Naturopathic medicine (also known as naturopathy) is a school of medical philosophy and practice that seeks to improve health and treat disease chiefly by assisting the body's innate capacity to recover from illness and injury. Naturopathic practice may include a broad array of different modalities, including manual therapy, hydrotherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, counseling, environmental medicine, aromatherapy, nutritional counseling, homeopathy, and so on. Practitioners tend to emphasize a holistic approach to patient care. Naturopathy has its origins in India along with Ayurveda^[1], but is today practiced in many countries around the world in one form or another, where it is subject to different standards of regulation and levels of acceptance. Alternative medicine is defined as any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain.[1] Complementary medicine is defined as any of the practices (as acupuncture) of alternative medicine accepted... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Terms and concepts in alternative medicine provides a glossary of quick and to the point definitions of important terms and concepts unique to alternative medicine (CAM). ... Culture (Culture from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate,) generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... medicines, see medication and pharmacology. ... This article needs more context around or a better explanation of technical details to make it more accessible to general readers and technical readers outside the specialty, without removing technical details. ... Injury is damage or harm caused to the structure or function of the body caused by an outside agent or force, which may be physical or chemical. ... Manual Therapy encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of the ailments of various etiologies through hands-on intervention. ... Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, is probably the oldest form of medical treatment. ... Dioscorides’ Materia Medica, c. ... Acupuncture chart from Hua Shou (fl. ... Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid clients in problems of living. ... Environmental medicine, also called clinical ecology, is a multidisciplinary field involving medicine, environmental science, chemistry and others. ... It has been suggested that Aromatherapy Candles be merged into this article or section. ... Holistic health is a medical philosophy of well-being that considers the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and balanced. ... Shirodhara, one of the techniques of Ayurveda Ayurveda (Devanagari: ) or Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. ...

Naturopathic practitioners prefer not to use invasive surgery, or most synthetic drugs, preferring "natural" remedies, for instance relatively unprocessed or whole medications, such as herbs and foods. Practitioners from accredited schools are trained to use diagnostic tests such as imaging and blood tests before deciding upon the full course of treatment. If the patient does not respond to these treatments, they are often referred to physicians who utilize standard medical care to treat the underlying disease or condition. “Surgeon” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that Blockbuster drug be merged into this article or section. ... Imaging refers to the science of obtaining pictures or more complicated spatial representations, such as animations or 3-D computer graphics models, from physical things. ... Blood tests are laboratory tests done on blood to gain an appreciation of disease states and the function of organs. ...

History of naturopathic medicine

The term naturopathy was coined before 1900, by John Scheel, and used by Benedict Lust. Lust had been schooled in hydrotherapy and other natural health practices in Germany by Father Sebastian Kneipp, who sent Lust to the United States to bring them Kneipp's methods. In 1905, Lust founded the American School of Naturopathy in New York, the first naturopathic college in the United States but "according to the New York Department of State, and the Florida Report to Governor Leroy Collins, it appears that this naturopathic school was never anything but a diploma mill". ^[2]. Lust took great strides in promoting the profession, culminating in passage of licensing laws in several states prior to 1935, including Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington and the founding of several naturopathic colleges. Benedict Lust, MD, DO, ND (February 3, 1872 - 1945), was the founder of naturopathic medicine in the first decade of the twentieth century, largely as a result of his healing experiences with Father Sebastien Kneipp. ... Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy, is probably the oldest form of medical treatment. ... Sebastian Kneipp (May 17, 1821, Stephansried, Germany – June 17, 1897 in Wörishofen) was a Bavarian priest and one of the founders of the Naturopathic medicine movement. ... NY redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ...

Naturopathic medicine went into decline, along with most other natural health professions, after the 1930s, with the discovery of penicillin and advent of synthetic drugs such as antibiotics and [[corticostero<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Lupin/navpop.css&action=raw&ctype=text/css&dontcountme=s">ids]]. In the post-war era, Lust's death, conflict between various schools of natural medicine (homeopathy, eclectics, physio-medicalism, herbalism, naturopathy, etc.), and the rise of medical technology were all contributing factors. In 1910, when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published the Flexner Report which criticized many aspects of medical education in various institutions (natural and conventional), it was mostly seen as an attack on low-quality natural medicine education. It caused many such programs to shut down and contributed to the popularity of conventional medicine. An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ... Homeopathy (also spelled homœopathy or homoeopathy), from the Greek words όμοιος, hómoios (similar) and πάθος, páthos (suffering)[1], is a controversial subset of alternative medicine practices that aims to treat like with like. ... Eclectics, so-called philosophers who attach themselves to no system, but select what, in their judgment, is true out of others. ... Dioscorides’ Materia Medica, c. ... Carnagie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an Act of Congress. ... The Flexner Report, written by the professional educator Abraham Flexner (1866-1959), advocated radical change in the way medical schools were run in Canada and the United States. ...

Naturopathic medicine never completely ceased to exist, however, as there were always a few states in which licensing laws existed—though at one point there were virtually no schools. One of the most visible steps towards the profession's modern renewal was the opening in 1956 of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. This was the first of the modern naturopathic medical schools offering four-year naturopathic medical training with the intention of integrating science with naturopathic principles and practice. Categories: Wikipedia cleanup | Stub ... Nickname: Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: , Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Government  - Mayor Tom Potter Area  - City  145. ...

Naturopathy In India

Naturopathy is very popular in India, and there are numerous naturopathic hospitals in the country. There are also many doctors trained in conventional medicine who have acquired naturopathy degrees so as to integrate the insights gained into their system of practice.^{[citation needed]}

The Indian stream of naturopathy differs from the Western stream in many ways, particularly in their emphasis on strict vegetarianism and yoga.^{[citation needed]} For animals adapted to eat primarily plants, sometimes referred to as vegetarian animals, see Herbivore. ... Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ...

Principles of naturopathic medicine

Naturopathy is based on six tenets or principles:^{[citation needed]}

1. First do no harm The process of healing includes the manifestations of symptoms, so that any therapy that interferes with this natural healing process by masking symptoms is considered suppressive and should be avoided (primum non nocere).
2. The healing power of nature The healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae), has two aspects: first that the body has the ability to heal itself and it is the naturopathic doctor's role to facilitate this natural process, and second that nature heals. Following this principle includes getting enough sleep, exercising, feeding the body nutritional food and, if needed, additional earth food, such as herbs, or algae, which is a living organism. It is asserted, yet strongly refuted by critics, that plants can gently move the body into health without side effects posed by some synthetic chemicals in modern pharmaceuticals.
3. Identify and treat the cause The underlying root causes of disease must be removed for complete healing to take place (tolle causam). These root causes can exist at many levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is the naturopathic doctor's ostensible role to identify this root cause, in addition to alleviate suffering by treating symptoms.
4. Treat the whole person A core tenet of naturopathy is the belief that health must go beyond treatment of immediate symptoms, and instead treat the entire person's well being. That means treating the entire body, as well as the spirit/soul and mind. This approach is usually called the wholistic or holistic method.
5. The physician as teacher It is the role of the naturopath to educate an individual in their practices and encourage that individual to "take responsibility for their own health" (docere). This cooperative relationship between doctor and patient is essential to healing.
6. Prevention The ultimate goal of the naturopathic physician is prevention. The emphasis is on building health, not fighting illness. This is done by fostering healthy lifestyles, healthy beliefs, and healthy relationships.

Naturopathic physicians and traditional naturopaths

There are two groups in North America calling themselves "naturopaths" who have recently been engaged in legal battles. The term when originally coined by John Scheel, and popularized by Dr. Benedict Lust was to apply to those receiving an education in the basic medical sciences with an emphasis on natural therapies. This usage best describes modern day naturopathic physicians. In the absence of universal regulation of naturopathy, another group of practitioners (the so-called 'traditional naturopaths') has emerged. Benedict Lust, MD, DO, ND (February 3, 1872 - 1945), was the founder of naturopathic medicine in the first decade of the twentieth century, largely as a result of his healing experiences with Father Sebastien Kneipp. ...

Naturopathic Physicians

Naturopathic physicians in North America are primary care providers trained in conventional medical sciences, diagnosis and treatment, and are experts in natural therapeutics. Licensing and training requirements vary from state to state, but at least 14 states, the District of Columbia, and four Canadian provinces have formal licensing and educational requirements. ^[3][4] In these jurisdictions, Naturopathic Physicians must pass comprehensive board exams set by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE)^[5] after having completed training at a college certified by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Eductaion (CNME)^[6].

Traditional Naturopaths

Traditional naturopaths are guided by the same naturopathic philosophies and principles as board-licensed Naturopathic physicians and often prescribe similar treatments but do so as alternative or complimentary practitioners rather than as primary care providers. Some may voluntarily join a professional organization, but these organizations do not acredit educational programs in any meaningful way or license practitioners per se. The training programs for traditional naturopaths can vary greatly, are less rigorous and do not provide the same basic and clinical science education as naturopathic medical schools do. The professional organizations formed by traditional naturopaths are not recognized by the U.S. Government or any U.S. State or Territory.

Regulation of naturopathic medicine

In some jurisdictions the practice of naturopathic medicine is unregulated and so the titles like "naturopath", "naturopathic doctor", and "doctor of natural medicine" are not protected by law. This may lead to difficulty in ensuring that a practitioner is trained to a particular standard or has adequate liability insurance.

Regulation in Australia

There is currently no state licensure in Australia, rather the industry is self regulated. There is no protection of title, meaning that technically anyone can practise as a naturopath. The only way to obtain insurance for professional indemnity or public liability is by joining a professional association, which can only be achieved having completed an accredited course and gaining professional certification. Licensure refers to the granting of a license (in the US, whilst, elsewhere the term registration is used), usually to work in a particular profession. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ... Look up Indemnity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk transference. ... A professional body or professional organization is an organisation, usually non-profit, that exists to further a particular profession, to protect both the public interest and the interests of professionals. ... Accreditation is a process by which a facilitys services and operations are examined by a third-party accrediting agency to determine if applicable standards are met. ... A professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation often called simply certification or qualification is a designation earned by a person to certify that he is qualified to perform a job. ...

It is generally thought that with registration, a minimum four-year degree and 400 hours of supervised clinical practice will be required for practice. Currently only a few institutions fulfil these requirements, including the Australian College of Natural Medicine's degree course, Southern Cross University Bachelor degree, and the University of Western Sydney's combined Bachelor of Applied Science (Naturopathic Studies) and Graduate Diploma in Naturopathy. The Australian College of Natural Medicine is a private tertiary institution located in Australia. ... Southern Cross University Southern Cross University is a University based on the far north coast and mid north coast of New South Wales, Australia. ... The University of Western Sydney is a public, multi-campus, higher educational institute located in the Western Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia. ...

Currently the only registered modalities of natural medicine in Australia are those relating to Chinese medicine, and only in the state of Victoria.^{[citation needed]} However the Victorian Government is currently reviewing this, and is looking to allow the registration of naturopaths along with homoeopaths and Western herbal medicine practioners. Capital Melbourne Government Constitutional monarchy Governor David de Kretser Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 37  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $222,022 (2nd)  - Product per capita  $44,443/person (5th) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  5,110,500 (2nd)  - Density  22. ...

Regulation in North America

See also: List of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Schools in North America

Jurisdictions that currently regulate naturopathic medicine include: Accredited Naturopathic Medical Schools in North America National College of Natural Medicine - Portland, Oregon Bastyr University - Seattle, Washington Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine - Tempe, Arizona Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine - Toronto, Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine of University of Bridgeport - Bridgeport, Connecticut Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine - New Westminster, British...

• U.S. jurisdictions with full licensure: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Vermont, New Hampshire, Oregon, U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Washington.^[7]
• Utah licensed N.D.s can only prescribe medications listed from the Naturopathic Physician Formulary. [6]
• U.S. state with registration for naturopathic physicians: Kansas^[8]
• U.S. jurisdictions with two-tier licensure: Puerto Rico^{[citation needed]}
• U.S. states with legal basis for practice: Minnesota, Rhode Island^{[citation needed]}
• U.S. states which specifically prohibit the practice of naturopathy: South Carolina, Tennessee
• Canadian provinces with full licensure: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan ^[9]

Official language(s) English[1] Spoken language(s) English 85. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Largest metro area Hartford Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[2] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Official language(s) English [1] Capital Boise Largest city Boise Area  Ranked 14th  - Total 83,642 sq mi (216,632 km²)  - Width 305 miles (491 km)  - Length 479 miles (771 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26N to 49°N  - Longitude 104°2W to 116°2W Population  Ranked... Official language(s) None Capital Montpelier Largest city Burlington Area  Ranked 45th  - Total 9,620 sq mi (24,923 km²)  - Width 80 miles (130 km)  - Length 160 miles (260 km)  - % water 3. ... Official language(s) English Capital Concord Largest city Manchester Area  Ranked 46th  - Total 9,359 sq mi (24,239 km²)  - Width 68 miles (110 km)  - Length 190 miles (305 km)  - % water 3. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,889 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... Official language(s) English Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,889 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) English Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214* [1] sq mi (3,144* km²)  - Width 37 miles (60 km)  - Length 48 miles (77 km)  - % water 32. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: The Strength of Many Peoples) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area  Ranked...

Regulation in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, naturopathy as a profession is very closely aligned with osteopathy.^{[citation needed]} There is no government sponsored regulation of the profession, the largest body, The General Council & Register of Naturopaths recognises three courses in the UK, two being taught at osteopathic schools: the British College of Osteopathic Medicine; The College of Osteopaths Educational Trust; and one at the University of Westminster School of Integrated Health under the auspices of the B.Sc Health Science (Naturopathy) course. This article is about osteopathy outside the United States. ... The University of Westminster is a university in London, England, formed in 1992 as a result of the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992, which allowed the London Polytechnic (Polytechnic of Central London or PCL ) to rename itself as a university. ...

Members of this register will either have completed a three or four year full time degree level course or possibly be a healthcare professional (Medical Doctor, Osteopath, Chiropractor, Nurse) who has completed a two year post-graduate Naturopathic Diploma, the N.D. As the naturopathic profession has developed along different lines in the UK, naturopaths do not perform minor surgery or have prescribing rights. A B.A. issued as a certificate A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study. ... This article or section may contain external links added only to promote a website, product, or service – otherwise known as spam. ...

Science and naturopathy

Some modalities used in naturopathy may be controversial (e.g. homeopathy), or have proven effectiveness only for very specific conditions (eg acupuncture, aromatherapy). Medical doctors often cite the large differences among naturopathic practitioners and the lack of scientific documentation of the safety and efficacy of their practices in order to justify limiting naturopathic scope. Skeptics label certain modalities of naturopathy as pseudoscience and criticise successful government legislation to license and accredit naturopaths and their organizations as giving those modalities unwarranted credibility.^[10] Advocates claim that naturopathic practitioners find it difficult to obtain financing for research due to the lack of prior research in many areas while noting that this is slowly changing as naturopathic physicians develop research programs to help build up a foundation for evidence based treatment. Homeopathy (also spelled homœopathy or homoeopathy), from the Greek words όμοιος, hómoios (similar) and πάθος, páthos (suffering)[1], is a controversial subset of alternative medicine practices that aims to treat like with like. ... Acupuncture chart from Hua Shou (fl. ... It has been suggested that Aromatherapy Candles be merged into this article or section. ... The word physician should not be confused with physicist, which means a scientist in the area of physics. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ...

Conventional medicine is required to undergo rigorous scientific testing; drug trials often last for a decade. A criticism of alternative therapies is that they are not subject to a similar assesment. Advocates of naturopathy respond that many of their therapeutic interventions have been safely used for hundreds and in some cases thousands of years, claiming what is lost in formal study design is more than made up for by the breadth and depth of human experience with the interventions in question. In medicine, a clinical trial (synonyms: clinical studies, research protocols, medical research) is a research study. ... Alternative medicine is defined as any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain.[1] Complementary medicine is defined as any of the practices (as acupuncture) of alternative medicine accepted...

Safety

As noted above, many naturopathic treatments have not been tested for safety utilizing scientific studies or clinical trials. There is a concern that these treatments may endanger the health of the patient if used to replace better studied conventional medical procedures.^[11] In addition to causing potential harm by failing to resolve the presenting condition, certain naturopathic interventions are known to be harmful to a patient rather than helpful if not used properly or under the direction of a trained practitioner. ^[11][12][13] Also of concern is the ambiguity of the word "natural" and poor agreement as to its meaning; 'natural' does not necessarily mean beneficial, or even benign. This is particularly true of botanical medicine, where certain herbs can be toxic if dosed incorrectly or without considering potetential interactions with other medicines. Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena and acquiring new knowledge, as well as for correcting and integrating previous knowledge. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Allopathic Medicine
• Alternative medicine
• Health freedom movement
• Homeopathy
• LOHAS
• Medicine
• Metamorphic Technique
• Natural Hygiene
• Osteopathy and osteopathic medicine

The term allopathic medicine is used by adherents of alternative medicine to refer to any form of mainstream medicine. ... Alternative medicine is defined as any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain.[1] Complementary medicine is defined as any of the practices (as acupuncture) of alternative medicine accepted... The term health freedom movement is used to describe the loose coalition of consumers and alternative medicine providers around the world who are pushing for unhindered freedom of choice in healthcare. ... Homeopathy (also spelled homœopathy or homoeopathy), from the Greek words όμοιος, hómoios (similar) and πάθος, páthos (suffering)[1], is a controversial subset of alternative medicine practices that aims to treat like with like. ... LOHAS is an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability - a $227 billion market segment in the U.S. alone but worldwide in its extent. ... medicines, see medication and pharmacology. ... The Metamorphic Technique is a gentle form of foot, hand and head massage that can be carried out by anyone with a brief training in the technique. ... Natural Hygiene is a branch of alternative medicine that claims that the human body can and will heal itself if the causes of disease are removed. ... This article is about osteopathy outside the United States. ... The current version of the article or section is written like a magazine article instead of the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia. ...

External links

Advocacy

• Profile of Profession: Naturopathic Practice (312 Kb PDF file) Center for the Health Professions, UCSF

Naturopathic physician associations

• American Association of Naturopathic Physicians - AANP
• Canadian Association of Naturopathic doctors
• British Columbia Naturopathic Association
• Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association
• North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physisicans
• California Naturopathic Doctors Association
• Connecticut Naturopathic Association
• Missouri Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians
• American College of Naturopathic Obstetricians

Certifying Organizations

• North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners
• Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
• UK General Council and Register of Naturopaths

Traditional naturopaths

• Association of Naturopathic Practitioners
• Coalition for Natural Health

Criticism

• Naturopathy by Robert T. Carroll – The Skeptic's Dictionary
• Naturopathy: A Critical Analysis by Barry L. Beyerstein, PhD, and Susan Downie
• Licensed to Kill: Some Doctors Are Real Naturals by Chris Wanjek

The Skeptics Dictionary is a web site with a collection of cross-referenced skeptical essays by Robert Todd Carroll, PhD. It primarily exposes claims that its editors consider pseudoscientific (sometimes in a pseudoskeptical fashion though). ...

Current events and News

• Can Naturopathic Remedies Fight Cancer, Hot Flashes? -Forbes.com