About Natural Medicine

Tools of Natural Medicine

Winthrop Natural Medicine specializes in these tools of natural medicine:

Chinese herbal medicine

Homeopathy

Acupuncture

Gentle, physical manipulation and bodywork

Diet and nutritional support

Lifestyle modifications

Physical movement and exercise

Mind-body-spirit counseling

Identifying emotional underpinnings of illness

Light therapy

Water therapy - including saunas and cold plunges

Stress modification and management

Mindfulness and meditation practices

Nature-based therapies

Wellness education of all kinds

The Therapeutic Order is a framework for understanding when and how to use certain types of treatments. It is always preferable to utilize lower force, less invasive modalities first. And of course, health and vitality can only be maintained by focusing on the base of the pyramid.

What is Natural Medicine?

We define Natural Medicine here as medicine that works with the innate healing abilities of the body, instead of overriding the body and suppressing symptoms through mechanical or chemical means. This innate healing capacity has been known throughout history as vital energy, qi, chi, ki, prana, or what we call the Vital Force.

This Vital Force is intelligent and is constantly striving to keep a person whole and healthy. The body fails to create health due only to two factors: there is an obstruction of the Vital Force, or there is a deficiency of an essential nutrient (both physical and non-physical). Natural medicine works to identify and correct these two factors.

The Vital Force is directed by the power of the human spirit. Medicine that works with the Vital Force is medicine that promotes, elevates, and increases the power of the human spirit. Thus we work at every level of the human being: body, mind, and spirit.

We Treat People - Not Diseases.

In conventional allopathic medicine the focus is on identifying and treating disease. This approach works very well when the disease has a simple, clearly identifiable external cause, which can be treated in the same way regardless of the type of person that has the disease. Unexpected, acute trauma is a typical scenario for this, and conventional medicine excels at treating acute, sudden, life-threatening conditions.

However, most chronic conditions have multiple causes, some or all of which cannot be easily separated from the unique person with the condition. Treating every person with the same chronic disease the same way doesn’t work so well. Every person is unique, so to recover and heal from chronic conditions requires a different approach for each person.

About Whole Systems Healthcare

Winthrop Natural Medicine is a member of Whole Systems Healthcare, a larger 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

We are a nonprofit multidisciplinary holistic healthcare system that combines clinical care with research and education to provide the highest quality holistic health resources.

From common conditions to chronic disease and mental health—we can help when you are sick and offer expert guidance on disease prevention, health restoration, and wellness promotion.

We take the time to listen to you, respect your opinion, and care for you as a whole person through a truly holistic approach.