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Naturopathy is the most eclectic of alternative medicine practices. It has no consistent diagnostic or therapeutic methods and a naturopath can have an emphasis in nutrition, herbs or any popular health fad. Central to the philosophy is a vitalist belief that the human body is a harmonious and indivisible whole girded with a healing force that intuitively knows what’s best for it. Naturopaths are licensed to practice in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Maine, Utah, and Vermont. California restricted the practice of naturopaths to those licensed there before 1964.
Naturopathy as a word was purchased from a small health-care system by Benedict Lust who merged ideas from the American hydrotherapy and natural hygiene movement around 1890 with Bavarian Catholic priest Sebastian Kneipp’s hydrotherapy, herbalism, and health foods. Lust recovered from tuberculosis under Kneipp’s care.
Naturopaths can not diagnose disease. They can perform evaluations and
analyses to determine the root cause of problems. Naturopaths can not treat
disease. They focus on health and education, not on treating any specific
disease. Naturopaths can not prescribe drugs or pharmaceuticals. Many teach
clients about herbs, homeopathic remedies, and the healing properties in foods
and nutritional supplements. Naturopaths do not perform invasive procedures such
as surgery. Depending on the type and extent of their training, naturopaths may
use hands-on modalities. There are naturopaths who are also chiropractors or
massage therapists, who may blend naturopathic modalities with those common to
their other discipline. They do not give injections or draw blood.
Standard types of techniques blended for practice are herbs,
nutritional supplements, homeopathy, biofeedback, relaxation techniques, acupuncture,
cupping, moxibustion, massage, enemas, water baths, heat treatments, aromatherapy,
fasting, hypnosis, reflexology, joint
manipulation or Rolfing, cranial bone realignment, zone therapy, yoga, magnet
therapy, therapeutic touch or other energy
healing techniques, and many other unconventional therapies. The language
of TCM is blended into naturopathy
where the idea of balancing energy is modified to include cleansing and detoxification
techniques. Applied kinesiology, medical
dowsing, iridology and Kirlian aura
photography are also blended into many practices.
John Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington, is the strongest of four institutions in North America that teaches only naturopathy and provides a certificate of naturopathy (ND). The other three accredited naturopathic schools are: National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Oregon (the oldest), Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona, and Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Ontario, Canada. The University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is in candidacy status which ensures eventual accreditation. Clayton College of Natural Health is a correspondence course school is sometimes confused as an accredited school.
