Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic Medicine

In this essay I will give you my personal opinion and thoughts on naturopathic medicine but before I begin I would like to first give you the definition of naturopathic medicine according to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia : “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”.

Hippocrates a Greek Physician that lived over 2000 years ago was accredited with the concept of “healing through nature”. He believed that through diet therapy and herbal therapies one can heal its own body. The doctors who practice naturopathic medicine can play different roles. Some may act as general practitioners; others may focus on particular areas of health such as acupuncture, detoxification, herbal medicine or homeopathy support. But in reality Naturopathic medicine began with Sebastian Kneipp in the 1800s. According to www.cancer.org, Kneipp was a German priest who opened a water cure center and developed herbal treatments. Later, a student of Kneipp's, Benedict Lust opened a water cure institute in New York which used Kneipp's drugless therapies. Lust went on to acquire degrees in osteopathy, and chiropractic, homeopathic, and eclectic medicine. In 1902, Lust purchased the rights to naturopathic medicine from another Kneipp student and opened the American Institute of Naturopathy.

Naturopathic medicine can help and benefit people who prefer a natural approach to their health issues. According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians currently only 14 states have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors, they are required to graduate from a four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass and extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license. Once thet start practicing they are required to take continuing education courses annually.

Naturopathic medicine uses the healing power of nature to maintain and restore health. The use of natural treatments is to get to the root of the problem and what actually created the problem in the first place. Its goal is to create a healthy inner body and outer body. Believers claim naturopathic medicine prevents illness because people are taught healthy diet modifications and lifestyle changes to avoid diseases. Naturopathic doctors may diagnose illness with many of the same methods used in conventional medicine today. Naturopathic treatment does not generally use drugs, radiation therapy, or major surgery. Naturopathic medicine is promoted for the treatment of weight loss, migraine headaches, chronic back pain, menopause, AIDS, hepatitis and cancer. Practitioners believe that naturopathic medicine causes fewer side effects and costs less than conventional medicines and treatment. Complicated cases needing major treatment are generally referred to conventional medical professionals.

I personally believe that there is some truth to naturopathic medicine. At the age of 62 my mother passed away due to a liver disease and just a few years ago I myself was diagnosed with a liver disease. I remember my mother taking all kinds of scientific medicines and chemical treatments to battle the disease. Shortly after my mother passed away I myself