What is Naturopathic Medicine?
A licensed naturopathic doctor (ND) attends a four-year, graduate-level naturopathic medical school and is educated in the same basic sciences as an MD, but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness.
In addition to a standard medical curriculum, naturopathic students also study clinical nutrition, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling. A naturopathic doctor takes rigorous professional board exams so that they may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care doctor.
Naturopathic doctors combine the wisdom of nature with the rigors of modern science. Steeped in traditional healing methods, principles and practices, naturopathic medicine focuses on holistic, proactive prevention and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. By using protocols that minimize the risk of harm, naturopathic doctors help facilitate the body’s inherent ability to restore and maintain optimal health. It is the naturopathic doctor’s role to identify and remove barriers to good health by creating healthy internal and external environments.
Naturopathic doctors work in private practices, hospitals, clinics, and community health centers. NDs practice throughout the United States and Canada. Qualified naturopathic doctors undergo rigorous training before they become licensed health-care practitioners.
NDs treat all medical conditions and can provide both individual and family health care. Among the most common ailments they treat are allergies, chronic pain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, obesity, respiratory conditions, heart disease, fertility problems, menopause, adrenal fatigue, cancer, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. NDs are trained to utilize prescription drugs, although the emphasis of naturopathic medicine is the use of natural healing agents such as diet, lifestyle changes, exercise, hydrotherapy, herbs, homeopathics, and other supplements.
Reference: http://www.naturopathic.org
