The primary goal of naturopathic medicine is to remove obstacles in order to heal in the least invasive, most effective way possible, with attention to the integrity of the whole person, with an emphasis on education, prevention, and self-care. Naturopathy attempts to find the underlying cause of the patient’s condition rather than focusing solely on symptomatic treatment. Its roots are in ancient and modern healing arts - from traditional therapies to the most current findings in modern science, and leaves behind treatments that are proven to be ineffective or harmful. Naturopathic Physicians (NDs) are trained in conventional biomedical disciplines such as neurology, gynecology, radiology, physical medicine, pediatrics, immunology, internal medicine and pharmacology. Alongside this training, naturopaths learn and study botanical medicines, nutrition, natural childbirth, Chinese medicine and homeopathy, allowing for flexibility in meeting an individual's needs.