What Is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine, often also referred to as naturopathy, takes a whole-body approach to wellness. A naturopathic practitioner takes into account not just physical signs and symptoms but also a patient’s mental and emotional state of being. This is accomplished by using a thorough intake and health history, a physical examination and possibly lab work. All of these components are considered to develop and execute a treatment plan which suites the individual needs and goals of the patient.

Wherever possible, naturopathic treatment aims to allow the body to heal naturally. This concept of vis medicatrix naturae or “healing power of nature” remains one of the central themes of naturopathic philosophy. To aid in this process, naturopaths work not only on symptom alleviation but also attempt to address the cause of illness itself. If an athlete is experiencing chronic injury, for example, it may be necessary to assess nutritional intake and immune function. Once potential causes such as lifestyle, nutritional imbalance, immune dysfunction or toxicity have been addressed and ideally resolved, the body can by principle more easily attain a state of wellness.

Naturopathic practitioners are trained in a number of areas including nutrition, herbal medicine, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, homeopathy, physical medicines such as hydrotherapy or soft tissue manipulation and lifestyle counseling.

Outlined below are several of the core modalities incorporated in naturopathic medicine.

Clinical Nutrition

There is an ever-increasing body of knowledge that supports the use of whole and unprocessed foods as well as nutritional supplementation for health maintenance, athletic enhancement and the treatment of some illness. By seeking the advice of a licensed naturopath, patients can make positive choices about food intake as well as assure they are taking nutritional supplements when appropriate. If the human body were a car, what we put into our body is like the fuel. Improper fuel in the engine disenables the car from functioning efficiently and may, in part, be responsible for more frequent repairs and servicing.

Herbal Medicine

History shows us that man and animals alike have used plants medicinally since the “beginning of time”. Today we understand that botanical medicine can be helpful for a variety of conditions such as anxiety and sleep disorders, immune dysfunction, bacterial and viral infections or even chronic conditions such as cancer. Botanical substances are powerful and often useful to the body; however, they also have numerous interactions with other substances and so are best taken only after seeking the advice of a licensed practitioner.

Acupuncture

This ancient Chinese form of medicine attempts to optimize the flow of life energy known as qi. Specific locations on the body are located and stimulated based on their position in relation to energy channels known as meridians. Alone or in combination with herbal formulations, acupuncture can be helpful in treating a variety of conditions including joint and muscle pain or injury, stress and anxiety, digestive disorders and hormonal imbalance.

Homeopathy

Dating back to the 18th century in Europe, this highly energetic form of therapy uses various substances, in extreme dilution, to help the body restore itself into a more balanced state of being. This powerful though drugless medicine is extremely popular in many parts of the world, including countries such as India. The mechanism of action is energetic and so homeopathy can be used safely on infants and children as well as many patients currently taking prescription or pharmaceutical medicines. Like all natural products, it is advised that patients use these remedies only after consultation with trained practitioners such as homeopaths or naturopathic doctors.