Naturopathy

Naturopathy, which originated in 19th Century Europe, aims to support the body's natural ability to heal itself through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes, along with therapies such as herbs, massage and joint manipulation. People seek naturopathic care for various health-related purposes, including primary care, support of wellness and support for specific conditions. The word naturopathy comes from Greek and Latin and literally translates as "nature disease."

A central belief in naturopathy is that nature has a healing power. Another belief is that living organisms have the power to maintain, or return to, a state of balance and health. Practitioners of naturopathy prefer to use protocols they consider to be the most natural and least invasive, instead of using drugs, for example. They believe in addressing the many factors that determine an individual’s health – physical, emotional, mental – and naturopathic practitioners seek to provide healing support for causes rather than symptoms. In addition, key principles of the discipline include prevention and education.

Naturopathic physicians are educated and trained in a four-year, graduate-level program at one of four U.S. naturopathic medical schools accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. The second major group of practitioners is traditional naturopaths, or simply naturopaths. They emphasize education in naturopathic approaches to a healthy lifestyle, strengthening and cleansing the body and noninvasive treatments.

(SOURCE: NCCAM, National Institutes of Health)