Anthroposophic Medicine is a study of the evolution of human wisdom as it relates to illness and healing, bringing the wisdom streams of ancient medicine and modern science together. Fundamental concepts about the human being from ancient healing traditions are carefully considered and studied, renewed with modern scientific thinking.
Anthroposophic physicians are fully licensed medical doctors who prescribe herbal and homeopathic preparations in addition to modern medical treatment when needed. Because physiologic processes in the body are often mirrored in nature, anthroposophic physicians use plant, mineral, and animal remedies in order to re-establish healthy balance. They may also prescribe movement, artistic therapies, diet and lifestyle changes as part of a whole-patient approach.
All anthroposophic medicines and therapies are designed to stimulate the patient’s powers of self-healing. In this way they complement conventional medication. Where conventional medicine concentrates on destroying the agents of disease, suppressing associated processes and replacing missing substances (e.g. vitamins, hormones, blood elements), anthroposophic medicine aims to enable the human organism to overcome a disease through its own resources. The emphasis is on restoring the balance of bodily functions and strengthening the forces of individualization and autonomy. The right therapies play a major role in this process.
