Naturopathy differs from conventional medicine in that it has an integrative philosophy, much is congruent with Chinese medicine. It recognizes that the human body is a complex organism with multiple factors influencing its system. The concept of treating the "whole person" rather than simply "treating the disease" is at the center of Naturopathic philosophy. The conventional medical doctors focus primarily on treating disease rather than on promoting health. They see good health as a physical state in which there is no obvious sign of disease. In contrast, Naturopaths recognize true health as an optimal state of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Naturopaths see health as a continuum where each person actively takes on the path of learning, understanding, and discovering. A true physician holds true to the root of the word, doctor, or docere, meaning "teacher", and partakes on a journey with the patient, guiding and leading him/her form a place of "poor health" to a place of "optimal wellness". This entails that a true physician is foremost a teacher of prevention. This is especially true in chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer which in most part can be prevented if one is educated on healthy lifestyle choices, healthy mental attitude, a prudent diet, and plenty of exercise.
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