definition of Naturopathic Principles and Practice" [vsc 2011-01-08]:
"naturopathic medicine is distinguished by the principles which underlie and determine its practice. These principles are based upon the objective observation of the nature of health and disease, and are continually reexamined in the light of scientific advances."
Note: again, a science claim upon the principles of naturopathy aka 'the principles survive scientific scrutiny'.
Now, the first principle is described, in the page above, as:
"1) the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae): the healing power of nature is the inherent self-organizing and healing process of living systems which establishes, maintains and restores health. Naturopathic medicine recognizes this healing process to be ordered and intelligent [teleological]. It is the naturopathic doctor's role to support, facilitate and augment this process."
Again, that's all we're told about VMN-HPN.
I will say this plainly: the VMN-HPN principle is naturopathy's typical MO of coding -- and falsely labeling as science -- a belief known as vitalism that has been science-ejected for 100 years.
But, we're not told the truth here. Again, the doctor has failed as teacher.
This is the 'science-based coded science-ejected' naturopathic being falsely posed as able to survive scientific scrutiny.
003. a simple decoding of VMN-HPN via ND Awad's alma mater, Bastyr University [from the inside!]:
003.a. in "Courses: Naturopathic Medicine Program" (2001, ten years ago!)[vsc 2010-08-08]:
"NM5131 Naturopathic Clinical Theory [...] the therapeutic order is introduced. The vitalistic context of science-based, modern naturopathic medicine is emphasized [...] NM5136 The Vis Medicatrix Naturae [...] naturopathic medicine’s core clinical principle, the vis medicatrix naturae, is shared by traditional systems of medicine throughout the world. This course explores clinical research, writings and techniques from various systems of medicine which incorporate nature’s influence on healing, the nature of the healing processes, and the vital or life force [...] NM9118 Energetics of Natural Medicine [...] this course presents an analysis of the vital force."
Note: yes, that right, naturopathy is based upon the irrationality of 'the science-based vitalistic / science-ejected'.
You just can't often get transparency concerning that absurdity.
