Naturopathy

Naturopathic medicine, or naturopathy, is a complete health care system that utilizes a wide variety of natural healing therapies. The term naturopathy was first used in the late 1800s by German homeopath John H. Scheel to denote a form of health care that utilized natural methods to treat the whole person.

Naturopathy was introduced into the United States by Benedict Lust in the late nineteenth century. Lust came to America to teach and practice the hydrotherapy techniques and other therapies popularized in Europe by the great "water doctor," Father Sebastian Kneipp.

In 1900 a group of Kneipp practitioners decided to broaden the scope of their practice in order to incorporate all of the natural healing methods available at that time. From this meeting naturopathy emerged as a separate discipline. At that time it included botanical medicines, homeopathy, nutritional therapy, medical electricity, psychology, and the new manipulative therapies.

Naturopathic medical conventions in the 1920s attracted more than ten thousand practitioners. During the 1940s and 1950s the discipline experienced a decline with the rise and popularity of pharmaceutical medications, technological medicine, and the idea that medications could eliminate all disease.

Since the late 1970s naturopathic medicine has experienced a resurgence as health-conscious people have begun to seek out alternatives to conventional medicine. To treat disease and restore health, today's naturopathic medicine draws from the sciences of clinical nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, exercise therapy, counseling, acupuncture, natural childbirth, hydrotherapy, and physical medicine (manipulation of muscles, bones, and spine, and physiotherapy).

The following principles are the foundation that naturopathic medical practice is built on.

The Healing Power of Nature: Nature acts powerfully through healing mechanisms in the body and mind to maintain and restore health. Naturopathic physicians work to restore and support these inherent healing systems when they have broken down, by using methods, medicines, and techniques that are in harmony with the natural process.

First Do No Harm: Naturopathic physicians prefer noninvasive treatments which minimize the risks of harmful side effects. They are trained to know which patients they can treat safely, and which ones they need to refer to other health care practitioners.

Find the Cause: Every illness has an underlying cause, often in aspects of the lifestyle, diet, or habits of the individual. A naturopathic physician is trained to find and remove the underlying cause of a disease.

Treat the Whole Person: Health or disease comes from a complex interaction of physical, emotional, dietary, genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other factors. Naturopathic physicians treat the whole person, taking these factors into account.

Preventive Medicine: The naturopathic approach to health care can prevent minor illness from developing into more serious or chronic degenerative diseases. Patients are taught the principles with which to live a healthy life; by following these principles they can prevent major illness. It requires the patient to take an active role in the healing process.

The natural healing methods of naturopathy treat a wide variety of health problems. They are used to treat everyday acute illnesses such as colds, flu, sore throat, bronchitis, and digestive problems. Naturopathic medicine can also treat chronic degenerative diseases such as arthritis, other autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Naturopathy also treats chronic structural problems.

Other alternative therapies

• Acupressure
• Acupuncture
• Alexander Technique
• Ayurveda
• Biofeedback
• Chelation Therapy
• Hydrotherapy
• Kinesiology
• Magnetic Therapy
• Massage
• Meditation
• Naturopathy
• Reflexology
• Shiatsu
• Yoga