—  Naturopathic Medicine  —

 Naturopathic medicine is a system of medicine focusing on the prevention of both acute and chronic disease. Emphasis is placed on treating the person as a whole. Licensed naturopathic doctors are trained as primary care physicians and take into account one’s physical, mental, emotional, and genetic factors to treat each person individually. Naturopathic doctors study vitamin/mineral supplementation, herbs, homeopathic remedies, nutrition, as well as physical medicine and hydrotherapy interventions.

There are six principles at the core of naturopathic medicine:

• The Healing Power of Nature - Naturopathic medicine recognizes that the body is ordered and intelligent. Therefore, the naturopathic physician identifies and removes obstacles to cure and helps facilitate the body’s healing ability.

• Treat the Cause - The naturopathic physician identifies and removes the underlying causes of illness.

• First Do No Harm - The naturopathic physician utilizes methods and substances which minimizes the risk of harmful side effects.

• Doctor as Teacher - The naturopathic physician educates the patient and encourages self-responsibility for their health.

• Treat the Whole Person - The naturopathic physician treats each individual by taking into account physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors that may affect their health and well-being.

• Prevention - The naturopathic physician emphasizes disease prevention by assessing risk factors to disease and recommending appropriate interventions to prevent future illness.

A naturopathic doctor works to find the root cause of illness versus treating just the symptoms. This requires a much longer initial intake - usually 90 minutes - to gather as much history about an individual as possible; this informs how a person gets to where they are in the present. Lowest force, least side-effect causing interventions are utilized first. Input from - and participation with - the individual often informs treatment guidance. A strong emphasis is placed on the foundations of health: diet, lifestyle, and exercise.

Naturopathic doctors receive four to five years of medical training which includes a two-year clinical internship. The academic curriculum includes the medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and neuroscience. Clinical coursework includes pathology, pediatrics, gynecology, dermatology, gastroenterology, and rheumatology. Botanical medicine, physical medicine, nutrition, and homeopathy are emphasized. Additional training in natural therapeutic techniques and holistic treatment principles grounds the rigorous curriculum in the naturopathic tenets. Naturopathic physicians are required to pass national board exams to hold a license to practice naturopathic medicine.

Currently, naturopaths are licensed as health care providers in 23 states and 3 districts (District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands). Although New York State does not have a law licensing naturopathic physicians, there is a strong effort pursuing licensure via the New York Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NYANP).