Many people approach a naturopathic doctor as a last resort, after conventional medical treatments have failed. They’re looking for advice and inspiration to take responsibility for their health.

The goal of naturopathy is to prevent disease, rather than treat it after symptoms manifest. This includes educating patients to recognize the interplay between their life and lifestyle choices and their health. Consult with Washington DC Naturopathic Medicine for expert guidance.

Throughout history, human beings have sought to improve their health through natural means. Naturopathic medicine seeks to combine these practices into a comprehensive healthcare system that treats the whole patient. The naturopathic philosophy is based on the belief that the body is a perfect, self-healing, and holistically balanced system. Naturopathic medicine is a gentle treatment that can be used to treat conditions ranging from cancer to anxiety and depression.

While naturopathy is often perceived as a new form of medicine, many of the philosophies and practices are ancient. It is believed that Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was a naturopath. His oath, “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food,” is still a central principle in the practice of naturopathy.

Benedict Lust was the progenitor of naturopathy in America, combining various drugless healing methods under one umbrella term to promote a unified movement. In 1901, he purchased the word “naturopathy” from Scheel in an attempt to popularise his natural healing practices. He established the first “health food store” in America, opened a Kneipp society and the American School of Naturopathy. He also promoted the “nature cure” theory that advocated healthy diet, proper bowel habits and exercise.

Early in its development, naturopathy faced significant skepticism and opposition from the medical profession. Allopathic doctors viewed the practice as quackery and were determined to maintain their dominance over the field of medicine.

Many pioneers rose up to support the development of naturopathy. Some of the most notable include Antoine Bechamp and Claude Bernard, who conducted extensive research on the human body and confirmed the concept that the inner terrain determines the state of an individual’s health.

Other naturopaths of the 19th century included Father Sebastian Kneipp (hydrotherapy), Henry Lindlahr and John Harvey Kellogg (theoretical nutrition), DD Palmer (chiropractic), Winternitz and Bernarr McFadden (physical therapy). Many of these practitioners were ardent opponents of vaccination, drugs and other conventional medical procedures. Nevertheless, they were able to develop an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatments. Today, naturopathy continues to expand and has gained increasing acceptance as an effective treatment method.

Principles

Unlike traditional western medicine, naturopathy has a holistic approach. This view of health and disease takes into account mental, emotional, genetic, spiritual, environmental and social influences that contribute to the onset of illness. Naturopathic physicians strive to treat the whole person, removing obstacles to cure and stimulating their patient’s healing nature through therapies like acupuncture, botanical medicine, homeopathy, nutrition and physical therapy.

The first naturopathic principle, vis medicatrix naturae (the healing power of nature), states that the human body has a natural inbuilt ability to maintain and regain health. Naturopathic practitioners rely on this concept to guide their decisions regarding patient care, therapeutic treatment selection and overall wellness practices.

To this end, naturopathic physicians seek to treat the root causes of disease and encourage patients to take personal responsibility for their health. This includes educating patients on diet, stress management, exercise and other aspects of life that contribute to the onset of disease. This principle also stresses that a naturopathic physician should be willing to consider all options for treating a patient, even conventional ones, provided that they are safe and efficacious.

Many naturopathic physicians use low-level and noninvasive treatments that have few adverse side effects, such as diet and lifestyle counseling or massage. More powerful pharmaceutical medications, on the other hand, have been known to have serious and sometimes fatal side effects. As a result, naturopathic physicians prefer to work with the natural, noninvasive treatments that have been proven to be effective.

Naturopathy has a long history in Europe and is now flourishing in North America. It is recognized by governments and has a number of government-accredited schools, active naturopathic associations and ongoing research. It is regulated or licensed in some jurisdictions and is gaining ground in the United States, where naturopaths frequently campaign for legal recognition and more expansive scope of practice.

The AMA has created resources to help fight scope creep and ensure that claims by naturopaths are based on scientific medical training and evidence-based data. Learn more about these advocacy tools and how you can make a difference.

Treatments

The naturopathic doctor’s approach to health care is based on the belief that the human body has an inherent, ordered and intelligent ability to heal itself. Naturopathic doctors work to identify the factors that are hindering this natural healing process and remove them. Naturopathic medicine also recognizes the interconnectedness of all bodily systems and encourages balanced functioning throughout the whole person. The naturopathic doctor may use therapies such as clinical nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, constitutional hydrotherapy and acupuncture to stimulate the body’s own healing processes.

A naturopathic doctor will assess a patient’s risk factors for disease and hereditary susceptibility to determine the best course of treatment. They will also work to prevent disease by promoting wellness, educating patients on the causes of disease and helping patients make lifestyle changes that will improve their chances for good health. This includes advising on dietary and exercise habits, stress reduction techniques and the encouragement of personal spiritual development.

If a specific pathology does need to be addressed, naturopathic physicians will select natural substances that are safe and have the least amount of side effects. They are trained in pharmacology and will know how to identify drug-herb and drug-food interactions.

They also believe that the doctor-patient relationship is crucial to successful treatment and will support a patient’s role in his or her own health care, encouraging responsibility and self-reliance. NDs will educate patients on their condition and help them to understand how it works, so they can play an active role in managing their illness.

As a last resort, if a patient does not get better with natural treatments, naturopathic doctors will refer to medical colleagues for specialist advice or to prescribe pharmaceutical drugs. Licensed naturopathic doctors can also perform minor surgeries and administer vaccines. They will not treat serious conditions such as cancer or heart disease, however, since naturopathic treatments do not yet have the scientific backing that conventional medicines do. However, as more and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of long-term medication protocols, many are turning to naturopathy for a safer alternative.

Ethics

The word “doctor” comes from the Latin docere, meaning “to teach.” As such, one of the main principles naturopaths embrace is the concept that they should be first and foremost teachers, counseling their patients to take an active role in their own health care, emphasizing self-responsibility and wellness practices. The naturopath’s focus on teaching is also evident in their emphasis on preventing illness, using diet and lifestyle as the primary tools for health.

The practice of naturopathy has generated a good deal of controversy, particularly in the United States, where naturopaths are not licensed to perform surgery or prescribe drugs and must instead receive a license from their state’s regulating body in order to practice medicine. Medical doctors oppose naturopathy because they believe that naturopaths do not have the proper scientific training and that their treatments may be dangerous or ineffective.

A naturopathic physician should act in accordance with the principles of the profession and the code of ethics, which includes respecting the patient’s dignity, autonomy and rights to privacy. The practitioner should refrain from discussing a patient or their condition in public and only divulge information when it is deemed appropriate by the patient or required by law. He or she should collaborate with other health professionals to the best of their ability and provide appropriate referrals. He or she should treat all patients equally regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, age, marital status, sexual orientation, sex, physical or mental disability or social status.

Naturopaths should be honest with their clients, recognizing that their training is limited to providing general lifestyle advice and not treating specific ailments, and should avoid engaging in activities or entering into associations that could compromise their professional integrity. They should recognize their own limitations and when appropriate refer their patients to physicians, naturopaths or other health professionals for further consultation. They should not knowingly endorse any service or product for financial gain, and should disclose conflicts of interest that arise during their professional duties. They should actively seek out opportunities for professional advancement and development.

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