Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. It embraces many therapies, including herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional counseling.Naturopathy was brought to the United States from Germany in the 1800s, but some of its treatments are centuries old. Today, it combines traditional treatments with modern science.

A Naturopath is a health practitioner who applies natural therapies. Her/his spectrum comprises far more than fasting, nutrition, water, and exercise; it includes approved natural healing practices such as Homeopathy, Acupuncture, and Herbal Medicine, as well as the use of modern methods like Bio-Resonance, Ozone-Therapy, and Colon Hydrotherapy. At a time when modern technology, environmental pollution, poor diet, and stress play a significant role in the degradation of health, a Naturopath’s ability to apply natural methods of healing is of considerable importance.

Frequently, a Naturopath is the last resort in a patient’s long search for health. Providing personalised care to each patient, the naturopath sees humankind as a holistic unity of body, mind, and spirit.

Using a range of alternative methods of diagnosis, a Naturopath can often successfully pin-point a predisposition in the body, before the onset of acute disease, and treat the patient with specific therapies and changes in the patient’s lifestyle.

A Naturopath usually practices in a freelance environment, with the option to work in hospitals, spas, research, health care, administration, management in the retail industry, or in the media. One can find a Naturopath in a nutritional and family consultancy, as well as in a Beauty Clinic. Specialisation in infertility, skin problems, sports, children, or geriatrics is possible. The growing acceptance of Naturopathy world-wide, and greater movement and communication within the European Union offers a wealth of opportunities for future professional and personal development.

How Does It Work?

The goal of naturopathic medicine is to treat the whole person — that means mind, body, and spirit. It also aims to heal the root causes of an illness — not just stop the symptoms.

A naturopathic doctor may spend 1 to 2 hours examining you. He’ll ask questions about your health history, stress levels, and lifestyle habits. He may order lab tests.

The Origins of Naturopathy

The principles of Naturopathy were first used by the Hippocratic School of Medicine in about 400 BC. The Greek philosopher Hippocrates believed in viewing the whole person in regards to finding a cause of disease, and using the laws of nature to induce cure. It was from this original school of thought that Naturopathy takes its principles.

  • The healing power of nature- nature has the innate ability to heal
  • Identify and treat the cause – there is always an underlying cause, be it physical or emotional
  • Do no harm- a Naturopath will never use treatments that may create other conditions
  • Treat the whole person- when preparing a treatment plan, all aspects of a person’s being are taken into consideration
  • The Naturopath as a teacher – a Naturopath empowers the patient to take responsibility for his/her own health by teaching self-care
  • Prevention is better than cure – a Naturopath may remove toxic substances and situations from a patient’s lifestyle to prevent the onset of further disease

 

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Afterwards, he’ll discuss your personal health plan. Naturopathic medicine focuses on education and prevention, so your doctor may give you diet, exercise, or stress management tips. He might use complementary medicine — like homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture — in addition to naturopathic treatments. He may also use touch, such as massage and pressure, to create balance in your body. This is called naturopathic manipulative therapy.

Who Practices It?

You can find people who support naturopathic medicine in hospitals, clinics, community centers, and private offices. They fall into three groups, and they all have different educations and backgrounds:

  • Naturopathic physicians: These are also called naturopathic doctors (ND) or doctors of naturopathic medicine (NMD). They usually attend an accredited four-year, graduate-level school. They learn the same basic sciences as conventional medical doctors (MD). But they also study nutrition, psychology, and complementary therapies such as herbal medicine and homeopathy. Some states and territories require naturopathic doctors to become licensed. That means they have to pass an exam to practice and take continuing education classes.
  • Traditional naturopaths: These practitioners don’t attend an accredited naturopathic medical school or receive a license. Their education varies widely.
  • Healthcare providers: Some medical doctors, dentists, doctors of osteopathy, chiropractors, and nurses have training in naturopathic medicine. Many are either NDs or they studied naturopathy.

Before choosing a naturopathic practitioner, ask about his education or training and your state’s licensing requirements.

Will It Work for My Condition?

Naturopathic medicine is used for most health issues. Some of the more common ones include:

In some states, licensed naturopathic doctors can perform minor surgeries, like stitching up a small wound. They can prescribe certain medications. And they might even serve as your primary care doctor. Naturopathic doctors may receive additional training in natural childbirth.

You don’t have to be sick to try naturopathy. You may just want to boost your overall health or prevent an illness.

Don’t use it for an emergency or issue that requires a visit to the hospital, like major surgery. Nor should it be used in place of conventional medicine for serious conditions, like cancer and heart disease.

Keep Your Doctor ‘in the Loop’

A few naturopathic treatments have known side effects and risks:

  • Supplements (vitamin and herbal): Some of these may interfere with prescription medications. In large doses, certain vitamins may raise your risk of a disease like cancer.
  • Spinal adjustments: As part of naturopathic manipulative treatment, your practitioner may apply pressure to your spine. This can damage arteries, nerves, bones, and spinal discs. In rare cases, it may lead to a stroke.
  • Detox diets: These treatments are meant to rid your body of toxins. They involve cutting out certain foods or fasting. That means going for periods without eating. This can be dangerous for people with some chronic conditions, like diabetes. If you’re on the diet for a long time, you run the risk of not getting enough vital nutrients.

Tell your doctor if you’re thinking about trying naturopathy. He can make sure the treatments are safe and don’t interact with any other drugs you’re taking. You shouldn’t stop or delay your conventional medical care because of naturopathic medicine.

Who Can Use It?

It’s a good option for people who might not find relief for their chronic illness through traditional medicine.

In many cases, you can use both conventional and naturopathic medicine to treat an illness. For example, naturopathic remedies may help ease the side effects of chemotherapy. But remember to tell your regular doctor about any naturopathic treatments you’re on. And, you should tell your naturopathic doctor about your conventional medications. That way, both providers can work as a team for your health.

 

From Steven Langley’s ‘Naturopathy Workbook’

Naturopathy, or Nature Cure, is underpinned by a fundamental principle – vis medicatrix naturae – the healing power of nature. This was made clear twenty-five centuries ago when Hippocrates said Health is the expression of a harmonious balance between various components of man’s nature, the environment and ways of life – nature is the physician of disease. Man was part of nature and the universe, and health was achieved by living in accordance with this principle. Harmony was fostered with proper nutrition, water treatments, rest, sunshine and fasting. Medicine, religion and science were intimately related and man was seen as a whole – a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual being. The same vital force or chi (qi) that made up the universe and nature flowed through man and it was his dislocation from this source that caused illness. Early Naturopaths realised that if you could restore the vital force to the patient, the body would naturally heal itself.

The body has this capacity to heal itself if given the right conditions and naturopathy, along with acupuncture, homoeopathy, herbal medicine, and most other holistic modalities subscribes to this basic understanding of the body’s own innate intelligence.