I’m a holistic doctor who uses natural naturopathic medicine techniques and methodologies to help you achieve and maintain a healthy body.
What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathic medicine is a system of medicine based on the healing power of nature, prevention, and non-invasive, natural therapeutics, natural medicines for a complete holistic health overview.
Naturopathic doctors are trained at accredited, 4-year, residential naturopathic medical colleges and pass a postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) to become licensed. The training includes conventional medical sciences: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, immunology, clinical and physical diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, cardiology, pediatrics, gynecology, urology, gastroenterology, and laboratory diagnosis. There is also extensive training in natural therapeutics: naturopathic medicine philosophy, clinical nutrition, detoxification, nutritional supplementation, IV therapeutics, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, naturopathic manipulative therapeutics, and counseling.
Holistic doctors are able to use conventional medical training to understand imbalances or diseases in the body. With a holistic approach, naturopathic doctors strive to understand the cause of disease by understanding the body, mind, and spirit of each patient. They are then able to support the body’s own healing abilities with the application of natural therapeutics. Also, through dietary and lifestyle counseling, the naturopathic doctor is able to empower the patient to make changes that address disease and more importantly prevent disease.
Naturopaths are guided by 6 principles of naturopathic philosophy (listed to the right).
6 Principles of Naturopathy
First Do No Harm
Identify and Treat the Cause
The Healing Power of Nature
Treat the Whole Person
Doctor as Teacher
Prevention
History
The roots of naturopathic medicine as a system of medicine can be traced to the 1800s and early 1900s as part of Nature Cure in Germany and Austria. The roots go even deeper to all ancient healing traditions in different cultures. Nature Cure practitioners recommended nourishing foods, air baths, sunlight, hydrotherapy, medicinal herbs, and physical activity to improve health. The Nature Cure movement spread from Germany throughout Europe. The simple, non-invasive treatments were effective and easily employed by people of all walks of life.
Benedict Lust, a German immigrant, introduced naturopathic medicine to the United States in the early 1900s. He founded the American School of Naturopathy in New York. Naturopathic medicine flourished into the 1920s with many naturopathic schools and doctors throughout the United States. It began to decline in the 1950s with the rise of pharmaceutical medications. In the 1970s, interest in naturopathic medicine rebounded as some people became disenchanted with the promise of pharmaceutical medications and rising healthcare costs.
Licensure
Currently 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have licensing or registration laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are considered primary care providers and their scope of practice varies depending on the state. In order to receive a license, a naturopathic doctor must graduate from an accredited four-year residential naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX). Licensed naturopathic doctors must complete continuing education requirements to maintain their license.
The states and United States territories that currently have licensure:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Maine
Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Montana
Pennsylvania
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Utah
- Vermont
- Washington
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
Click the image to enlarge the map showing states with licensure or registration for naturopathic medicine.
