What is Naturopathic Medicine ?

Naturopathy (also known as naturopathic medicine or natural medicine) is an alternative medical system that focuses on natural remedies and the body's vital ability to heal and maintain itself.It emphasizes health restoration as well as disease treatment. Naturopathy is a holistic system, meaning that naturopathic doctors (N.D.s) strive to find the cause of disease by understanding the patient as a totality of body, mind, and spirit. Most N.D.s use a wide variety of therapies and techniques (such as nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and acupuncture)." NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE A system of treatment that views disease as a manifestation of alterations in the processes by which the body naturally heals itself. It emphasizes health restoration as well as disease treatment. Naturopathic physicians use an array of healing practices, including diet and clinical nutrition; homeopathy; acupuncture; herbal medicine; hydrotherapy (the use of water in a range of temperatures and methods of applications); spinal and soft-tissue manipulation; physical therapies involving electric currents, ultrasound and light therapy; therapeutic counselling; and pharmacology. "There are two areas of focus in naturopathy: one is supporting the body's own healing abilities, and the other is empowering individuals to make lifestyle changes necessary for the best possible health. While N.D.s treat both short bouts of illness and chronic conditions, their emphasis is on prevention of disease and patient education."

Naturopathic Medicine: A comprehensive body of knowledge and an approach to healthcare derived from the latest scientific understanding of the human body, as well as from very long-standing traditional systems of healing. This medicine is based on the following principles:

• First, do no harm.
• Treat the whole person.
• Identify and treat the cause of illness.
• Remove obstacles to healing and health, and allow the healing power of nature to act.
• The word doctor means teacher; the physician should educate the patient and emphasize self-responsibility.

Naturopathy is one of the oldest forms of medicine known to human kind, tracing its roots to the healing techniques of ancient China, India, Greece and the Native American cultures.Today the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians organization just had its 25th anniversary. Naturopathy was popular in the 1920’s, then conventional medicine became more popular, and naturopathy started to regain its popularity about 1970.

Naturopathic doctors in North America practice as primary care providers with an emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. Naturopathic medicine is a complementary and alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopaths prefer to use natural remedies such as herbs and foods rather than surgery or synthetic drugs. Naturopathic practice includes many different modalities. Practitioners emphasize a holistic approach to patient care, and may recommend patients use conventional medicine alongside their treatments. Regulation and licensing of naturopathic practice varies greatly among North American jurisdictions.