What is Naturopathic Medicine?

“Naturopathic medicine is a distinct method of primary health care – an art, science, philosophy and practice of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness.  Naturopathic physicians seek to restore and maintain optimum health in their patients by emphasizing nature’s inherent self-healing process, the vis medicatrix naturae.  This is accomplished through education and the rational use of natural therapeutics.“

– American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

Naturopathic medicine has a core guiding philosophy that has been clearly articulated in the following principles of practice:

Principle #1:  Trust the Healing Power of Nature

Naturopathic medicine recognizes the human body has an inherent self-healing process that is both ordered and intelligent.  A fractured bone mending over time is a basic example of this process.  Naturopathic doctors work to remove obstacles and to augment this inherent self-healing process as much as possible.

Principle #2:  Identify and Treat the Cause(s)

Whenever possible, naturopathic doctors work to identify and remove the underlying cause or causes of an illness rather than simply focusing on the elimination or suppression of symptoms.  This is key to facilitating the healing power of nature.

Principle #3:  Above All Else, Do No Harm

Naturopathic doctors seek to use the least force necessary to achieve a desired clinical results.  In other words, naturopathic medicine emphasizes methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects.  This is embodied in the therapeutic order:

 

 

Principle #4:  Doctor as Teacher

Naturopathic doctors educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health.  They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.

Principle #5:  Treat the Whole Person

Naturopathic medicine embraces holism.  Patients are not just their disease.  Rather, naturopathic patients are treated as a whole person complete with physical, mental, emotional, social, cultural, and economic context, all of which directly impact their health.  Understanding this complexity is key to helping patients.

Principle #6:  Prevention is Key

Naturopathic doctors emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease, and by making appropriate interventions in partnership with their patients to prevent illness.  This principle also extends to preventing side effects from forceful but often necessary treatments (i.e., working to prevent neuropathy that can result from chemotherapy treatment).

License-eligible naturopathic doctors have successfully graduated from one of the seven properly-accredited naturopathic medical schools spread across 8 campuses throughout North America. 

 

 

Properly-accredited naturopathic medical schools have both institutional and programmatic accreditation from accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (or the Canadian equivalent).  Institutional accreditation is handled by various regional accrediting bodies while programmatic accreditation is handled by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education.

Properly-accredited naturopathic medical schools offer four-year, in-residence, graduate-level education and training.  Admission to one of these programs requires candidates meet certain pre-requisites including an undergraduate degree with a specified minimum GPA, as well as completion of coursework including algebra, biology, chemistry, humanities, physics, psychology, and social sciences.

Years 1 and 2 of naturopathic medical school focus on biomedical science, clinical science, and diagnostics.  Years 3 and 4 focus on non-pharmaceutical and non-surgical approaches to preventing and treating disease.  All license-eligible naturopathic doctors receive over 4,100 hours of instruction spread over four or more years, including a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised clinical training.

Upon successful completion of naturopathic medical school, a naturopathic doctor is eligible to sit for the naturopathic physicians licensing examination (NPLEX) offered through the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE).  This licensing examination ensures a standard competence for those practicing naturopathic medicine.

Once a naturopathic doctor has graduated school and passed the NPLEX, they can apply for and be granted a license to practice naturopathic medicine in one of the jurisdictions regulating its practice.  Currently, 25 U.S. jurisdictions choose to regulate the practice of naturopathic medicine:

 

 

All licensed naturopathic doctors need to meet certain state-level requirements regarding continuing education in order to maintain their active license.  These requirements are comparable to all other medical professions.

An important distinction needs to be made between the license-eligible naturopathic doctors described here and “unlicensable naturopaths.”  A 2007 story published in the Seattle Times highlights many important issues that are still relevant today. 

In jurisdictions that do not currently regulate the practice of naturopathic medicine, anyone with any level of education and training (or none at all) can claim to be an naturopathic doctor.  It falls upon the healthcare consumer to be aware of this fact and inquire about the credentials of anyone claiming to be a naturopathic doctor before working with them.

At Wellness Working Group, we fully support regulation of the practice of naturopathic medicine.  Such regulation ensures those representing themselves as naturopathic doctors meet clearly defined standards of education, training, and competence.

Naturopathic medicine embraces 5 core treatment modalities.  All license-eligible naturopathic doctors receive training in all 5 core treatment modalities, though not every naturopathic doctor chooses to apply them in clinical practice.

Botanical Medicine

Botanical medicine refers to the use of plants and plant extracts for the treatment of disease.  It is the oldest form of formal medicine on the planet notably embodied in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine.  Botanical medicine is also the precursor for modern pharmaceutical therapy.  With their complex medicinal actions and great side effect profile, plants are a tremendous resource for the prevention and treatment of most any disease.     

Homeopathy

Homeopathy was created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann.  It employs ultra-dilute preparations of various organic and inorganic materials prescribed on the principle of “like cures like.”  

Lifestyle Medicine

Lifestyle medicine focuses on the purposeful alteration of lifestyle patterns for the prevention and treatment of disease.  This encompasses diet, exercise, sleep, stress, environmental exposures, social connection, and spirituality.  Lifestyle medicine incorporates basic counseling techniques within its sphere to help patients overcome mental/emotional obstacles to making successful change.    

Nutritional Medicine

Nutritional medicine includes guidance and counseling on whole-food dietary patterns, functional foods, and nutritional supplements.  Its goal is to ensure adequate levels of important nutrients and, in so doing, to benefically impact physiologic processes as they relate to disease. 

Physical Medicine

Physical medicine encompasses joint and soft-tissue manipulation (akin to chiropractic-style manipulation and massage therapy).  It focuses on the connection between physical structure and physiologic function and seeks to remove or improve obstacles to optimal function.

Herb/Nutrient/Drugs Interactions

While not a core treatment modality, it is worth noting license-eligible naturopathic doctors receive extensive education in pharmacology and pharmaceutical therapy with specific emphasis on identifying and avoiding harmful herb/nutrient/drug interactions.

• Bastyr University – Seattle Campus
• Bastyr University – San Diego Campus
  
• Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine
• Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
• National University of Health Sciences
• National University of Natural Medicine
• Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine

 

• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges
• Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
• Florida Naturopathic Physicians Association
• Institute for Natural Medicine
• Naturopathic Physicians Research Institute
• North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners