Naturopathy
Complementary and alternative medicine is one of the largest growing trends in the
health care system today. Although this is a growing trend, many people are skeptical of
whether this form of health care can heal and prevent illness the way that it claims it can.
There are many forms of alternative medicine but the focal point of research will be
naturopathy. Topics being discussed are what naturopathy is and what it has to offer as a
form of health care, how naturopathic doctors treat their patients and what their credentials
are, and how nutrition plays a role in this natural lifestyle belief system.
Quite simply naturopathy is a system which is concerned with the whole person, rather
than just the problems afflicting his/her various organs and systems. Naturopathic
medicine is based on the belief that the human body has an innate healing ability.
Naturopathic doctors (NDs) teach their patients to use diet, exercise, lifestyle changes and
cutting edge natural therapies to enhance their bodies”€™ ability to ward off and combat
disease. NDs view the patient as a complex, interrelated system (a whole person), not as a
clogged artery or a tumor. Naturopathic physicians craft comprehensive treatment plans
that blend the best of modern medical science and traditional natural medical approaches
to not only treat disease, but to also restore health. (1)
Nutrition plays a very important role in naturopathic medicine. “Nutrition is the
backbone of naturopathic medicine.”€ (4) By changing our diets and adopting a healthy
lifestyle, we can often change or reverse the course of an illness and restore health. What
we eat impacts every cell in our body: you are what you eat. Unfortunately, the importance
of nutrition is downplayed in our society. Foods can and do have a positive and negative
impact on our health. (4) Naturopathic doctors are trained to counsel their patients and help
them change certain lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. They teach their patients
what effects different foods can have on their bodies and eating healthy and natural foods
can help the body heal itself and prevent illness.
Naturopathic physicians base their practice on six timeless principles founded on
medical tradition and scientific evidence. The first, let nature heal, is nurtured by NDs
through educating patients about a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle habits. (1) This
allows the bodies instinct for self-healing to do its job. The second principle is to identify
