Naturopathic Medicine
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
– WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
When you work with an naturopathic physician, a variety of therapies may be employed, depending on a physician’s area of specialty. These include, but are not limited to nutrition, herbal medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, bodywork and lifestyle counseling. Specific treatment plans are designed to meet the evolving needs of each individual patient. As the patient begins to heal, his or her needs change, which necessitates an ongoing conversation and relationship between physician and patient.
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct practice of primary care medicine, and you may choose to use it as an adjunct to more conventional therapies, or to engage with it as your sole form of healthcare. It incorporates the science and art of physical and laboratory diagnosis into a clinical practice of medicine that is aimed at creating health and preventing disease. Naturopathic medical practices include modern and traditional philosophies, along with scientific and empirical methods of understanding health and disease. The aim of Naturopathic care is to remove the obstacles to health so that the body may heal itself.
Naturopathic physicians are granted licensure in 18 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as 5 Canadian provinces. Naturopaths have held licenses in the state of Oregon since 1927 and in California since 2004. ND’s are eligible for a state/ provincial license after passing the postdoctoral board examination administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). Licensed Naturopathic Doctors must also annually fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined by the state/ province in which they hold a license.