What Is Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine is a unique and comprehensive approach to improving health and treating illness. Focusing on prevention, and using natural substances and treatments, naturopathic doctors (NDs) support and stimulate the body's ability to heal itself.

The primary goal of naturopathic treatment is to address the cause of illness, rather than simply treat or suppress symptoms. The patient is seen as a whole person and the ND takes the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions into account when diagnosing and developing a treatment plan.

Is Naturopathic Medicine Safe?

The safety record for naturopathic medicine is excellent. This makes sense given the emphasis on non-toxic, natural source medicines and gentle, non-invasive treatments. Side effects are rare and NDs are knowledgeable about contraindications between naturopathic remedies and conventional medicines.

In addition, NDs are trained to recognize conditions which are outside their scope of practice and to refer to other health practitioners when it is appropriate to do so.

Is Naturopathic Medicine Scientific?

Thousands of modern clinical studies have validated a variety of natural medicines used by NDs: Echinacea for the immune system and St. John's Wort for depression are just two examples. Naturopathic schools encourage and facilitate research.

It is important to note that, since most naturopathic remedies are not patentable, manufacturers find little financial incentive in costly scientific studies. Thus, funding from independent sources is essential for scientific validation of naturopathic treatments.