What is a Naturopath

What is a naturopath? A naturopath is a person who practices a form of medicine using natural methods of healing. Many practitioners use their education in naturopathy to complement that of a traditional medical program, combining both eastern and western medicine techniques.

When people wonder what is a naturopath practice, they generally believe that it has something to do with herbal medicine. They are right in one respect; it does have to do with using herbal treatments. However, it has to do with much more. A naturopath may have expertise in Chinese medicine, reflexoloy, midwife skills, acupuncture, therapeutic massage and more. The goal of a naturopathic practitioner is to treat the whole person with natural therapies instead of with prescriptions, which only serve to suppress an ailment.

For the practitioners of naturopathy, there are six important core values that they follow. The exact wording varies with the regulatory bodies, but the basic oath is as follows:

1. Do no harm; naturopaths should provide the best care possible with the least exposure to risk for their patients
2. Promote the self-healing nature of all humans
3. Identify and remove the causes of an illness instead of suppressing them
4. Educate and inspire people to be responsible for their own health
5. Treat each person according to his or her individual needs
6. Promote good health to help prevent disease in the individual, their community and the world

Herbal medicine isn't the only way to treat illness. The naturopath employs many means to help patients achieve better health. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education in North America (CNME) approves the following core set of interventions for the naturopath practitioner:

• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Herbal medicine
• Nutrition, such as whole food diets, vegetarianism, vegan diets and fasting
• Physical medicinem, including physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, manipulative therapy and sports medicine
• Nature cure, utilizing what nature has to offer, such as fresh air and sunshine
• Psychological counseling, in an effort to heal the whole person, naturopaths may advise yoga, meditation, stress management and relaxation techniques
• Optional modalities include: iridology, kinesiology, reflexology and natural childbirth.

Depending upon the jurisdiction in which naturopaths live, they may also practice surgery or intravenous therapies if they have received additional training and licensing.

Not all practitioners of naturopathy have the designation ND, or Naturopathic Doctor. The skill level and training will determine how they can promote themselves in the medical community.

Depending upon the school you attend, you may receive a Doctor of Naturopathy without being a medical doctor. An undergraduate degree is required before beginning this program. This designation may be earned at Clayton College, and the recipient of the diploma can work as a naturopathic consultant. This is not a medical degree, and in most states, the practitioners may not write pharmaceutical prescriptions nor may they perform any surgery.

A Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine has a medical degree from an accredited college in North America. To earn their Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, a physician will take an additional two or three years studying naturopathy at a college approved by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. In some jurisdictions, a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine will also be required to pass comprehensive board exams from the North American Board of Naturopathic Practitioners.

A traditional naturopath follows all of the principles set forth for a Doctor of Naturopathy; however they are not primary caregivers. They may work in conjunction with medical doctors, but they do not have to pass any medical board exams in order to offer their services to the public. The training programs vary widely and are not overseen by any accrediting board.

There are several schools that offer programs in traditional naturopathy. The include the following schools:

• Canyon College
• Clayton College of Natural Health
• Blue Heron Academy

The following schools offer Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degrees:

• Bastyr University – Kenmore, Washington
• National College of Naturopathic Medicine – Portland, Oregon
• Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine – Scotsdale, Arizona
• University of Bridgeport – Bridgeport, Connecticut

Before you register at a prospective college, be sure to check whether or not they are currently accredited. To check whether or not a college is accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education, visit the Accreditation in the United States web page.

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